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Life of a Chalkstream by Cooper, Simon (2015) Paperback
This delightful book records a year in the life of an essentially English waterscape, one that is home to a vast array of wildlife and natural habitat of the keen angler – the chalkstream. Simon Cooper grew up in Hampshire, where he first fell in love with fly fishing. Only after moving away did he realise how little people knew about the secret world of the chalkstreams. Chalkstreams are nearly exclusive to England, ranging from Dorset to Yorkshire and including the famous River Test in Hampshire. Every river is special in its own right. Life of a Chalkstream is a lyrical and revealing voyage through the yearly cycle of this unique waterway. From the remarkable spectacle of salmon, sea trout and brown trout spawning in winter, to the emergence of water voles in spring and the explosion of mayflies in the early days of summer, the author evocatively describes the natural wonders of the chalkstream. He introduces us to the fascinating diversity of life that inhabits its waters and environs – the fish, the angling community, the plant life and the wildlife. We learn how neglect threatens these inhabitants and why the fight to save the chalkstreams is so vital, not only for fishermen, but for anybody who values the beauty of rural England.
Paperback
First published May 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 31, 2026
In many ways a lovely book. The author knows a lot and writes compellingly about a beautiful habitat. Any given paragraph is nice to read and interesting. I love being by a chalkstream, and reading this brings you that joy.
The aspect that is difficult is the needless repetition. To pick one example, a paragraph on page 72 explains how he uses a high pressure water pump to clean the gravel, and then a paragraph on page 296 does it again. Elsewhere, swans flick v signs with their feathers repetitively. Drowners cottage is endlessly re-explained. This repetition undermines the good writing, and makes you feel like you are listening to someone killing a good story. If someone could cut the ~50 pages of repetition from its 290 pages, it would have been great.
The aspect that is difficult is the needless repetition. To pick one example, a paragraph on page 72 explains how he uses a high pressure water pump to clean the gravel, and then a paragraph on page 296 does it again. Elsewhere, swans flick v signs with their feathers repetitively. Drowners cottage is endlessly re-explained. This repetition undermines the good writing, and makes you feel like you are listening to someone killing a good story. If someone could cut the ~50 pages of repetition from its 290 pages, it would have been great.
April 13, 2014
The chalk stream is a natural phenomena that is almost unique to southern England with a few other in France, one in the North of England and one in New Zealand.
In this book Cooper takes us through the River Evitt's life over a whole year, from the changes each month brings to the river and the wildlife that inhabits it or uses it to survive. He is also in the process of restoring an offshoot to bring life and water back to the water meadows that are along side the river. He is also a fisherman, and he sees that the care of the river will make his sport better
The detail that he goes into is really good, from the plants and weed in the bed of the river and what they do and the animals they protect to the care and maintenance that needs to take place each month to keep the river in its very best condition. As he is a fly fisherman, there is lots on the flies and other insects that make up the bulk of the trouts diet, and how the fly fisherman can use them.
He clearly loves his work and the place that he works. I think that he goes there almost every day, not always to fish, but just to be there and luxuriate in this very special place. It is a really nicely written book, and would give it 3.5 stars if I could.
In this book Cooper takes us through the River Evitt's life over a whole year, from the changes each month brings to the river and the wildlife that inhabits it or uses it to survive. He is also in the process of restoring an offshoot to bring life and water back to the water meadows that are along side the river. He is also a fisherman, and he sees that the care of the river will make his sport better
The detail that he goes into is really good, from the plants and weed in the bed of the river and what they do and the animals they protect to the care and maintenance that needs to take place each month to keep the river in its very best condition. As he is a fly fisherman, there is lots on the flies and other insects that make up the bulk of the trouts diet, and how the fly fisherman can use them.
He clearly loves his work and the place that he works. I think that he goes there almost every day, not always to fish, but just to be there and luxuriate in this very special place. It is a really nicely written book, and would give it 3.5 stars if I could.
April 13, 2014
3.5 and almost a 4
Who would have thought that a book about chalk streams would be so interesting?
I have no interest in fly fishing or indeed any sort of fishing and yet this book was always fascinating. And it's about a lot more than just salmon and trout fishing.
Simon Cooper is a 'river keeper' and who would have guessed it was such a complex activity. As he says, on a river 'one action causes a reaction'.
Part of his remit is to decide what actions to take. He notices everything as he goes about his work from the tiniest field mouse to the swans that hiss and threaten to attack him as he goes past their part of the riverbank. And he notices the seasons as they pass in a way that most people never do.
He is clearly passionate about his work and is most definitely a man in the right line of work. And yet he is never flowery - he writes clearly and I learned a lot from him.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys gentle but thoughtful nature writing.
Who would have thought that a book about chalk streams would be so interesting?
I have no interest in fly fishing or indeed any sort of fishing and yet this book was always fascinating. And it's about a lot more than just salmon and trout fishing.
Simon Cooper is a 'river keeper' and who would have guessed it was such a complex activity. As he says, on a river 'one action causes a reaction'.
Part of his remit is to decide what actions to take. He notices everything as he goes about his work from the tiniest field mouse to the swans that hiss and threaten to attack him as he goes past their part of the riverbank. And he notices the seasons as they pass in a way that most people never do.
