Reviews of FF2T by Readers
By Jean Manthei: Depth, Spirituality and the Meaning in Fishing (July 9, 2019)
This is different than a Big Fish story or getting the Big Fish prize. The well-being is in connecting with the water and the fish and the people. That’s the prize—the catch. I would encourage people to read the last chapter first and then again at the end. When I was reading the Collected Works of Carl Jung back in the 1980s, Jung had talked about archetypes and fishing and the relationship man had to his unconscious and depth from fishing. I felt Mr. White went into a great deal more depth than Jung even did in terms of the meanings behind this ancient activity of fishing. Jung approached it from a psychological perspective; Mr. White approaches it from a more spiritual depth as well as everyday meanings. I liked these stories because they were simple—not Big Fish stories of “Hear me Roar.” On June mornings I would get up and have my coffee and pick up Jim’s book anxious to read about his adventures not because of some shiny greatness, but because they were comforting and real. He wasn’t telling the reader this to impress the reader as much as to engage the reader and to get one to eventually make a distinction between individualistic spirituality v community. Another big catch for the reader. The reader goes fishing, too—and the words in the end of the book are like his grand slams of fishing—if the reader catches that then the reader has caught more than the meaning of the book and is certainly fine dining on a chub or 23” trout. Bone Appetit.
By Reuben Rainey: Engaging adventures combined with perceptive reflections on the meaning of fishing. (August 22, 2019)
Books on fly-fishing tend to be one of five types: how to, where to, autobiography, philosophical ruminations, and travel adventures. Some combine several of these categories. James W. White’s Fly-Fishing the Arctic Circle to Tasmania: A Preacher’s Adventures and Reflections encompasses all five. White, a retired ordained minister of the Congregational Church, has fished a major slice of planet earth, having traveled 100,000 miles to 20 countries, states, and provinces. He also has cast a line into 400 specific rivers and lakes in the company of over 2000 people, 652 of whom he names in the index. White writes with wit, candor, insight, and an eye for significant detail. He celebrates cultural diversity and comradeship. He gracefully recounts such things as his love of fishing as a boy, his choice of a career as a minister, and his struggle with macular degeneration that has completely transformed his method of fishing from sight to feel. A gifted travel writer, he is able to capture vividly the scenery and geology of a region and major elements of its culture and history. Also he has the talents of a skilled narrator--good pace, suspense, and surprise--and applies them to a series of twelve engaging stories taking place in such international settings as the Czech Republic and Tasmania, as well as several regions of the United States. In the book’s conclusion White reflects on the meaning of fishing from his perspective as a minister and member of his Christian community. He does not deliver an off-putting homily, but invites the reader to compare his or her thoughts on the same subject. The result is a thought-provoking interweaving of his love of fishing with his religious faith. In the literature on sport, works on fly-fishing rank among the highest in quality. James White has made an outstanding contribution to this distinguished literary tradition. R. Rainey
By SIB: This is a book for everyone (June 27, 2019)
For the serious angler, it is chock full with descriptions of gear, technique and location.For the non-angler (such as me) it delights with stories of comradeship and companions, of adventures and misadventures, of banter and sly tricks.A master storyteller, his natural talents honed by years of preaching by description and analogy, Jim White's personal story brings the reader along to some exotic and beautiful places where we meet unique landscapes and local people whose cultures and language differ from our own. Among many beautiful landscapes, Jim takes us to a ridge overlooking an unspoiled and largely uninhabited valley in the far north of Alaska and to the basement rock of the earth - rock from the time of creation itself - exposed in Tasmania. He introduces us to the entertaining banter and habits of the locals of the many countries he has fished. I particularly enjoyed Jim's efforts to duplicate the expressions of Australian-Tasmanian crews - a new vocabulary of the English language.In the concluding episodes, he muses on the relationship of serious fishing and his Christian faith - on the drive to find "what you're after" and the answers to be discovered in place, people and water. This is a book that will put a smile on your face and a sense of well-being in your heart.
Yah!
By John S. Synder: Beyond Tying Flies and Catching Fish (July 4, 2019)
James White's subtitle, "A Preacher's Adventures and Reflections," aptly descibes this saga of his years of fishing and engaging deeply with others. He has fished with over 2,000 people, 652 of whom he names in an appendix! Although I am not a true fisherman (my most memorable catch was a pail of blowfish from a New Jersey bay), I still related to his description of challenge and skill in fly fishing since it is a common experience in other pursuits. The best part of the book for me, however, is the final two chapters. White points out there that fishing can have a transcendent quality that enhances our humanity and subtly reveals the presence of God.
By Chris Reimer: You'll laugh out loud - and gain wisdom (July 19, 2019)
This is a fabulous book, even if you don't fish. It's full of life lessons and great stories. The author shares his soul with you! And if you ARE a fisher, there's tons of technical information that connect you with each of the amazing fishing trips he takes you on. The philosophy behind the art of fishing is shared often and skillfully. Jim White exposes his spirituality and intellect in deep questions and isn't afraid to admit much is a mystery. I loved this book.
By Amazon Customer: Fishing and Faith, from a Master Storyteller (June 21, 2019)
James White’s new book about fly fishing all over the world is a funny, wise, and informative series of short stories. Threaded between them is a nice balance of philosophy about what a lifetime of fishing means to him, especially in a spiritual sense. White is a wonderful story teller and theologian, and this book is both delightful and insightful.
