BB - The Challenge of Big Carp

[The Sweetcorn Kid]

Started reading this again last night, a superb little read. Fairly short, but well worth having!!! :hat:

[Mark]

It is a lovely book SK.

[GloucesterOldSpot]

Sorry to be the usual grumpy old sod, but no - it's rubbish. Really. The bulk of the book consists of the same story of Walker's nine pound Hunstrete carp repeated four (or is it five) times, with a few other short pieces thrown in afterwards, at least one not even concerning carp.

Even if all chapters were different you could read it cover to cover whilst dropping the kids off at the pool.

[The Sweetcorn Kid]

Grumpy Old Sod......!!!

I like the way BB writes, it really doesn't have to be about fishing at all. The Quiet Fields, Tides Ending, Wild Lone and manka the sy Gypsy are among my favourite books. So anything concerning Mr Pitchford gets a bit thinbs up from me, so I guess you could call it a biased view, but it's my view.

[GloucesterOldSpot]

Tides Ending, Dark Estuary, Confessions, The Shooting Man's Bedside Book - all favourites of mine. I like BB's writing as much as anyone, but 'The Challenge Of Big Carp' is a poor excuse for a book - the sort of thing that would have been given away free with Angling Times or somesuch, but not sold as a separate entity.

[Davyr]

I agree with GOS. Some publishers have clearly identified a lucrative market for recycled material from the past "angling greats". This market consists of 1: Those happy to part with their cash in exchange for (usually) rather poor value in terms of content, and 2: Those who buy multiple copies from limited print runs in order, not to read them, but to re-sell on eBay at a later date to those in group 1 who were not quick enough off the mark initially.

I too am a big fan of BB and still regret passing up some of his titles spotted in a secondhand bookshop just weeks before he died and the prices subsequently shot up.

Those original editions would still be better value than most of the current crop of re-hashed material though.

[The Sweetcorn Kid]

To track down said articles in their original magazine form would be a nightmare. the articles form a very important part of carp angling history, so to have them bound together in a neat little book ticks the boxes for me, maybe not for everyone, but I certainly like it.

A lot of people have differing opinions of the way books are published, their content and quality, and that would certainly make me think twice abouthaving anything of my own published should any of my work become ready. A shame that may be but I would hate to have my own published work put under such scrutiny. Perhaps I'll keep it all stored up and if it comes to light after my passing, let the publishers then take the hit.

[Davyr]

A shame that may be but I would hate to have my own published work put under such scrutiny. Perhaps I'll keep it all stored up and if it comes to light after my passing, let the publishers then take the hit.

SK, if the prospect of criticism (constructive, one would hope) is enough to put you off the idea of publishing, then you definitely should give up the idea!

Anyone who sticks their head above the parapet - be they authors, poets, musicians, Morris Dancers (I'm one), X-Factor contestants or whatever - is essentially saying that they think their material has some value. Inevitably, that isn't going to meet with 100% agreement from their audience.

There's a big difference between saying that something is "rubbish" in an unqualified way, and constructive criticism. All "artistes" will, however, attract both sorts. That's life!

My comments about recent publishing ventures in the angling world are given because that is my honest view. I also think it important to provide balance to uncritical acceptance of material which in some cases falls below acceptable standards of presentation and content.

[The Sweetcorn Kid]

Very well explained Davyr, thanks for that. :thumb:

I guess that for every 10 people who don't like something, there will be 100 who do......You can't please everyone, but if you can appeal to the majority, then it's worth a try.

:hat:

[Davyr]

I guess that for every 10 people who don't like something, there will be 100 who do

More often the other way around, but I've never allowed that to put me off. :lol: