John wrote:
What do you look for in book about fly fishing such that you will actually
take action and buy it?

In another thread, Larry L. posted what he liked in his 2 favorites out of
140 fly fishing books he owns. He said, "Both greatly affected HOW I think
about fly fishing, fly design, hatch matching, observation of naturals, etc
etc, ... not just WHAT I think. The "what" in both books is largely out of
date, but the "how" is what makes "new" possible."

What kind of fly fishing book is YOUR favorite and why?

John

I like dry conversational self-deprecating humor, like Gierach and
Sparse Gray Hackle and Nick Lyons for reading while I'm travelling. I
think somebody else mentioned this. They're nonthreatening, easy, fun.
I'm not much on fishing or tying techniques, and while I own and have
read Marinaro and the like, they're nothing I'm coming back to. Fly
tying books I buy for the pictures.

When I've got time to devote to reading, I want a well-written tribute
to a place. I want to hear some guy talk about how some bit of
geography made off with his soul while he was fishing there.
Particularly, I like Haig-Brown and his Northwest, Traver and his UP,
Neil Patterson's chalkstream, Schullery's Yellowstone and Middleton's
Appalachians. I've grew up a bit of a gypsy, so I can't think of just
one place, but I like to hear people bursting with wonder at the place
they've dropped their spiritual anchor. That's why I like hearing from
the North Cackalacky contingent here on ROFF. They seem to be addicted
to it.

I've got a collection half the size of Larry's, but I find myself
pulling _A River Never Sleeps_ and _Mountain Time_ on cold winter
evenings more often than anything else.