The best fishing writing is never really about fishing, or never only about fishing, and the writers collected in A Twitch Upon the Thread use angling as a way to write about love, loss, faith, and obsession. This is an anthology of fishing writing ranging from medieval times to the present, taking the reader from riverbank to open ocean, from England to New Zealand, from the shore to the depths. Read it and be hooked. Included are contributions from Virginia Woolf, Charles Dickens, Ota Pavel, Arthur Ransome, George Orwell, Gerard Manley Hopkins, and dozens more.

"Hemingway and Lindsay carry the Hemingway traditions of hunting, family, and storytelling into the new millennium." —KIRKUS Fifteen years after her father's death, Hilary Hemingway receives a curious inheritance: an audio-cassette of Les, her father, telling outrageous stories about hunting with his famous older brother, Ernest Hemingway. Les clearly aims to amuse the listeners with tales of the Hemingway brothers hunting vicious ostriches, hungry crocodiles, and deadly komodo dragons, but where Les Hemingway gets serious is in defending and explaining his brother’s reputation to a contemptuous Hemingway scholar. Hilary transcribes these stories, revealing the bond between two larger-than-life brothers—and tells of her own quest to make peace with the painful parts of the Hemingway legacy.

Originally published in 1950, this book presents a comprehensive anthropological discussion of fishing written by the renowned British ethnographer and zoologist James Hornell (1865-1949). The text begins with an account of methods and tools used in fishing, before moving on to the processes of fishing in different parts of the world, including, but not limited to, India, Sri Lanka, the Far East and Polynesia. Numerous illustrative figures and a bibliography are also incorporated. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in anthropology, ethnography and the history of fishing.

Welcome to the world of the AR-15

Without a doubt, the AR-15 and AR-10 rifles are two of America's most popular semi-auto long guns. Every day, new shooters are exploring these durable, reliable, and accurate rifles and finding new and fun ways to use them. Now, in the "Gun Digest Shooter's Guide to the AR-15," author Richard Mann examines what has truly become the most versatile rifle in America.

Inside you'll find:

• Gas impingement vs. piston systems--which one's right for you?
• Competition, security and hunting--how the AR does it all.
• Optics and sights, uppers and lowers, handguards and stocks.
• A full breakdown of AR-15 and AR-10 cartridges.
• Plus how to build your own AR and much, much more

'A wonderfully fluent account of how the strange magic of water and the beings that inhabit it can enchant and intoxicate' Chris Yates '[Will Millard] writes with a genuine sense of humility (...) humour and reflection' Kevin Parr, Countryfile *** Growing up on the Cambridgeshire Fens, Will Millard never felt more at home than when he was out with his granddad on the riverbank, whiling away the day catching fish. As he grew older his competitive urge to catch more and bigger fish led him away from that natural connection between him, his grandfather and the rivers of his home. That is, until the fateful day he let a record-breaking sand eel slip through his fingers and he knew that he had lost the magic of those days down by the river, and that something had to change. The Old Man and the Sand Eel is at its heart the story of three generations of men trying to figure out what it is to be a man, a father and a fisherman. It plots Will's scaly stepping stones back to his childhood innocence, when anything was possible and the wild was everywhere. *** 'Delightful and informative (...) beautifully drawn' The Spectator '[Will Millard] is a master wordsmith and his first book is a joyful testament to that' Isabelle Broom, Heat 'The writing is sharp and clever (...) I loved all of it and would as happily read it again as I would sit beside the river waiting for the evening rise of trout to begin' Tom Fort, Literary Review 'This is post-modern nature writing that embraces beauty where it finds it and marvels at nature's tenacity (...) But there's more here than just fish. This is also a book about growing up, about how to retain a connection with those who raised you while forging your own identity - what to keep and what to discard. And it's about men. The strong surges of emotion that both draw them together and keep them apart, and the shared pastimes which recognise that intimacy and meaning aren't always accompanied by words' Olivia Edward, Geographical

Shallow ocean, or "flats," fishing is one of the most popular coastal activities in Florida. No other place has such a large combination of different shallow water species. In "Fishing Florida's Flats," world-champion angler Jan Maizler draws on the expertise of numerous "flatsmasters" who share their wisdom on how to land a trophy catch. Their advice--suitable for a range of first-time and experienced anglers--includes tackle selection, techniques, and directions to "hot spots" for each flats species. From habitat, biology, and feeding patterns to spotting tactics and state records, each flats fish is covered in detail. Maizler offers invaluable knowledge of the many vessels available, the different kinds of flats and the best ways to wade them, and important weather safety information. Maizler also reviews the recent technical and electronic developments in flats fishing, such as websites, software programs, and Global Positioning System devices that are now necessary additions to the Florida flats angler's arsenal. For the large and growing number of anglers who have chosen flats fishing as their sport, this is the ultimate guide for catching bonefish, tarpon, permit, barracuda, sharks, redfish, seatrout, and snook in the state. Get hooked on "Fishing Florida's Flats,"

Whether you're a first-time rifle buyer or an experienced rifle owner looking for formal, comprehensive training, "Gun Digest Shooter's Guide to Rifle Marksmanship" delivers the foundational marksmanship training you need.

