Menagerie of False Truths by Greg French - front cover

 Greg French is one of Australia’s most successful fly fishing authors: his guidebook Tasmanian Trout Waters is regarded as ‘the bible’ of Tasmanian fly fishing destinations, whilst his collection of short stories Frog Call was a  best seller. Other works included the well-recieved Artificial, and the contribution of a foreword to In Season Tasmania—A Year Of Fly Fishing Highlights by Hackett and Harris. With this in mind, it’s exciting news that Greg has just completed his first novel, titled Menagerie of False Truths .

What should readers expect? Well, I’m told not to expect a fishing book; expect a passionate literary work. From the media release:

Exploring themes of life and death, friendship and family, perception, societal norms and the environment, Menagerie of False Truths promises to be the most compelling book you’ll read this year.

In Menagerie of False Truths Greg French, author of the muchloved Frog Call, draws on his passion for nature, his love of story-telling and a family history that was both dysfunctional and, crucially, formative due to his growing up with autistic siblings and emotionally distant mother. The result is a delightfully quirky ‘faction’ read, which questions the very nature of reality and human relationships.

The autobiographical character Jack shares the author’s unique insights into the incredible complexity and beauty of the natural world, borne of a lifetime exploring the unforgettable wilderness that is Tasmania.

At every page the reader is exposed to alternative ways of viewing the world, often disturbing, sometimes strangely liberating. Menagerie of False Truths is an unforgettable work of genius that will leave you reeling.

Stay tuned for more news on Menagerie of False Truths closer to June, but look out for reviews in upcoming editions of FlyLife Magazine http://www.flylife.com.au

Catch Magazine is an American based E-Zine (electronic magazine) showcasing some of the best fly fishing photography and film getting around. January’s edition (which is free to read) features a chapter from FlyLife Magazine www.flylife.com.au photographer and In Season Tasmania www.inseasonflyfishing.com.au co-author Brad Harris. Check out Tassie and the rest of the chapters here www.catchmagazine.net

Fishing Season by Philip Weigall

Earlier in the month I revealed that Philip Weigall, one of Australia’s favourite fishing authors, was about to release a new book. I think we may have even scooped Phil’s own website www.philipweigall.com.au  on the announcement!

Well, my pre-press copy arrived last week, and I’ve had a chance to give it a read. Here’s what to expect:

Fishing Season is typical Weigall fare, which will be music to the ears of many. The stories are short and extremely well crafted, full of creative and vibrant writing—Phil’s passion for the fly fishing life leaks through his stories, though order and strict style in his writing may leave readers feeling a little homogenised at times. I doubt it though, as Phil’s well-honed style is tried and tested, and Fishing Season is true to his reputation as a leading fly fishing author in Australia.

As the title suggests, the stories in Fishing Season are compiled and presented to a seasonal tune—winter, spring, summer and autumn. Indeed for myself, the seasonality of fly fishing is one of its great attractions (it did inspire my own book In Season Tasmania – A Year of Fly Fishing Highlights). This theme however is fairly loose, with plenty of welcomed stories slid-in to the format where appropriate. Overall, this collection of short stories is solid, and should find its way into plenty of Father’s Day gift boxes (this is when you can expect to find it in your bookstores).

My favourite story? Trout Gallery—wonderfully descriptive writing, perhaps a bit freer in its style which only helps to convey Phil’s love of trout, the world over. Most questionable entry? Rod and Line—a bit dry and instructional, it seemed out of place with the other stories.

Fishing Season is beautifully produced by Exisle Publishing, and includes an assortment of water-colour drawings by Trevor Hawkins, another Australian fly fishing icon. Read a sample chapter yourself here.

Pre-order your copy of Fishing Season through FlyLife Magazine Online Shop here

Fishing Season by Philip Weigall

You heard it hear first – Philip Weigall has a new book coming out in August, titled Fishing Season. From the publisher:

Let Philip Weigall transport you to your favourite river with this beautifully illustrated tribute to the art of flyfishing …

‘As I walked back to the car, I wondered. By the trout’s standards, I’d been fishing the creek forever, catching fish that were great-great-great-grandchildren of the first I’d hooked. By my own standards, I had clocked some serious miles here. But as far as the creek was concerned, I was a blink in time.’

In Fishing Season, acclaimed author Philip Weigall deftly captures all that makes the wonderful sport of flyfishing a passion for so many. It is a reflective book, an engrossing read that captures the heart and soul of this pastime that is so full of challenges, victories, disappointments, frustrations but, most of all, quiet happiness. So join Philip as he takes you through a year in the life of a flyfisher and ponders such important questions as why an organised fly box is rarer than a ten-pound trout, why you should think carefully before offering  to net someone else’s fish, and how it is that, sometimes, the unlikeliest waters have the most to offer.

As I type, I’m actually standing by my mail-box, waiting for my pre-release copy to arrive from our source inside the publishing house responsible. A full review will be posted here within the week, so standby.

Friend and author Greg French is about to release the follow up to his best seller Frog Call, with his new book titled ‘The Artificial’. No doubt more stories of wilderness adventures, fishing, life and all critters great and small will be included. If you like John Gierach, you’ll like Greg’s stories, so keep an eye out for it.

Speaking of Gierach, he has also just released a new title, ‘Fools Paradise’. Without even seeing it I know this will be a cracker; this is the guy that popularised the term ‘Trout Bum’ after all.

Finally, a read I really enjoyed last winter was ‘The River Why’ by David James Duncan. It’s a bit slow off the mark, but by the time the semi-autobiographical lead character is at home in the woods, the reader is well and truly hooked. This is deemed a modern classic by those in the know, and is now destined for the big screen.