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Reading the Water: Fly Fishing, Fatherhood, and Finding Strength in Nature
"A father shares the joys of fly-fishing with his daughters. In this eloquent memoir ... [Mark] Hume vividly conveys the sensory details of their adventures and the stunning surroundings ... A heartfelt, beautifully written celebration of the wonders of nature and comfort of family."--Kirkus STARRED Review
Fishing was Mark Hume's passion since he was a young boy, a lifeline through a childhood marked by his family's frequent moves. When he became a father, he knew he wanted to pass on his love of water, fishing, and the natural world to his daughters. Most of all, he wanted to give them hope for their future even as they were coming of age during uncertain times.
As soon as they were old enough, Mark taught his girls how to read the water and see the patterns in nature. He showed them how to cast, how to catch fish and release them, and--only when needed--how to kill them. He discovered that fly fishing and fatherhood require many of the same skills: patience, flexibility, and the knowledge of when to reel in and when to let go.
Illuminating and heartfelt, Reading the Water is a much-needed, positive story about a father raising daughters, and a meditation on finding faith in a deep connection with the natural world.
Fishing was Mark Hume's passion since he was a young boy, a lifeline through a childhood marked by his family's frequent moves. When he became a father, he knew he wanted to pass on his love of water, fishing, and the natural world to his daughters. Most of all, he wanted to give them hope for their future even as they were coming of age during uncertain times.
As soon as they were old enough, Mark taught his girls how to read the water and see the patterns in nature. He showed them how to cast, how to catch fish and release them, and--only when needed--how to kill them. He discovered that fly fishing and fatherhood require many of the same skills: patience, flexibility, and the knowledge of when to reel in and when to let go.
Illuminating and heartfelt, Reading the Water is a much-needed, positive story about a father raising daughters, and a meditation on finding faith in a deep connection with the natural world.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published May 10, 2022
18 people are currently reading
1551 people want to read
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October 3, 2023There are so many interesting fly fishing books! But I haven’t found one written by a woman. Gotta get on that!
January 12, 2025
The author writes of very personal and emotional experiences. Just when you think you’ve invaded someone’s personal diary, he ties it with emergent themes of the natural world and you’re back to feeling you’re sharing stories around a campfire. I felt this book move at a pace of a river; at times very quick, vivid, and emotional and at other times slower, more reflective and sitting in one spot.
I read this book to hopefully find insight with my own relationship with my father, another man of the river. I found just that, and a sense of being a part of something greater than my own experience. Mark Hume does a great job of painting a beautiful, unexpected, rapid, emotional life and always gives you a chance to rest on the solid bank of a river.
I read this book to hopefully find insight with my own relationship with my father, another man of the river. I found just that, and a sense of being a part of something greater than my own experience. Mark Hume does a great job of painting a beautiful, unexpected, rapid, emotional life and always gives you a chance to rest on the solid bank of a river.
May 31, 2022
I have always wanted to spend more time with nature and now I know why. Reading The Water helped me to see the connection that can be made with family, friends and self by spending time in nature and in particular fishing. Mark Hume brings his experiences to life in a meaningful way and explains how the time spend in the water or on the water or by the water can lead to lifelong memories and changes. The stories are spun so well you can feel that you are out in the open with the author. Well done. I did receive this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway.
September 16, 2022
Great read.
I slowly fell in love with this book, maybe because of the authors skill at turning a phrase or maybe because he and I have so much in common. Or both. His developing a love for fishing and the outdoors as a young boy, his love for his daughters, and his using fly fishing and nature to find his way through adversity. I'll seek out more of his work.
I slowly fell in love with this book, maybe because of the authors skill at turning a phrase or maybe because he and I have so much in common. Or both. His developing a love for fishing and the outdoors as a young boy, his love for his daughters, and his using fly fishing and nature to find his way through adversity. I'll seek out more of his work.
January 10, 2023
Amazing book!