In this information-packed volume, you will find:

• Complete and simple explanations that teach the fundamental skills and techniques required to perform well.
• Practice drills with step-by-step instructions that show you how to perform the techniques properly, and help you to analyze and correct your performance.
• Hundreds of clear, detailed photos to illustrate the techniques.

This is much more than a manual; it is a celebration of the exhilarating sport of hawking. Martin Hollinshead brings his wealth of experience and expertise to the topic of hunting mammalian quarry with Goshawks, Buteos and Golden Eagles. The book picks up where beginner manuals leave off. It comes with stories from German forests to America.

The National Book League was a precursor to the current Booktrust, and was set up in 1924 by the Society of Bookmen in order to promote reading, particularly among the young. To that end, the NBL issued Reader's Guides on a variety of subjects, each written by an author with expertise in that field and containing an annotated bibliography of recommended titles on the subject. Arthur Ransome was a keen fisherman as well as a famous children's author, and fishing and other outdoor pursuits feature often in his books. This Reader's Guide was published in 1955 and features Ransome's recommendations for books on fishing, broken down by varieties of fish and fishing practices.

This invaluable, well-illustrated book presents a carefully crafted, step-by-step programme which teaches the complete novice air pistol shooter how to attain a high level of marksmanship. The training begins with a detailed consideration of safety procedures, basic pistol craft, range construction and the types of air pistol that are available (spring-powered, pneumatic and CO2) and how they work. The author then moves on to consider holsters, targets, and the advanced skills associated with trigger control, the hold, presentation, the stance, the fast draw and rapid fire shooting. Finally, detailed attention is paid to markmanship exercises but the author emphasizes that these should only be undertaken after all of the techniques set out in the previous chapters have been mastered. Whether you are a novice or more experienced, if you are interested in the fast growing pastime of air pistol shooting for pleasure, then this is the book for you.

'I envy no body but him, and him only, that catches more fish than I do.' A unique celebration of the English countryside and the most famous book on angling ever published, Walton's Compleat Angler first appeared in 1653. In 1676, at Walton's invitation, his friend Charles Cotton contributed his pioneering exploration of fly-fishing. The book is both a manual of instruction and a vision of society in harmony with nature. It guides the novice fisherman on how to catch and cook a variety of fish, on how to select and prepare the best bait and make artificial flies, and on the habits of freshwater fish. It also promotes angling as a communal activity in which the bonds of friendship are forged through shared experience of the natural world. Anecdotes, poetry, music, and song intersperse the rural descriptions, which promote conservation as well as sport. This new edition highlights the book's continuing relevance to our relationship with the environment, and explores the turbulent history from which it came. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

This edition of Bonefish Fly Patterns is the most comprehensive collection of bonefish flies ever published, displaying fly designs from such world-class flats anglers and guides as Winston Moore, Jim Orthwein (four-time bonefish world record holder), Steve Huff, Harry Spear, Rick Ruoff, Del Brown, John Goddard, Barry and Cathy Beck, Lou Tabory, Tim Borski, Bob Clouser, Lefty Kreh, Tom McGuane, Yvon Chouinard, Craig Mathews, Vic Gaspeny, Dave Skok, Eric Peterson, Patrick Dorsey, Aaron Adams, and many, many more. The book includes 197 full-color photographs--one for each featured pattern, some published here for the first time. Each fly profile is listed with its creator's authentic recipe and tying tips. Also included are tying sequences for important patterns, a discussion of design trends, a materials glossary, and a list of sources for materials, custom flies, and off-the-shelf patterns. Additionally, Dick Brown describes fly selection for various destinations, habitats, and conditions, and advises anglers on how to present flies and what prey they portray.

Championed as one of the gentlest and most calming of field sports, angling has had its notable votaries throughout its history, from Isaak Walton to Horatio Nelson. In this charming book on the pleasures of fly fishing, the eminent chemist Sir Humphry Davy (1778-1829) adds his name to the list. He assigns his often poetic arguments to an imaginary cast of four friends, some of whom adore the sport while others question its morality as they embark on a series of angling trips. As their conversations progress, the friends discuss entomology and biology, the finer techniques of landing trout, and the use of peacock feathers and yellow monkey fur in the making of artificial flies. Originally published in 1828, Davy's book offers a glimpse of the sportsman behind the chemist and remains both accessible and instructive for modern enthusiasts.

With a foreword by Helen Macdonald, author of the multi-award-winning H IS FOR HAWK. 'No hawk can be a pet. There is no sentimentality. In a way, it is the psychiatrist's art. One is matching one's mind against another mind with deadly reason and interest. One desires no transference of affection, demands no ignoble homage or gratitude. It is a tonic for the less forthright savagery of the human heart.' First published in 1951, T.H. White's memoir describes with searing honesty his attempt to train a wild goshawk, a notoriously difficult bird to master. With no previous experience and only a few hopelessly out-of-date books on falconry as a guide, he set about trying to bend the will of his young bird Gos to his own. Suffering setback after setback, the solitary and troubled White nonetheless found himself obsessively attached to the animal he hoped would one day set him free.