Even though the books says " Fly fishing by J.R. Hartley. its not. but worth the read, my wife loved the book as its a true story. and has funny bits in too.
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Bought this for a friend as he’s mad on fishing. Looks like an easy read
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Just what I wanted, that were reet' nice
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"Fly Fishing by J.R. Hartley" is a collection of fishing-themed anecdotes and stories by Michael Russell, cheekily using the pseudonym of the much-loved character J.R. Hartley from the "Yellow Pages" advert of the 1980's. Whilst the title sounds like a textbook or guide to fly fishing at first, it is actually a very nice collection of memories from Russell's / Hartley's youth in 1930's Yorkshire, and how what began as a schoolboy's hobby gradually evolved into a memorable pasttime. The stories within this book are well-written and give so much detail without writing paragraph after paragraph of description. I actually found the stories very warm-hearted, and gave me a glimpse of life that I had never seen nor stopped to think about. Having grown up practising sea-fishing with my Dad in Ilfracombe, my idea of inland fishing was of men in tweed suits carrying wicker baskets and bamboo rods. Not so, it seems, for Russell's / Hartley's depiction of fly-fishing in 1930's Yorkshire gives a unique insight into the fishing practices and challenges of the era, as well as an idyllic picture of rural life in the years before and during World War II. This is a wonderful gem of a book, and whilst some collect it purely for the "Yellow Pages" link, I encourage everyone to read it, because this is a book few other angling memoirs will be able to match.
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Bought this as a joke for my Brother in laws 60th Birthday (he was asking for Fly Fishing lessons). This was given alongside money for the latter. The book was of good quality and the printing was absolutely fine and not like other reviewers who were not happy with their copies. Needless to say it went down very well with the Bro in Law and gave him a chuckle….also, by all accounts a good read too!
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Hubby says this is a good book and he'd enjoying. If your remember the yellow pages adverts and are into flyfishing then this is a must.
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If I'd bought this as a book of anecdotes from a member of the comfy, well-off middle classes around the turn of the second world war and shortly thereafter, written in a style a bit reminiscent of the "vet" series of James Herriot, then I'd have given it 5 stars, or maybe 4.5 as it's a bit short. If I'd bought it for some wisdom and insights into fly-fishing, (as I did) then it probably warrants 1 or 2 stars, as there's very little indeed about the techniques and mysteries of the art. But I enjoyed the read, so 3 stars it is.
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Bought as a secret santa gift for a colleague who's a keen angler and he loved it so happy days 🎅
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Life was so much simpler back then! Cracking book!
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I bought this book for my son-in-law. He is an avid catch and release fly fisherman. He loves to collect books on fishing.
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Got this for my English husband for this birthday. He thought it was hilarious and was very surprised.
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On a recent trip to the Lake District in England, I was given a copy of JR Hartley's second book to read first. As an avid fly fisherman, I enjoyed his stories of his fly fishing adventures as a young person growing up and going to school in the Lake District. After reading his stories and a story of his search to find a copy of his first book by using the yellow pages after giving his last copy away, I had to find a copy and read it.. It was worth the search and a funny worthwhile read. While his stories are funny, I relate because I think of my own fly fishing adventures today are comparable. .
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Hartley not only know how to fly fish...He loves it! He also reveres the English language and uses it well...Big plus!
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