"Buddy" wrote in message
...
I've spent weeks figuring out ways to take weight out of my backpack and
still have everything I need for a four-day flyfishing
trip in October (two hiking days and two fishing days from basecamp). To
celebrate shedding those pounds I'd like to add a paperback book: I'm in
the habit of reading at night, and could need to hole up in the tent if my
zeal for fishing in a constant rain wears thin. I found Colin Fletcher's
"The Thousand Mile Summer" on my bookshelf and realized I'd never read it,
so it's on my list at less than 5 ounces. Also found two unread Harry
Middleton books ("The Earth is Enough" and "The Bright Country") but
frankly was not that fond of "On the Spine of Time." Favorites from the
past include "Coming Into the Country" by John McPhee and "A Fly
Fisherman's Blue Ridge" by Christopher Camuto, and over twenty-five years
ago I remember staying up late one night on a backpacking trip reading one
Robert Service poem after another.

I'd like an engaging outdoors tale, at least plausibly non-fiction and
including hook-and-bullet press if well written, with a carefully measured
infusion of philosophy that may challenge my own. Anthologies are good.
Nothing scary: when I'm camping alone I hear enough going bump in the
night without any encouragement. Of course, it needs to be available in a
lightweight paperback. Any suggestions?

Buddy

"Travers Corners" by Scott Waldie. Stories of a small fictional Montana town
and the characters therein. The first of three books about the town, all
good reading. Moderate fly-fishing focus (main character is a fly fishing
guide). Well written - you'll be searching the map for Travers Corners and
Carrie Creek by the end of the book.

Also, "A Good Life Wasted" by Dave Ames. For 20 years or so Dave has been a
fly fishing guide in Montana and these are stories of his experiences.

Hope these help.

Jim Ray