He is clearly passionate about his work and is most definitely a man in the right line of work. And yet he is never flowery - he writes clearly and I learned a lot from him.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys gentle but thoughtful nature writing.
July 4, 2015
A well-realised, sparkling story of a year in the life of a chalk stream - whose pure waters are home to some if the finest trout and sea trout in the world - in the Deep South of England.
Simon Cooper's love of nature and his determination to revivify this stretch of river runs through the book like a golden - or, to use his own overworked simile, "gin-clear" - thread. The essence of fly-fishing is explained in language anyone can understand, as is the stream's wider ecological importance.
A light, yet thought-provoking and instructive, read perfect for a day by the river.
Simon Cooper's love of nature and his determination to revivify this stretch of river runs through the book like a golden - or, to use his own overworked simile, "gin-clear" - thread. The essence of fly-fishing is explained in language anyone can understand, as is the stream's wider ecological importance.
A light, yet thought-provoking and instructive, read perfect for a day by the river.
January 18, 2019
I didn't really take to details of how fishermen kill fish. That was not what I expected when I bought the book, although it is interesting to know something about the work that goes into keeping a stream 'healthy'.
April 11, 2021
This was a very relaxing book to read, as river-keeper and fly-fisher Simon Cooper talks about the very special chalkstream landscape in which he spends most of his time.
The book was badged as one about the rescuing and renovation of a neglected chalkstream, and I very much enjoyed the parts that discussed this, and the historical establishment and uses of water meadows (I hadn't known that the people employed to control water levels in these areas were called 'drowners' - imagine having that as your job title!). I also enjoyed the close observations of the river's flora and fauna with its daily and yearly cycles. What I didn't enjoy so much was the content about fishing, which became a more and more prominent part of the book as it went on. A bit would have sufficed and been enough to have been of interest, but I found the detailed discussions and debates about what type of fly to use a bit monotonous, for instance. Another thing that prevented me from giving this book five stars was the editing - some things were repeated several times in different parts of the book unnecessarily, and this could have been picked up by a keen editorial eye.
Overall, however, a charming book about a wonderful and unique ecosystem.
The book was badged as one about the rescuing and renovation of a neglected chalkstream, and I very much enjoyed the parts that discussed this, and the historical establishment and uses of water meadows (I hadn't known that the people employed to control water levels in these areas were called 'drowners' - imagine having that as your job title!). I also enjoyed the close observations of the river's flora and fauna with its daily and yearly cycles. What I didn't enjoy so much was the content about fishing, which became a more and more prominent part of the book as it went on. A bit would have sufficed and been enough to have been of interest, but I found the detailed discussions and debates about what type of fly to use a bit monotonous, for instance. Another thing that prevented me from giving this book five stars was the editing - some things were repeated several times in different parts of the book unnecessarily, and this could have been picked up by a keen editorial eye.
Overall, however, a charming book about a wonderful and unique ecosystem.
April 6, 2021
I have never been fly-fishing and my teenage love of fishing extended no further than float and ledger fishing in the murky waters of the Norfolk Broads, nothing like the chalk stream described by Simon Cooper. Even so there is something charming and enticing in the way that Cooper describes a life of a stream in which he has invested himself emotionally and physically over so many years. At times the editing lets him down a little bit. The stream is described as gin-clear on far too many occasions. A sentence that baldly states that salmon can be defined as anadromous is of no help to anyone who doesn't happen to have a dictionary nearby. There are occasional repeats that could easily have been picked up and cut out.
At the same time even for people like me who barely know the Wiltshire landscape that he describes, he manages to sum a certain quintessential pastoral Englishness that triggers the same emotional sense-buds as presumably the fictional Evitt river does for the returning salmon. I loved reading about his restoration of the North Stream flooding ditch, and he writes about the trout as someone who truly knows, loves and respects them.
At the same time even for people like me who barely know the Wiltshire landscape that he describes, he manages to sum a certain quintessential pastoral Englishness that triggers the same emotional sense-buds as presumably the fictional Evitt river does for the returning salmon. I loved reading about his restoration of the North Stream flooding ditch, and he writes about the trout as someone who truly knows, loves and respects them.
October 30, 2022
I think this book needed to have the subtitle "Saving a river so that me and all my mates can fish better in it"!
I found this a little disappointing to be honest. Yes, it's nice that Cooper and his friends decided to re-wild a chalkstream by selective dredging of silt, clearing of overabundant plant species and re-fashioning sluice gates, but all this seemed to be an aside in the grand scheme of great fishing. Even when describing river dwelling species such as otters, Cooper states they're lovely creatures but bemoans that they eat all the fish! Get over it, you the human are the invasive species!
I got tiresome of the constant fishing references so I skim read a lot, nothing got better so I abandoned after a while.
Not my fisherman's cup of tea!
I found this a little disappointing to be honest. Yes, it's nice that Cooper and his friends decided to re-wild a chalkstream by selective dredging of silt, clearing of overabundant plant species and re-fashioning sluice gates, but all this seemed to be an aside in the grand scheme of great fishing. Even when describing river dwelling species such as otters, Cooper states they're lovely creatures but bemoans that they eat all the fish! Get over it, you the human are the invasive species!
