No Shortage of Good Days

by John Gierach, Mike Chamberlain (Reading)

In No Shortage of Good Days John Gierach takes listeners from the Smokies in Tennessee to his home waters in Colorado, from the Canadian Maritimes to Mexico--saltwater or fresh, it's all fishing and all irresistible. As always he writes perceptively about a wide range of subjects: the charm of familiar waters, the etiquette of working with new fishing guides, night fishing when the trout and the mosquitoes are both biting, and fishing snobbery, a pitfall he seems to have largely avoided: "A friend and I recently realized that making fly-fishing a way of life instead of a hobby has made us a couple of pretty one-dimensional characters. On the other hand, we agreed we're two of the happiest people we know, albeit in a simple-minded sort of way." Gierach again demonstrates the wit, eloquence, and insight that have become his trademarks. No Shortage of Good Days is the next best thing to a day of fishing.

Genres: Nature, Sports, Outdoors, Nonfiction, Adventure, Travel

1 pages, Audio CD

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

John Gierach was an American author and freelance writer who lived in Larimer County, Colorado.

Reviews

[Anthony Whitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

During these days of social distancing, Gierach is the perfect cure for cabin fever as he takes you to wild places where you can camp, hike and fish until you fall asleep in your recliner.

[Grant Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

For better or worse no author inspires me to live out of my truck for months at a time just to fish in the mountains than John Grierach

[Peter Blomberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always fun to read the John's short fishing/life ramblings. I find the most enjoyment in reading a story from his books as a prelude to a day of fishing. This book accompanied me into the Wyoming Range as I fished for cutthroat trout. Having been distracted by a trip up to Banff and other adventures, I did not finish this book before I had to return it. Although not as inspiring to read as the cold Wyoming wind blows across a snowy landscape, it does make me excited for nicer weather this summer as I travel, fish and read.

[Keenan Bartlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Gierach has a way of making you feel like you’re sitting next to him on the river, swapping stories over a cold beer. In No Shortage of Good Days, he delivers more of what makes his writing so enjoyable—thoughtful reflections on fishing, nature, and life, all with his signature dry humor and wisdom. This book isn’t just about fly fishing; it’s about the places, people, and moments that make the sport so addictive. Gierach’s storytelling is effortless, and his observations on everything from fishing buddies to the quirks of different waters feel both personal and universal. At times, the essays blend together a bit, and I found myself wishing for a little more variation in tone. But overall, it’s another great entry in his collection—perfect for anyone who loves the rhythm of the water and the camaraderie of the sport.

If you enjoy Gierach’s work, you won’t be disappointed.

[Kirsten Buccigrossi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoy John Gierach's books. This was no exception. Same lighthearted tone, enjoyable humor, and fishing is a metaphor for life style that his readers are accustomed to. However, I just couldn't get past how much more pretentious this one was. It felt like every chapter was something else...woe is him for having a driver to take him around town during a book signing tour; oh, how he loathes book signings; having to stay at a high end resort for a fishing out; the surprise of being the subject of a famous friend's painting... on and on! One or two such comments sprinkled throughout a book are acceptable. This was a bit much for my liking. But I obviously still enjoyed it enough to cough up a three-star!

[Dave Weller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I continued down the path of reading John Gierach's books chronologically with No Shortage of Good Days. This book followed the same formula as previous releases, and I enjoyed it just as much. Gierach is definitely an old school guy, so it is interesting to note the impact of technology, as his books advance through the evolution of technology and social media. So far, he seems to be minimally impacted. In No Shortage I particularly enjoyed the chapters on book tours, Deckers, cheating, firewood, and food. Book tours, cheating and food were side bars indirectly related to fishing, and I loved his opinionated pieces. Deckers and firewood describe places that I fish, so that always peaks my interest. I look forward to the next book of essays by John Gierach.

[Henry DeForest · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really enjoyable book; I would say it ranks highly among Gierach reads. The usual hodgepodge of stories proved to be predictably enjoyable, and I particularly enjoyed his highlighting of fellow authors and creative folk he has taken inspiration from (names such as Harrison and Dillard, the latter being whom this book gets its name from). Well-worth the read, especially if you're already a Gierach fan.

[Michelle Chang · Rating 4 out of 5]

While meandering at times, Gierach magically captures some of his fly fishing stories so vividly that you can hear the sound of the river rushing around your waders. He includes some important life nuggets but mostly paints the art not science, way of life not hobby that is fly fishing. Definitely inspires me to get in the river more than I do now.

[Kendell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually I should probably give more stars to this book because it is great writing, insight on fly fishing, being outdoors and what those mean for mental and physical health for him. Not something I normally read but still very good!