I would give this book ten stars if I could. I mostly read for escapism; humorous fantasy, light science fiction, airy cozy mysteries. As I get older (nearing fifty now), I find myself pondering many of the same questions that Mr. Hume grapples with. Thank you for this extraordinary read.
I would give this book ten stars if I could. I mostly read for escapism; humorous fantasy, light science fiction, airy cozy mysteries. As I get older (nearing fifty now), I find myself pondering many of the same questions that Mr. Hume grapples with. Thank you for this extraordinary read.
November 22, 2022
A beautiful book in so many ways. Enjoy every day on the water and with those you love
May 26, 2022
Fishing and fatherhood: two subjects I cannot relate to! But as I continue my search for the perfect book for Father’s Day, I can safely say that Reading the Water; Fly Fishing, Fatherhood, and Finding Strength in Nature by Mark Hume is the ideal gift for any papa in your life, even those who don’t regularly wield a fishing rod. Hume’s writing meanders through his own life, passing along lessons he’s learned from others in addition to some gorgeous meditations on the natural world around us. Finding pleasure in forested solitude is just one of the gems this book reminds us of.
Book Summary
Hume begins in his childhood; an idyllic picture of boyhood growing up in the Okanagan area of British Columbia, surrounded by acres of wild land and a safe home and family to return to every night after his outdoor adventures. But then they move to Edmonton Alberta, and the cracks in his family start to show, the marriage between his parents clearly crumbling. From there, he grows up and out of the home, working through a failed marriage of his own before his meets the love of his life and they have two daughters together, living back in British Columbia where his heart clearly lives. But all of these milestones of his life take a backseat to the real story of this book; his journey as a fisherman and the lessons that being out in nature has taught him over the years. Each phase of his life is marked by his proximity to a body of water and its influence over his habits. Now a father, his love of the outdoors is passed onto his daughters and he recounts formative fishing and camping trips they took together. Woven though these memories is the sad observations of climate change, and the detrimental affects of development that have taken severe tolls on the waterways of western Canada.
My Thoughts
This book moves slowly through the life of its author and his family. We get glimpses into his childhood, but we don’t know much about his other four brothers, or the struggles his Father goes through as an underpaid journalist in Canada. We know nothing about Hume’s first wife, or what his day-to-day life looks like. Instead, we drop in and out of his life through his fishing excursions, which eventually include his kids as soon as they are old enough to carry a rod on their own. This isn’t to say he is an absent father, quite the opposite. His desire to keep them close, to maintain a connection with them even as they become teenagers and young adults is heartwarming to read about, especially as these opinions are so rarely expressed in print by men. At first glance it may appear as though he’s skipping over all the interesting parts of his life, but it quickly became clear to me that these moments hiking and fishing are the important parts for him, they crystallize his thoughts for the reader in the same way talking a walk outside can clear one’s mind. He balances these trips with short references to other major events, like having prostate cancer surgery, but even things as major as cancer are described in reference to his recovery outdoors, and how quickly he can get back out fishing.
This book didn’t get me excited to go fishing myself (I still prefer a good hike in the woods) but it did teach me quite a bit about why fishing is so appealing to others. All different aspects of the sport are dealt with here. For instance, fly fishers can indulge in a little arts and crafts project as they tie their flies to help catch the fish. These ties can be made up of any colour or texture, Hume mentions he ties some neon-coloured ones, but will also use scraps of materials from nature like feathers, even discarded fur from Indigenous crafters he purchases when travelling. He talks about the books he follows that outline certain patterns to follow when tying them, which pattern can attract which species of fish, and the late nights he’s spent tying patterns with his daughters, later becoming gifts they exchange together.