I got tiresome of the constant fishing references so I skim read a lot, nothing got better so I abandoned after a while.
Not my fisherman's cup of tea!
September 14, 2026
Well written but took me some time! I’m no fisherman and although I found the prose about the intricacies of fishing interesting, it was at times hard going. I read it from a conservation point of view as I love chalk rivers and it did give me good insight in places about this. I enjoyed the wholistic view the author tried to give of the river too.
June 22, 2022
The best account of chalk streams and dry fly fishing I have read.
November 20, 2023
Am no fisherman but I enjoyed the descriptions of the intricacies of the sport and also life in and around a chalk stream. An entertaining read, well written, with such attention to detail that it helped me form a picture from the wonderful descriptions. Living as I do very near to the fine Hampshire chalk streams mentioned, I shall certainly be out exploring there in the future.
April 7, 2020
No creo sea un libro para cualquiera, quizá pueda tornarse aburrido rápido, pero como alguien que estudia limnología este libro me pareció un interesante y romántico ángulo de la restauración de ríos desde el punto de vista de un pescador inglés. Es admirable ponerse a la misión de restaurar un río a cuenta propia - y hacerlo. En un año.
En este libro Simon Cooper nos lleva durante un año - las cuatro estaciones - en su hazaña a restaurar uno de los ríos ingleses en donde él solía pescar pero ahora las poblaciones de especies migratorias ya no eran lo mismo. Al inicio comparte por qué lo toma a cuenta propia y no con consultores ambientales, pero me ahorro el "spoiler".
Me pareció una buena lección personal de los contrastes de la ecología y la conservación como ciencia versus uno de los principales sectores no-académicos interesados en la conservación de estos recursos en países del norte global: la pesca recreacional. Además, cada capítulo y temporada pintan una linda imagen de conceptos ecológicos básicos en países con esta estacionalidad y la biología de organismos acuáticos y de organismos terrestres que también dependen de la integridad de estos ecosistemas. Todo esto a pura narrativa e historias personales.
Lo recomendaría para amantes de la naturaleza, pescadores, y aquellos interesados en la restauración ecológica desde puntos de vista de sectores más allá del académico.
En este libro Simon Cooper nos lleva durante un año - las cuatro estaciones - en su hazaña a restaurar uno de los ríos ingleses en donde él solía pescar pero ahora las poblaciones de especies migratorias ya no eran lo mismo. Al inicio comparte por qué lo toma a cuenta propia y no con consultores ambientales, pero me ahorro el "spoiler".
Me pareció una buena lección personal de los contrastes de la ecología y la conservación como ciencia versus uno de los principales sectores no-académicos interesados en la conservación de estos recursos en países del norte global: la pesca recreacional. Además, cada capítulo y temporada pintan una linda imagen de conceptos ecológicos básicos en países con esta estacionalidad y la biología de organismos acuáticos y de organismos terrestres que también dependen de la integridad de estos ecosistemas. Todo esto a pura narrativa e historias personales.
Lo recomendaría para amantes de la naturaleza, pescadores, y aquellos interesados en la restauración ecológica desde puntos de vista de sectores más allá del académico.
March 12, 2023
I found this to be a very readable story of the author's efforts to restore and preserve a neglected chalk stream. Along the way, Cooper introduces us to the wildlife and flora that inhabit the stream and shows us the many and varied tasks involved in maintaining the stream in good health.
There are very few nature books around that focus on rivers and streams, and I did enjoy this one. I found some of the descriptions of fishing quite boring (I can understand catching fish to eat, but the whole idea of catching fish just to let them go again feels really weird to me), but I think it was an important part of the book, since fishing is so closely linked to the conservation of these landscapes.
The book needed a much stricter edit though. There is a LOT of repetition (the author apparently forgets that he already explained gravel blasting, how water meadows functioned or the lifecycle of the mayfly in a previous chapter and explains it all again - in almost identical language) and if I'd been given a tenner every time 'gin-clear' was used to describe the clarity of the water, I'd have a nice lump sum by now! It's a shame, as a sharper edit could have turned this book from a good one into a great one.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Recommended to readers with an interest in the conservation and wildlife of chalkstreams.
There are very few nature books around that focus on rivers and streams, and I did enjoy this one. I found some of the descriptions of fishing quite boring (I can understand catching fish to eat, but the whole idea of catching fish just to let them go again feels really weird to me), but I think it was an important part of the book, since fishing is so closely linked to the conservation of these landscapes.
The book needed a much stricter edit though. There is a LOT of repetition (the author apparently forgets that he already explained gravel blasting, how water meadows functioned or the lifecycle of the mayfly in a previous chapter and explains it all again - in almost identical language) and if I'd been given a tenner every time 'gin-clear' was used to describe the clarity of the water, I'd have a nice lump sum by now! It's a shame, as a sharper edit could have turned this book from a good one into a great one.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Recommended to readers with an interest in the conservation and wildlife of chalkstreams.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews