Haunted by Waters

“Haunted by Waters is a landmark book…[Browning’s] brilliant displays of research and erudition in chapters on Old World and New World angling traditions and American Transcendentalism are nonpareil. So, too, is his comprehension regarding the art of fly-fishing in its entirety. What’s more, no one has ever written a literary history of fly-fishing, even a brief one, with more style or insight.” * Bloomsbury Review *
“Many anglers can't seem to get enough of their sport, so they make artificial flies and read a lot about fishing when they're not streamside. Browning's book contemplates the strong attraction of this revered pastime and thoughtfully considers the literature that it has inspired…. Chapters that can be categorized as ecocriticism, the new term for environmental literary criticism, are interspersed with ‘Interludes,’ wherein Browning, a devoted fly fisherman, offers first-person confessions and observations about his joyful obsession. Recommended for all large fishing collections.” * Library Journal *
“Mark Browning has pioneered the serious literary study of American prose centered on fly fishing—and he has linked it convincingly, admirably, to the major traditions of nature writing that run from Thoreau through Barry Lopez. Bravo!”
“In this thoughtful, penetrating…look at the literature of fly-fishing, the author notes that fishermen who write can be likened to our ancient ancestors,`who blazoned portrayals of the hunt on the walls of … caves’…. In scrutinizing Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises and his story ‘Big Two-Hearted River' … Browning finds the most profound portrayals of fishing as an`activity where life and death meet and stare at each other.’” * Kirkus Reviews *
“Anyone who is genuinely interested in fly-fishing and is also a serious reader will be gratified by Browning's book…. Authors of books in which fly-fishing plays an accompanying role are household words. Browning's book is a better guide to what to read than any other I know.” * The Baltimore Sun *