By Jean Manthei: Depth, Spirituality and the Meaning in Fishing (July 9, 2019)
This is different than a Big Fish story or getting the Big Fish prize. The well-being is in connecting with the water and the fish and the people. That’s the prize—the catch. I would encourage people to read the last chapter first and then again at the end. When I was reading the Collected Works of Carl Jung back in the 1980s, Jung had talked about archetypes and fishing and the relationship man had to his unconscious and depth from fishing. I felt Mr. White went into a great deal more depth than Jung even did in terms of the meanings behind this ancient activity of fishing. Jung approached it from a psychological perspective; Mr. White approaches it from a more spiritual depth as well as everyday meanings. I liked these stories because they were simple—not Big Fish stories of “Hear me Roar.” On June mornings I would get up and have my coffee and pick up Jim’s book anxious to read about his adventures not because of some shiny greatness, but because they were comforting and real. He wasn’t telling the reader this to impress the reader as much as to engage the reader and to get one to eventually make a distinction between individualistic spirituality v community. Another big catch for the reader. The reader goes fishing, too—and the words in the end of the book are like his grand slams of fishing—if the reader catches that then the reader has caught more than the meaning of the book and is certainly fine dining on a chub or 23” trout. Bone Appetit.
By Reuben Rainey: Engaging adventures combined with perceptive reflections on the meaning of fishing. (August 22, 2019)
Books on fly-fishing tend to be one of five types: how to, where to, autobiography, philosophical ruminations, and travel adventures. Some combine several of these categories. James W. White’s Fly-Fishing the Arctic Circle to Tasmania: A Preacher’s Adventures and Reflections encompasses all five. White, a retired ordained minister of the Congregational Church, has fished a major slice of planet earth, having traveled 100,000 miles to 20 countries, states, and provinces. He also has cast a line into 400 specific rivers and lakes in the company of over 2000 people, 652 of whom he names in the index. White writes with wit, candor, insight, and an eye for significant detail. He celebrates cultural diversity and comradeship. He gracefully recounts such things as his love of fishing as a boy, his choice of a career as a minister, and his struggle with macular degeneration that has completely transformed his method of fishing from sight to feel. A gifted travel writer, he is able to capture vividly the scenery and geology of a region and major elements of its culture and history. Also he has the talents of a skilled narrator--good pace, suspense, and surprise--and applies them to a series of twelve engaging stories taking place in such international settings as the Czech Republic and Tasmania, as well as several regions of the United States. In the book’s conclusion White reflects on the meaning of fishing from his perspective as a minister and member of his Christian community. He does not deliver an off-putting homily, but invites the reader to compare his or her thoughts on the same subject. The result is a thought-provoking interweaving of his love of fishing with his religious faith. In the literature on sport, works on fly-fishing rank among the highest in quality. James White has made an outstanding contribution to this distinguished literary tradition. R. Rainey
By SIB: This is a book for everyone (June 27, 2019)
For the serious angler, it is chock full with descriptions of gear, technique and location.For the non-angler (such as me) it delights with stories of comradeship and companions, of adventures and misadventures, of banter and sly tricks.A master storyteller, his natural talents honed by years of preaching by description and analogy, Jim White's personal story brings the reader along to some exotic and beautiful places where we meet unique landscapes and local people whose cultures and language differ from our own. Among many beautiful landscapes, Jim takes us to a ridge overlooking an unspoiled and largely uninhabited valley in the far north of Alaska and to the basement rock of the earth - rock from the time of creation itself - exposed in Tasmania. He introduces us to the entertaining banter and habits of the locals of the many countries he has fished. I particularly enjoyed Jim's efforts to duplicate the expressions of Australian-Tasmanian crews - a new vocabulary of the English language.In the concluding episodes, he muses on the relationship of serious fishing and his Christian faith - on the drive to find "what you're after" and the answers to be discovered in place, people and water. This is a book that will put a smile on your face and a sense of well-being in your heart.
Yah!
By John S. Synder: Beyond Tying Flies and Catching Fish (July 4, 2019)
James White's subtitle, "A Preacher's Adventures and Reflections," aptly descibes this saga of his years of fishing and engaging deeply with others. He has fished with over 2,000 people, 652 of whom he names in an appendix! Although I am not a true fisherman (my most memorable catch was a pail of blowfish from a New Jersey bay), I still related to his description of challenge and skill in fly fishing since it is a common experience in other pursuits. The best part of the book for me, however, is the final two chapters. White points out there that fishing can have a transcendent quality that enhances our humanity and subtly reveals the presence of God.
By Chris Reimer: You'll laugh out loud - and gain wisdom (July 19, 2019)
This is a fabulous book, even if you don't fish. It's full of life lessons and great stories. The author shares his soul with you! And if you ARE a fisher, there's tons of technical information that connect you with each of the amazing fishing trips he takes you on. The philosophy behind the art of fishing is shared often and skillfully. Jim White exposes his spirituality and intellect in deep questions and isn't afraid to admit much is a mystery. I loved this book.
By Amazon Customer: Fishing and Faith, from a Master Storyteller (June 21, 2019)
James White’s new book about fly fishing all over the world is a funny, wise, and informative series of short stories. Threaded between them is a nice balance of philosophy about what a lifetime of fishing means to him, especially in a spiritual sense. White is a wonderful story teller and theologian, and this book is both delightful and insightful.