Fishing with Simon

“The Simon of Charles Lynch’s Fishing with Simon is the same one (Reisman) who rassled with the Yanks over the free trade deal. But this book, though written by one of our most experienced political journalists, is not about free trade or anything else political. This book is about fishing with Simon and a lot of other people. If you regard the alleged sport of fishing with the same holy awe with which Lynch treats it, you will devour this tome and savour every bite. Here is a collection of stories that will keep any angler reading, page after page. The really good news, though, is that even if you don’t know a spinner from a worm, you’ll still find this a wildly entertaining read. That’s because Lynch is one of those old-time journalists who has a flair for telling a story; in fact, he writes a story as well as he tells one in person, and that is very well indeed. Whether he’s experiencing the transcendental phenomenon of the Horwood Boil, or relating the hilarious tale of his dispute with the fishing “experts” of Nova Scotia, Lynch makes us feel like we’re sitting around a warm fire with a mellow drink in hand, listening to a master story-spinner weave his magic.” – George Kaufman