The pain that fish may potentially experience when being hooked in the mouth was another topic I found fascinating. It arises as he teaches his girls to release the hooks gently, as catch and release is something Hume advocates for, although he occasionally keeps fish to eat. He finds himself in a conversation debating the likelihood of whether or not the fish experience trauma as the lures are caught in their mouths, and together they decide it’s unlikely due to the fact that fish continually return to the same place mere moments after being yanked from that space by a sharp lure. It’s clear that minimizing his footprint in the wild is of chief concern, and we learn towards the end of the book that both his girls find careers in environmental protection of some kind, which is something he seems proud of, proof that the care he took with introducing them to nature was an important and impactful lesson.
A healthy respect for nature is all the prerequisite you need to enjoy this book, but I’m happy to say I learned quite a bit about a new hobby and sport too, which is always the hallmark of a great read.
To read the rest of my reviews, please visit my blog:
https://ivereadthis.com/
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Book Summary
Hume begins in his childhood; an idyllic picture of boyhood growing up in the Okanagan area of British Columbia, surrounded by acres of wild land and a safe home and family to return to every night after his outdoor adventures. But then they move to Edmonton Alberta, and the cracks in his family start to show, the marriage between his parents clearly crumbling. From there, he grows up and out of the home, working through a failed marriage of his own before his meets the love of his life and they have two daughters together, living back in British Columbia where his heart clearly lives. But all of these milestones of his life take a backseat to the real story of this book; his journey as a fisherman and the lessons that being out in nature has taught him over the years. Each phase of his life is marked by his proximity to a body of water and its influence over his habits. Now a father, his love of the outdoors is passed onto his daughters and he recounts formative fishing and camping trips they took together. Woven though these memories is the sad observations of climate change, and the detrimental affects of development that have taken severe tolls on the waterways of western Canada.
My Thoughts
This book moves slowly through the life of its author and his family. We get glimpses into his childhood, but we don’t know much about his other four brothers, or the struggles his Father goes through as an underpaid journalist in Canada. We know nothing about Hume’s first wife, or what his day-to-day life looks like. Instead, we drop in and out of his life through his fishing excursions, which eventually include his kids as soon as they are old enough to carry a rod on their own. This isn’t to say he is an absent father, quite the opposite. His desire to keep them close, to maintain a connection with them even as they become teenagers and young adults is heartwarming to read about, especially as these opinions are so rarely expressed in print by men. At first glance it may appear as though he’s skipping over all the interesting parts of his life, but it quickly became clear to me that these moments hiking and fishing are the important parts for him, they crystallize his thoughts for the reader in the same way talking a walk outside can clear one’s mind. He balances these trips with short references to other major events, like having prostate cancer surgery, but even things as major as cancer are described in reference to his recovery outdoors, and how quickly he can get back out fishing.
This book didn’t get me excited to go fishing myself (I still prefer a good hike in the woods) but it did teach me quite a bit about why fishing is so appealing to others. All different aspects of the sport are dealt with here. For instance, fly fishers can indulge in a little arts and crafts project as they tie their flies to help catch the fish. These ties can be made up of any colour or texture, Hume mentions he ties some neon-coloured ones, but will also use scraps of materials from nature like feathers, even discarded fur from Indigenous crafters he purchases when travelling. He talks about the books he follows that outline certain patterns to follow when tying them, which pattern can attract which species of fish, and the late nights he’s spent tying patterns with his daughters, later becoming gifts they exchange together.
The pain that fish may potentially experience when being hooked in the mouth was another topic I found fascinating. It arises as he teaches his girls to release the hooks gently, as catch and release is something Hume advocates for, although he occasionally keeps fish to eat. He finds himself in a conversation debating the likelihood of whether or not the fish experience trauma as the lures are caught in their mouths, and together they decide it’s unlikely due to the fact that fish continually return to the same place mere moments after being yanked from that space by a sharp lure. It’s clear that minimizing his footprint in the wild is of chief concern, and we learn towards the end of the book that both his girls find careers in environmental protection of some kind, which is something he seems proud of, proof that the care he took with introducing them to nature was an important and impactful lesson.
A healthy respect for nature is all the prerequisite you need to enjoy this book, but I’m happy to say I learned quite a bit about a new hobby and sport too, which is always the hallmark of a great read.
