Small in the Eye of a River
These unique essays and stories celebrate a life in which fly fishing is the central ingredient: from the magical qualities of a blue-dun neck to the intermingling of love, music, fly fishing, and the haunting life of rivers.The nine tales and reflections are characterized by a restless, searching quality. Each piece is different. Each registers a unique point of view. In some cases Mele speculates about the elusive properties of the blue-dun necks, as he searches for some ultimate shade and texture, some way to define their delicacy; at other times he seeks the perfect bamboo fly rod, one that will meet all of his exacting dry-fly demands. At times the world of fly fishing leads him to explore the life of close friends, like Dan Brenan, or old masters, like Theodore Gordon; and at times that same world becomes inextricable with the need to protect rivers, or his love and practice of music.Frank Mele brought a new voice to angling literature - delicate, elusive, earthy, witty, and ultimately wise. Fly fishers everywhere will enjoy this unusual and memorable book. (53/4 X 81/2, 162 pages)