The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I ordered a copy a few days ago too.

The secondhand price will soon be rocketing up at this rate!

A very special book. Not to be read if you are feeling "down", there are very challenging sections

You are right Ian, but this author is famous for some of his other work. I googled him.

You are right Ian, but this author is famous for some of his other work. I googled him.

Read this book a while ago and thoroughly enjoyed it

I've just read Blood Knots over two days.

It was a revelation seeing the essence of angling, something felt and shared but seldom expressed, being put so vividly into words.

Jennings context for it was very deeply personal though - and unflinchingly dark on occasion too.

I found I could identify with some of it, particularly growing up in the years of post war reconstruction and austerity. The sense he expressed of outwardly affable adults coping with personal, unspoken horrors was not lost on me either, even as a child. I sensed it in my own family and also neighbours. A case in point was a man who lived opposite, who immersed himself in tending his roses obsessively - but always wore his Parachute Regiment beret while gardening. We kids all called him the 'Cherry Beret'. God only knows what he did and saw. My grandfather fought in the Great War and was awarded the Military Medal. He never spoke of it.

The rest of what Jennings described was a world apart to me. I liked that, or rather was moved by his evocative sharing of it. All the ingredients of a deeply textured and thoroughly great read!

I am delighted that you enjoyed this extraordinary book as much as I did John.

Ordered Ta!

Troydog wrote: ↑Mon Mar 25, 2024 7:25 pm I am delighted that you enjoyed this extraordinary book as much as I did John.

I really did Troydog - a great recommendation.

I hope that dwelling on the more moving passages does not give anyone the impression that it is in any way an excessively heavy or sombre read. It is leavened by some hilarious high jinx and quiet humour too.

Read a few chapters - this is a superb book so far.