To read the rest of my reviews, please visit my blog:
https://ivereadthis.com/
Sign up for my newsletter here: https://ivereadthis.com/subscribe/
Or follow me on social media!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ivereadthis/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ivereadthisblog
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivereadthis
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD6E...
June 18, 2023
I love buying and reading these types of books.
Boats, yachts, historical events and books about the sea are generally excellent. If there are sequels in your series, I would love to read them.
The beauties of owning the books of important authors cannot be discussed. I'm looking forward to your new books.
For friends who want to read this book, I leave the importance of reading a book here. I wish good luck to the sellers and customers...
Top 10 benefits of reading for all ages:
1. Reading Exercises the Brain
As we read, we need to remember the different characters and settings of a particular story. Even if you enjoy reading a book in one sitting, you need to remember the details during the time you devote to reading the book. Therefore, reading is an exercise for your brain that improves memory function.
2. Reading Is a (free) Form of Entertainment
Did you know that most of the popular TV series and movies are based on books? So why not indulge in the original form of entertainment by immersing yourself in reading? Most importantly, it's free with your Markham Public Library card.
3. Reading Improves Concentration and Focus
We all agree that there can be no reading without focus, and we need to concentrate on every page we read to fully understand the story. In a world where gadgets only speed up and shorten our attention span, we must constantly practice concentration and focus. Reading is one of the few activities that requires your undivided attention, so it improves your ability to concentrate.
4. Reading Improves Literacy
Have you ever read a book where you come across a word you don't know? Books have the power to improve your vocabulary by introducing you to new words. The more you read, the more your vocabulary will improve as well as your ability to communicate effectively. Also, reading improves writing skills by helping the reader understand and learn different writing styles.
5. Reading Improves Sleep
By creating a bedtime routine that includes reading, you can signal to your body that it's time to sleep. Now more than ever, we rely on increased screen time to get through the day. That's why you put your phone away and pick up a book and tell your brain it's time to calm down. Also, since reading helps you relieve stress, reading right before bed helps calm your mind and anxiety and improve your sleep quality.
6. Reading Increases General Knowledge
Books are always full of fun and interesting facts. Whether we read fiction or non-fiction, books have the ability to provide us with information we might not otherwise know. Reading various topics can make you a more knowledgeable person and therefore improve your speaking skills.
7. Reading Is Motivating
By reading books about heroes overcoming adversity, we are often encouraged to do the same. Whether it's a romance novel or a self-help book, the right book can motivate you to never give up and stay positive.
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https://numberoneboats.com/boats-for-...
https://theboatyacht.com/boating-news/
https://numberoneboats.com/boating-news/
https://theboatyacht.com/general/
https://numberoneboats.com/general/
Boats, yachts, historical events and books about the sea are generally excellent. If there are sequels in your series, I would love to read them.
The beauties of owning the books of important authors cannot be discussed. I'm looking forward to your new books.
For friends who want to read this book, I leave the importance of reading a book here. I wish good luck to the sellers and customers...
Top 10 benefits of reading for all ages:
1. Reading Exercises the Brain
As we read, we need to remember the different characters and settings of a particular story. Even if you enjoy reading a book in one sitting, you need to remember the details during the time you devote to reading the book. Therefore, reading is an exercise for your brain that improves memory function.
2. Reading Is a (free) Form of Entertainment
Did you know that most of the popular TV series and movies are based on books? So why not indulge in the original form of entertainment by immersing yourself in reading? Most importantly, it's free with your Markham Public Library card.
3. Reading Improves Concentration and Focus
We all agree that there can be no reading without focus, and we need to concentrate on every page we read to fully understand the story. In a world where gadgets only speed up and shorten our attention span, we must constantly practice concentration and focus. Reading is one of the few activities that requires your undivided attention, so it improves your ability to concentrate.
