In these reflective and winsome stories William Vande Kopple shares his experiences of fishing alone and with family and the deeper lessons to be learned on the water. / An avid fisherman and a skillful writer, Vande Kopple considers the wonders of the natural world from West Michigan to Ontario, viewing them through the eyes of his sons, his father, and his wife. His adventures and misadventures with his family members lead him to muse about the loves and strains and longings of family life. From many of these musings, Vande Kopple moves on to grapple with spiritual matters stinging losses and sustaining hopes, the unpredictability of memory and the certainty of grace, the reach of God s providence and the grasping that is appropriate for humans. / Whether you re serious about fishing or have never heard of a jig or a treble hook, these stories will entertain you and inspire you to think deeply about the important things in life.
They say that a fisherman never runs out of stories. Lucky for readers of this book, William J. Vande Kopple wants to do more than regale us with tales of the one that got away. In this winsome collection, Vande Kopple spins fifteen funny, poignant yarns out of his experience as a father, angler, and believer. From its haunting opening vignette to more expansive recollections of road trips, family reunions, and solitary forays into nature, Vande Kopple effortlessly perceives the connections between families, fishing, and faith. He is steadfast in his faith yet comfortable with doubt (see the starkly untidy ending of "Not a Hair Shall Fall," in which he and his son wrestle with both a big fish and the question of God's providence). He is contagiously exuberant yet mindful of the vicissitudes of aging (Have I waited too long? he wonders after a much-delayed fishing trip with his father in "Time Is Tapping on My Forehead"). He is an able raconteur whose spirits are never dampened for long (in "Longing," he promises never to drive up to Canada on a whim again to fish-until the locals tell him about a river he just has to try). Fishermen and their longsuffering friends and family members will relish Vande Kopple's latest book. So, too, will nature lovers of all stripes-particularly those who know the beauty of the pristine wildernesses of Michigan and Northwestern Ontario. In any case, whether or not readers share Vande Kopple's love for fishing, these stories are sure to catch those who are angling for a good story!
The Catch" constitutes a memoir of William VandeKopple's introduction to fishing as a child and of his experiences as a youngfather trying to get his three sons to love fishing and be successful at it. But onother, more significant levels, the pieces address interesting phenomena innature, some of the geography of Michigan and Iowa, quirks of personalpsychology, strains in family relationships, and especially grapplings withspiritual matters -- such as the roles in the universe of grace and play, of freedom and law, and of human and divine control.
In these reflective and winsome stories William Vande Kopple shares his experiences of fishing alone and with family and the deeper lessons to be learned on the water. / An avid fisherman and a skillful writer, Vande Kopple considers the wonders of the natural world from West Michigan to Ontario, viewing them through the eyes of his sons, his father, and his wife. His adventures and misadventures with his family members lead him to muse about the loves and strains and longings of family life. From many of these musings, Vande Kopple moves on to grapple with spiritual matters stinging losses and sustaining hopes, the unpredictability of memory and the certainty of grace, the reach of God s providence and the grasping that is appropriate for humans. / Whether you re serious about fishing or have never heard of a jig or a treble hook, these stories will entertain you and inspire you to think deeply about the important things in life.
They say that a fisherman never runs out of stories. Lucky for readers of this book, William J. Vande Kopple wants to do more than regale us with tales of the one that got away. In this winsome collection, Vande Kopple spins fifteen funny, poignant yarns out of his experience as a father, angler, and believer. From its haunting opening vignette to more expansive recollections of road trips, family reunions, and solitary forays into nature, Vande Kopple effortlessly perceives the connections between families, fishing, and faith. He is steadfast in his faith yet comfortable with doubt (see the starkly untidy ending of "Not a Hair Shall Fall," in which he and his son wrestle with both a big fish and the question of God's providence). He is contagiously exuberant yet mindful of the vicissitudes of aging (Have I waited too long? he wonders after a much-delayed fishing trip with his father in "Time Is Tapping on My Forehead"). He is an able raconteur whose spirits are never dampened for long (in "Longing," he promises never to drive up to Canada on a whim again to fish-until the locals tell him about a river he just has to try). Fishermen and their longsuffering friends and family members will relish Vande Kopple's latest book. So, too, will nature lovers of all stripes-particularly those who know the beauty of the pristine wildernesses of Michigan and Northwestern Ontario. In any case, whether or not readers share Vande Kopple's love for fishing, these stories are sure to catch those who are angling for a good story!
This collection of essays drawn from five different disciplines – history, the arts, philosophy, science, and social science – represents the kinds of writing that have characterized each discourse community, and illustrates both the clashes and agreements within those communities about the nature of effective writing.
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