The Autobiography of a Fisherman (Back in Print)

With the recent selection of Frank Parker Day's 1928 novel Rockbound as CBC's 2005 "Canada Reads" winner, interest in the life and work of Day has never been greater. In 1927, Day wrote his autobiographical reflections on fishing, family, and, more broadly, humanity's place in the natural world. The Autobiography of a Fisherman is a wonderful recollection of one man's life, with characters struggling in a depressed economy, contending with the social pressures of local village life, and responding in one way or the other to the pull of the big city. Day details his early introduction to fishing, which becomes a life-long passion, at once a 'gentle art' and a 'disease'. Studying at Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship ('it was easier to get one in those days'), his fervour for fishing is shared by many, but while at the University of Berlin studying Beowulf , he laments that he 'did no trout fishing.' Eventually, Day returns to Canada and is hired as an English professor at the University of New Brunswick, knowing it to be 'the centre of a well-watered district.' The reader sees him through his final episode of fishing with his father before his father dies, as well as the First World War, during which time he 'never wet a line', and beyond, as he marries, builds a family, and continues to fish. Day's reflections suggest the restorative powers of the environment and should appeal to even those readers who have never thought to sit quietly by the side of a stream, line in hand, waiting. "In 1927, Frank Parker Day wrote his autobiographical reflections on fishing, family, and, more broadly, humanity's place in the natural world. The Autobiography of a Fisherman is a memoir, providing insight into a society where people were struggling to survive in a depressed economy, contending with the social pressures of local village life, and responding in one way or the other to the pull of the big city." "Day details his early introduction to fishing, which became a life-long passion, at once a 'gentle art' and a 'disease.' Studying at Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship, Day found his fervour for fishing was shared by many, but while at the University of Berlin studying Beowulf, he lamented that he 'did no trout fishing.'" "Eventually, Day returned to Canada and was hired as an English professor at the University of New Brunswick, knowing it to be 'the centre of a well-watered district.' The reader sees him through his last fishing experience with his father before his father dies, as well as through the First World War during which time he 'never wet a line, ' and beyond, as he married, built a family, and continued to fish. Day's reflections suggest the restorative powers of the environment and should appeal even to those readers who have never thought to sit quietly by the side of a stream, line in hand, waiting."--Résumé de l'éditeur "In 1927, Frank Parker Day wrote his autobiographical reflections on fishing, family, and, more broadly, humanity's place in the natural world. The Autobiography of a Fisherman is a memoir, providing insight into a society where people were struggling to survive in a depressed economy, contending with the social pressures of local village life, and responding in one way or the other to the pull of the big city." "Day details his early introduction to fishing, which became a life-long passion, at once a 'gentle art' and a 'disease.' Studying at Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship, Day found his fervour for fishing was shared by many, but while at the University of Berlin studying Beowulf, he lamented that he 'did no trout fishing.'" "Eventually, Day returned to Canada and was hired as an English professor at the University of New Brunswick, knowing it to be 'the centre of a well-watered district.' The reader sees him through his last fishing experience with his father before his father dies, as well as through the First World War during which time he 'never wet a line, ' and beyond, as he married, built a family, and continued to fish. Day's reflections suggest the restorative powers of the environment and should appeal even to those readers who have never thought to sit quietly by the side of a stream, line in hand, waiting."--Jacket Contents 5 Chapter I. My First Trout 9 Chapter II. Mountain Brooks and Lakes 21 Chapter III. New Waters and a Comrade 53 Chapter IV. I Become a Fly Fisherman 75 Chapter V. Swallow Pool 87 Chapter VI. In Foreign Parts 99 Chapter VII. Along Great Rivers 114 Chapter VIII. A Lost Comrade 130 Chapter IX. War Time 141 Chapter X. Peace 152 Chapter XI. Boni's Meadow 158 Chapter XII. Brazil Lake Brook 173 Chapter XIII. Salmon Fishing 179 Chapter XIV. Dean’s Brook 195 Chapter XV. Donald 208 In 1927, Frank Parker Day wrote his autobiographical reflections on fishing, family, and, more broadly, humanity's place in the natural world. The Autobiography of a Fisherman is a wonderful memoir, providing insight into a society where people were struggling to survive in a depressed economy, contending with the social pressures of local village life, and responding in one way or the other to the pull of the big city