4. Reading Improves Literacy
Have you ever read a book where you come across a word you don't know? Books have the power to improve your vocabulary by introducing you to new words. The more you read, the more your vocabulary will improve as well as your ability to communicate effectively. Also, reading improves writing skills by helping the reader understand and learn different writing styles.
5. Reading Improves Sleep
By creating a bedtime routine that includes reading, you can signal to your body that it's time to sleep. Now more than ever, we rely on increased screen time to get through the day. That's why you put your phone away and pick up a book and tell your brain it's time to calm down. Also, since reading helps you relieve stress, reading right before bed helps calm your mind and anxiety and improve your sleep quality.
6. Reading Increases General Knowledge
Books are always full of fun and interesting facts. Whether we read fiction or non-fiction, books have the ability to provide us with information we might not otherwise know. Reading various topics can make you a more knowledgeable person and therefore improve your speaking skills.
7. Reading Is Motivating
By reading books about heroes overcoming adversity, we are often encouraged to do the same. Whether it's a romance novel or a self-help book, the right book can motivate you to never give up and stay positive.
https://theboatyacht.com/boats-for-sa...
https://numberoneboats.com/boats-for-...
https://theboatyacht.com/boating-news/
https://numberoneboats.com/boating-news/
https://theboatyacht.com/general/
https://numberoneboats.com/general/
August 13, 2022
Fishing and fatherhood: two things I can relate to! As a collection of writings this was pretty good. As a book not so much. I realized at the end why it felt so disjointed, it was a collection of some old essays and some new that tried to tell one story. The writing is mostly very enjoyable but at times it feels like someone from the Hallmark division of Canada trying to write a story about a Norman Rockwell painting. Some of the chapters are oddly uncomfortable in trying to relate to the overall theme. The chapters on fishing are the best and really flow, the ones on nature are good but feel very one-sided in their interpretation not capturing the whole, and the whole is seemingly sought by the author. The chapters on fatherhood (and I have two kids in high school) are sometimes good and sometimes border on annoying. At least the Hallmark movies don’t pretend to be profound, they just are what they are and sometimes quite enjoyable. I get it, he is happy to be a dad. I am grateful to have been introduced to Father Charles Brandt, interesting character! But I wonder if the author has only interpreted Father Brandt by his own ideas and ideals as opposed to who this guy really is. It felt like the priest is only used to justify the ideas the author already has about separating nature, from spirituality, from religion, from the church. Not to stereotype too much but I see this a lot in other authors I read of this age who are from Canada. I think there is a real cultural influence there.
Overall a good read, at least most chapters. Not something for the home shelf to read again, but good from the library or used bookstore if you think you can sell it back after reading. Glad I read it once.
Overall a good read, at least most chapters. Not something for the home shelf to read again, but good from the library or used bookstore if you think you can sell it back after reading. Glad I read it once.
May 16, 2022
This is the authors story of growing up in Canada from parents who were World War II immigrants from England. The family around various places throughout Canada. He came from large family having 4 other Brothers. Unlike his brothers who wanted to play sports or his friends woho wanted to be rockstars or sports stars the author wanted had other ambitions he had love of the outdoors and following streams, rivers and other bodies of water and eventually catching fish in those bodies of water. He went from catching trout barehanded, catching with bait and lures and eventually he learned about fly fishing first from Field and Stream magazines his goal was to be the best fly fisher ever. Along the way he learns to become one with nature and be vary Intune with nature more so paying attention of the actions of the fish and what they were eating. When he first took up fishing, he wanted to catch fish and then catch more or bigger fish but over time he became comfortable with just being out in nature whether he got fish or not it was a good day, and he was quite the conservationist also in that he returned most of the fish he caught. This book does drift off a little bit when he goes into his relationship and eventually his wife and him having to two daughters. Once his daughters come along his goal is to teach them about fishing and finding bodies of water that bind them to the land to for them to learn just as he did. This a great fishing book and book about the author developing his relationship with his daughters and along the coping with his anxiety about death. This should be a book you have on your shelf you like to read fishing books. Thank you to Edelweiss and Greystone books for an ARC for a fair and honest review.
