Seasons of the Angler brings together stories, essays, and poems, all centered on the theme of fishing, by twenty-eight of America's most exciting contemporary authors. The pieces - most of which appear for the first time here - range from David Quammen's harrowing account of his days as a professional fishing guide, to Thomas McGuane's meditative essay on his discovery of a new river, to P.J. O'Rourke's hilarious tale of his attempts to learn the art of angling, to Richard Ford's haunting short story about three adolescents' painful coming-of-age during a fishing trip in northern Montana. Also included are works by Raymond Carver, Jim Harrison, Vance Bourjaily, William Hjortsberg, Donald Hall, and Bill Barich, along with actor Rip Torn's moving memoir of his fishing trips with the late Richard Brautigan. Illustrated with twenty-five original pencil drawings by Joseph Fornelli, Seasons of the Angler is a welcome addition to the literature on this most noble of sports, a must for anyone interested in good fishing or fine writing.