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Martin James award-winning fisherman consultant,broadcaster,writer





  

02/11/2021 - Book Review

Poetic Reflections on angling and nature By Carl Hier

 

The following are my thoughts on the excellent book by Carl Hier titled Poetic Reflections on Angling and Nature, by Martin James MBE. A few weeks ago I received a package from the postman, on opening it, I was very pleased to find a copy of Poetic Reflections on Angling and Nature by Carl Hier.

Some four years ago I received an e-mail from Carl saying how he enjoyed reading both my book At The Water’s Edge and many features on my website martinjamesfishing.co.uk. From that first e-mail an interesting correspondence was started. I looked forward to his next e-mail. We discussed not only angling and wildlife. Subjects covered were work in Carl’s case, our family life and ambitions. It got to the stage whenI was waiting for the next one to pop in my box. One of his ambitions was to catch a double figure barbel, I told him “I have the ideal location on a stretch of the river Wye owned by a good friend”.

At the time I was waiting to have my cataracts fixed, I suggested that when I could drive again I would sort out a date that is suitable, then take you on the Wye. Three days after having my final cataract operation, Covid 19caused the first lock down. Everything was put on hold. About two weeks into lockdown Carl sent me a poem on floats, it was like a breath of fresh air in those troubled times. I read and reread the poem several times, it was agreat pleasure to read something that was close to my heart, every time I read this poem, as I look around my study there are numerous tankards full of floats going back to the 1940’s. Sitting in my favourite armchair I often relive many memories from the past, this has been helped in lockdown by the many excellent poems from Carl’s pen. As weeks turned into months I got to read dozens of his poems. Carl’s lifelong passion for angling has given him a fascination for the natural world, particularly in and around water. Out of his experience has come this collection of poetry, originally written as a diversion during Coronavirus lockdown. As one who was confined to home for 12 weeks, many of these poems helped me through that tough time.

Charity Donations -

Several times Carl told me he would like to copy my example and find a way to raise some funds for a charity. I was most impressed with this young man’s thinking, about others who desperately need help. My charities are Crossroads Care, The Royal British Legion, also the ABF The Army Benevolent Fund.

I recommend this book Poetic Reflections on Angling and Nature by Carl Hier to all who love our natural world of wildlife and water, the young and not so young. It’s a read to take you away from the problems we all think about on planet earth. This book is on my bedside table, often reading a chapter sends me off in a relaxing sleep.

This soft back book of 158 pages is a collection of his poems and pictures from past years. The idea that a donation from each copy is donated to Mind mental health charity is an excellent gesture from this new author, which others could copy. This book is available via www.amazon.co.uk at a cost of £12  It is also available from publisher website www.mereobooks.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Martin James Fishing
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