Fish Tales: Savoring the Thrill of the Perfect Catch

Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (4/07) "Fish Tales" is a compilation of exciting personal stories by Steve Chapman, avid fisherman and bestselling author. These stories provide profound insights Chapman gained while fishing. He records his personal feelings and ideas. Then he reinforces these thoughts with entertaining quotes from established classical writers, and well-known contemporary personalities. The book is lavishly illustrated with colorful paintings done by popular wildlife artists the Hautman Brothers, James, Robert and Joseph. These amazing paintings bring the narrative to life. The unique and captivating writing style of Steve Chapman lift the sounds of birds chirping, insects buzzing, and the moving water of a river pool right off the page to the listening ear of the reader. You can almost feel the tug on your line as the colorful painting help you create images of reeling in a trout, walleye, or pike. Next, Steve includes tantalizing, delicious recipes for grilled fish fillet, microwave ginger fish, and other tempting savory sensations to awake your taste buds. The book is very well-written, with short poignant chapters. It is easy for the reader to see himself in Chapman's situations and to adapt Steve's Christ-centered principles to bring balance to their own Christian life. Steve inspires the reader to discover the heart of God while enjoying the experiences of drawing closer to God though patiently "waiting." He parallels the sport of fishing with the lessons he learned with personal applications for Christian living. "Fish Tales" is a great gift for the nature enthusiast, outdoorsman, or for the sports fisherman. It is an excellent book to help a father bond with his son. The inspirational thoughts and spectacular wildlife paintings make this a gift book for any occasion.