[Gabriella Hoffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

At times this book was a tad dry for me — I’m a novice fly angler, prefer spinning cast fishing — but I see why Mr Gierich is a renowned Fishing writer. Hoping to read his other famous work too.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

More funny than trout bum. A pleasure to read.

[Jeff Lund · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of his top 3.

[James Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Book Yet

I've now read several of John's books. Each one is awesome in it's way. This is the best so far. I enjoy the philosophical context. And the fly fish.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hemingway of fly fishing writers. A strong and sympathetic voice with a deep knowledge of and need to fly fish. Always interesting always well written. I often feel like I am with Gierach in the river; stream or wherever he is. A great sense of place and character. Gierach is a writer whose books I treasure, reading them spread out so as not to go through his books too quickly. Jewels indeed.

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is not much to say about a good John Gierach book other than it reads like a once in a lifetime fishing road trip with good friends. It was filled with humor, wisdom, and lots and lots of fish.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very descriptive about fishing in Colorado, I feel like I could locate the places he was describing if I wanted to.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book and another Gierach title (Standing In A River Waving A Stick) together, and was ready to love both of them because of all the strong reviews. Unfortunately, I was more than a little disappointed. I don't want to overstate my point, but I kept waiting for the advertised "wit and wisdom". Though there are a number of droll remarks that made me smile, on the whole there really wasn't that much substance to his writing. Once the initial novelty wore off, the stories felt a little formulaic and I got kind of bored.

My gut tells me that this book is going to appeal most to people (fly fisherman, mainly, of course, but maybe other sportsmen or people who know sportsmen) who would tell you right off that they don't bother reading books too often. They might find this book approachable, interesting and down to earth - a good gateway to more books. But a person who has read widely probably will not be too impressed with the craft or content in this book.

[Timothy Kidder · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you haven't read John Gierach you've been missing out on some of the best outdoor writing out there. The layout of this book, following his standard, is a short story per chapter. This makes it easy to pick up and read for short periods, although sometimes it's difficult to put it down after only one chapter. He covers a lot of ground in this book, talking about night fishing, winter fishing, in some pretty diverse places including Tennessee, Mexico, Labrador and some of his home water around Colorado. But it's always about the people and experience with Gierach and you'll find this book is much too short.

"It's also an article of faith in my personal religion that there are countless miles of underfished and underappreciated trout streams in the Rocky Mountain West just waiting for a fisherman with enough poetry in his soul to give them their due."

[Katie Mar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is meant for people who already fly fish, so as someone who's never tried the sport before, it was a little weird. (The book was a gift to me because I've considered trying fly fishing.) He uses a lot of fly-fishing terms that I had no idea what they meant. The style was rather calming, but there didn't seem to be much substance apart from descriptions of fishing for different fish on different days.

[Kevin M. Sieja · Rating 5 out of 5]

No Surprises Here!

I am a huge John Gierach fan! His recanted adventures mirror many of my own fishing experiences and I enjoy going with him on those virtual trips to dream destinations. His writing style is eerily similar to the way my books are written. I suppose that most good fishing stories are told that way, casual and fairly direct. For me, fly fishing and life are just the way he describes them.

[Scott Burrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gierach isn't my favorite due to his funky, Western, vaguely hippie world view, but seems to be the only one turning out fly fishing books these day. That said, he is a great writer and really gets underneath the hood and understands why we fish.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It felt like I was sitting around the campfire listening to a great fisherman telling stories. It was fun.

My favorite quote was, "There comes a time when you realize although catching fish is the goal of the sport, it's not really the point of it."

[Jared]

While most people are saying, "Same ole same ole," I keep eating this stuff up. I associate with his fishing obsession, yes, but I also love his perspective on the West, road trips, and his simplistic bohemian way of life. He's humble and tankful for the life he's living, and I respect that.

[Rob Blaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another satisfying installment from Mr. Gierach. What I love about his books is that they force you to . . . slow . . . down, and savor the experience.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like sports writers who write well and make interesting and pointed observations about life. John Gierach does each of these.

[Ry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gierach- no shortage of good reads!
another fun book-

[Teo smite · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable story telling even though I am not a fisherman.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading John Gierach is not as good as standing in a stream fishing, but he makes you feel the tug of the cool water on your knees. In this working world, it is as close I get way too much.

[Jeff Hornung · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little too slow for my reading tastes. Good stories but I feel his style of writing made it hard to keep my attention.

[R.E. Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Geirach has done it again. Always a pleasure to read. There is always so much within his writing for me to take with me.