April 1, 2003
Heywood, author of several novels, including " Blue Wolf in Green Fire "[BKL S 15 02], was prompted to write this memoir while he was recovering from a stroke and struggling to recapture memories from his past. Along with recollections of his itinerant childhood as the son of an air force father and accounts of his own Vietnam experiences, Heywood reflects on his special passion, trout fishing. He discusses technique and describes memorable catches, but what he really wants to do is commiserate with his fellow frustrated anglers. Noting that 5 percent of anglers catch 90 percent of the fish, he makes clear that his chosen audience is the 95 percent "of us who subsist on 10 percent." His writing is suffused with wit, but it can also be moving, as when he discusses losing his wife, who died suddenly last year, or when he offers advice to other anglers who want to enjoy the outdoors after a stroke. A very special book, for anglers, of course, but also for those who appreciate a finely wrought memoir.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)