June 9, 2022
"A gifted rod is the wonderful thing to have, because of fly rod is as much a talisman as it is a tool. When you fish with it, you fish with the love of whoever gave it to you. It becomes infused with memories of the waters you fish and the big trout and salmon you encounter. Sometimes just holding a rods and bring those memories alive and make you want to go fishing."
~pg.143
•
"Emma and Claire soon learned that there is something magical about being on a beach when Salmon are running past within casting range, or on the water when trout are rising to a hatch. They had come to know about the amazing beauty of fish because they had held them. And they had embraced the rituals of fly-fishing: the vestments, the prayers the sacrifice." ~pg.173
•
🌿
Thoughts~
A touching, heartfelt memoir about fishing, fatherhood, and the importance of a life connected with nature.
This was a beautiful read. At first glance of the title I didn't think it would be for me, I'm not a father and I dont fish. But other memoirs I have read from @greystonebooks have been some of my favorites so I took a leap of faith and wasn't dissapointed! 'Reading The Water' is such an illuminating look at life, parenting, connecting with nature and bodies of water, I loved it! Hume's life story is interesting and moving, and I loved hearing so much about British Columbia! I would have never thought I would find fishing interesting but I have much more of an understanding and appreciation of it now. This book would make a great Father's day gift.
Thank You to @greystonebooks for sending me this book, opinions are my own.
For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
~pg.143
•
"Emma and Claire soon learned that there is something magical about being on a beach when Salmon are running past within casting range, or on the water when trout are rising to a hatch. They had come to know about the amazing beauty of fish because they had held them. And they had embraced the rituals of fly-fishing: the vestments, the prayers the sacrifice." ~pg.173
•
🌿
Thoughts~
A touching, heartfelt memoir about fishing, fatherhood, and the importance of a life connected with nature.
This was a beautiful read. At first glance of the title I didn't think it would be for me, I'm not a father and I dont fish. But other memoirs I have read from @greystonebooks have been some of my favorites so I took a leap of faith and wasn't dissapointed! 'Reading The Water' is such an illuminating look at life, parenting, connecting with nature and bodies of water, I loved it! Hume's life story is interesting and moving, and I loved hearing so much about British Columbia! I would have never thought I would find fishing interesting but I have much more of an understanding and appreciation of it now. This book would make a great Father's day gift.
Thank You to @greystonebooks for sending me this book, opinions are my own.
For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
November 20, 2022
Perhaps the book deserves a 3.5. I think it's his memoir for now. I got rather stuck in the middle of the book for quite a while because of the depth & breadth of his talk about fly fishing. I'm not a fly fishing person, haven't even fished for many years. Other than that, I enjoyed parts of it. I'm sure some of that came from having been to a number of the areas he writes about, and also because I enjoy being out in nature. Those parts of the book caught me. It's obvious he loves his daughters, and made it his mission to introduce them at a young age to fly fishing, one of the activities that has brought him joy most of his life. He does talk in places about his growing up, his relationship with each of his parents, and their roles in England during WW 2, and then later their decision to move to Canada. Toward the end, Hume becomes much more reflective about the nature of being a parent, about some of his friends, mentors & mentees, and the nature of & recovering from a serious illness & of getting older. He turned 68 while writing the book. He also reflects on his life as a child vs as a parent, on how well can we possibly know our parents, and conversely, how well can our children know us and vice-versa, once they are grown & adults.
August 19, 2022
Got as a gift and expected to hate it. Turned out to be great. Helps that i love flyfishing and one of my daughters and i bond over it. but also really well written.
July 4, 2023
The first half of the book started out great and exciting with lots of real-life analogies and stories.
Personally, the second half of the book was a struggle to finish.
Personally, the second half of the book was a struggle to finish.
November 30, 2024
One word - beautiful.
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