Blues

When I picked up this book, I was a guest at a beach house in Edisto Island, SC. I have a habit of reading the criticism quips before reading, and I found one that fit it perfectly. It was something to the effect of "A book you expect to find in a beach house on a rainy August afternoon, binding mildewed by the ocean air, pages bent from frequent readings, and bits of sand between the pages." That described it exactly, only except it wasn't August. As I said, I picked up the book one day and couldn't put it down. At first, the psuedo-dialogue bothered me, but it really grew on me. The whole premise of the book allows for a real education on fishing, naturalism, and the ways of the world. I have not bought the book, but that is soon to change.

Although technically a novel, as it portrays a conversation that did not really happen, John Hersey's Blues feels more like non-fiction because it is one of the most educational books I have read in recent years. I came away from it with a new appreciation for the fisherman--and the fish. Composed almost entirely of a conversation between two characters referred to only as Fisherman and Stranger, Blues is a portrait of a fisherman passing his knowledge and love of the catching and eating of the bluefish. Hersey's prose is easily conversational and full of information. Scattered throughout are poems from the likes of John Donne and Robert Penn Warren further illustrating the current topic. Reading its bound-and-printed form, Blues is a bit stilted. I greatly preferred the Recorded Books reading by Norman Dietz, whose craggy voice perfectly suits the seasoned angler, and, when raising it an octave, portrays the excitement of the stranger during his learning experience. I found myself wanting to go fishing--and wanting to have fish for dinner--while reading about the different methods of how to cook fish in order to get out the ideal flavor--using varying degrees of simple items like butter and mayonnaise. I never thought I would like a book about fish--and I put off reading this for months--but John Hersey's Blues has once again proven that surprises lurk around every corner, if you're willing to keep an open mind and try new things. I may even seek out Izaak Walton's The Compleat Angler--the fishing classic--after reading this.

John Hersey's book is a treasure. It is conceived as a series of conversations between an accomplished fisherman and a stranger, who, in the beginning at least, is predisposed to dislike fishing as a brutal pastime. But Hersey, page by page, chapter by chapter, lures the stranger (and the reader) into the deep mysteries of the sea and the complex world of ocean life that so many of us take for granted. The detail about the habits of fish, particularly the bluefish, is fascinating, but this is also a celebration of life and the way that man and sea are inter-dependent. Without being sentimental, Hersey teaches us what it is to love oceans, fresh air, and even the brutal cycles of life. If that is not enough, the book is sprinkled with anecdotes, poetry and recipes. A book that cannot but help you appreciate our oceans and John Hersey's skills as a writer.

This Cooper Square Press edition of The Blues In Images And Interviews is a paperback reprint of the 1975 classic showcasing such luminary artists as muddy Waters, Bo Biddley, and John Lee Hooker. Readers will learn the true source of The Blues with stories like the night Hound Dog Taylor's stepfather packed up all of his things in a brown paper bag, stood in the doorway with a shotgun, and told Hound Dog to "cut out" -- the one day famous musician was only nine years old at the time. Tales of hard lives are interspersed with lyrics and powerful b/w photographs painting a vivid collage of the men and women who distilled the pain of their lives into the most original, haunting, authentically American music ever known. The Blues In Images And Interviews is a "must" for all fans, students, players and historians of this musical genre.

Another title for this book could be "Zen and the Art of Blue Fish Fishing." Thoroughly enjoyable and is an easy read. A must for all people who fish.