5: This book has made my gift shopping a no-brainer!
As I opened the package that contained my copy of Land of Little Rivers I expected a great book. I had read Mac Francis??s earlier book, Catskill Rivers, twice. Within minutes I realized the word "great" was wholly insufficient to describe this exquisite volume. At first I was caught by the, near mystical beauty of Enrico Ferorelli??s photographs--by themselves, more than worth the price of the book! But it is Mac Francis??s words that captured my heart and imagination completely. They carried me along, hour after hour, through this absorbing, beautifully told story of the birthplace of American fly fishing.The author ends his introduction, trying to define the almost supernatural power inherent in the Catskill fly-fishing tradition, with these words: "I believe it is this power -- call it passion, dedication, commitment, vision, love, or what you will -- that has inspired the myriad fly fishers who in small ways and large have created, fought for, and extended a great sporting tradition in a hallowed land, and I respect the honor of presenting them, their feats, and their little rivers in these pages." With this book, Mac Francis does more than simply honor a great tradition; he and Land of Little Rivers become a part of it.
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