Lines On The Water

Throwing Feather In The Wind Book Review

Throwing Feathers In The Wind by Richard Gorodecky

Just occasionally when you are in the pub after a days fishing, on the bank exploring a new river beat or maybe even sat in an airport lounge waiting for a plane, you meet a fellow angler and start to chat. It’s always lovely to share the passion, the ideas, the stories of fish caught and lost and just occasionally, the person you meet is a proper raconteur. Someone who not only has the stories to tell, but also has a natural gift as a teller of tales. A gift that makes ordinary stories wonderful and amazing stories extraordinary. Having just read ‘Throwing Feathers In The Wind’ by Richard Gorodecky, I’m praying that some time in the future he’s going to be trying to catch the same plane as me.

Throwing Feathers In The Wind is mostly about fly fishing, although not exclusively and I defy any angler, no matter what their favoured method, not to enjoy this book. Gorodecky is funny, he’s self-effacing, he’s passionate, and when it comes to understanding what fishing is really all about, he gets it. He takes us on his own fishing journey, from shy schoolboy to fishing obsessed adult and in the process, you end up feeling like he is one of your friends (or at least you wish he was one of your friends). His turn of phrase is wonderful “Ranunculus plants swayed in the current leisurely as if listening to Sade’s greatest hits” and his humour is infectious (I’ve started judging the weight of the fish I catch by how many Chihuahuas they weighed the same as) and above all his fishing philosophy is hard to argue with “if I’m going anywhere that doesn’t involve fishing, I’m forced to question whether where I’m going is really the best use of my time.” In short this is a wonderful book, and on those days when the river is too high, or is out of season or you are simply sitting by the fire with a glass of something warming I can assure you that taking time to read this book IS probably the best use of your time.

Illustrated inventively by Luey Graves and published handsomely by The Medlar Press in hardback at a price of just £20, I suggest you have a quiet word with Santa or safer still avoid the risk of him ignoring your hints and bringing you more socks by just getting online and buying it yourself www.medlarpress.com

John Cheyne Nov 2025

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