The Fly Caster Who Tried to Make Peace with the World

The Fly Caster Who Tried to Make Peace with the World is a debut novel as ambitious in its scope as it is picturesque on the page. Author Randy Kadish, whose short stories have appeared regularly in several national fly fishing magazines, uses the art of casting the fly line to tie together a unique New York story that encompasses love, loss, Pacifism, and other weighty subjects set against the backdrop of the city's Golden Age during the first half of the twentieth century. Ian, the novel's central character, meets some of the most regarded American fly fishers of his period; he also witnesses the struggles of the working masses in an intimate way. His family is a constant presence as well: first his mother, and then his children. These experiences all add up to a thoughtful exploration of Life, one painted on the broad canvas of New York. "Imagine Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay with a plot centered on fly fishing rather than comic books" . . . That might be the best way to describe this novel in a contemporary dinner party sound bite.

Having just finished reading Mr. Kadish's novel, it's fresh in my mind. I found this book very pleasant indeed. Intermingling of fly fishing, family, history, Einstein's threories, war & acheiving peace within your own self... Although these topics may seem unrelated, Kadish intertwines them with ease & talent.

The memoirs of Ian Mac Bride described in this book are familiar to all those who have suffered through some sort of tragedy during their life. Kadish's story is one of recovery, faith, and love with some twists along the way. If I were to compare this book to a meal I would say it resembles a nice hot vegetable stew on a cold winter's day. It's comforting and with every bite/page you taste something new. I enjoyed going back in time to experience life in New York City during the early 1900's. As a fisherman I enjoyed the history lesson on the origin of dry fly fishing in this country. I also enjoyed the technical descriptions of fly casting techniques. As a an artist I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the Beaverkill River scenery and characters met during his life of fly casting and fly fishing. There's also a bit of bamboo rod making, the physics of Einstein's theories, references to great books, history lessons of the Civil War, WWI and WWII. My favorite subject of all, however, was the lesson of faith and spirituality.

Anyone with a taste for flycasting and flyfishing history will revel in Kadish's book. The author's very perceptible passion for his subject is evident on every page, and his story is filled with interesting and entertaining twists. I read the book the first time in a single sitting, and only a few days later went back and enjoyed it at a more leisurely pace. Highly recommended.The Fly Caster Who Tried to Make Peace with the World

Randy Kadish is a very talented writer. I haven't read fiction in years because I was tired of being disappointed. There are no disappointments in this book. The main character is fully developed and of great complexity. He is a masterpiece. There is a good amount of time and space spent on details of fly-fishing technique but their inclusion worked even for a non-fishing reader; the art of flyfishing became a rich and flexible metaphor for life. This is the kind of book where the reader forms personal relationships with the characters and becomes emotionally invested in them. When the book ended I inwardly wished that it would go on longer. This author deserves fame and fortune and I don't see any reason why he shouldn't achieve them.