Witten by Bryan Archer, “The Meditative Fisherman” is a compelling blend of memoir and guidebook that transports readers across the globe. Archer’s fascination with flyfishing is intertwined with his exploration of meditation, consciousness, and varied ways of thinking, offering readers a unique perspective.
People have different approaches to find their inner peace. Some people meditate; others enjoy a hobby that keeps them calm and mindful. Though flyfishing and meditation may seem as unlike activities, they both share many similarities. They require focus and attention and help find a sense of peace and calm. They can be seen as a form of mindfulness as they require being fully present in the moment.
In his book, The Meditative Fisherman, author Bryan Archer takes readers on a journey around the world in a captivating combination of a memoir and a guidebook. Archer shares his passion for flyfishing with his interests in meditation, consciousness, and diverse methods of thinking.
SYNOPSIS
Immerse yourself in the waters of the world according to Bryan Archer, the contemplative fisherman, autodidact, and philosopher. This serene memoir is a love letter to the rivers and lake she has fished and the people he has fished them with, the flies he has used and the people who came before him. Visit the moments of adrenaline and peace that the meditative fisherman has experienced in over Forty years on the water.
Written with great affection and skill, this book spans the globe and some of its most spectacular fishing venues, from the UK, across America, to the extraordinary country New Zealand. Bryan explores the history of these places, the fish, and their flies, as well as his own emotional connection to the sport he loves, all via the great thinkers, writers and friends that have accompanied him. Take a moment, take a seat, and join the meditative fisherman in a journey of a lifetime, that spans a lifetime, and will make you want to follow in his footsteps.
Beyond the fishing tales, readers can expect to find a unique blend of diverse topics covered in each chapter. Archer delves into his personal interests, quoting from books he has read on subjects such as meditation, consciousness, racism, tribalism, and more. He shares insights from luminaries such as Daniel Kahneman, Professor Bruce Hood, Eckhart Tolle, Jiddu Kristnamurti, and Tim Parks delving into the history of fly fishing he quotes Claudius Aelianus, Dame Juliana Berners (the fly fishing nun) and Izaak Walton.
Two of the writers, Professor Bruce Hood and Parks, have already reviewed the book. Both reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, with Parks stating that, “It’s a charming, waywardly candid little book.”
Early reviews of the book have also been fantastic. Steve Roberts, in Issue 28 of Fallon’s Angler shares, “I haven’t read anything like this since Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance…The Meditative Fisherman is an enjoyable travelogue of diverse experiences that complement a journey in which his understanding of what it is to be a human develops with his piscatorial abilities…. [it] documents his novel and stimulating thoughts about what it is to be a thinking, conscious and improving person, which constitutes a rather unique fishing book.”
“In equal measure, I was charmed and instructed by this book as it flitted from great days out with Buzzers, Coch Y Bounddu, and the Grey Wulff to Meditation, Philosophy, and Neuroscience. I think there is something for everyone here although I should declare a special interest, as I am a fly fisherman who is fascinated by the workings of the sub-conscious. This is a genuine meditative travelogue drawn from many years of casting into the unknown to see what lies beneath the surface. I loved reading it.” Another reader shares their experience reading the book.
The Meditative Fisherman is now available on Amazon UK: https://amzn.eu/d/g2C2EKS.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bryan Archer has lived most of his life local to Blagdon Lake and has been fishing for over 40 years. The Meditative Fisherman is his first book, which he began writing at the respectable age of 72 during lockdown. He received no formal education after he turned fifteen, which was quite normal at that time. He started working at the same age and, throughout the intervening years, became a financial director in a company that he partly owned. He retired at age 52, when the company was sold in a management buyout, which facilitated his retirement. He has lived in Spain for fifteen years before returning to England and then to Wales where he now lives. He was also a treasurer for a few years to a charity in Bristol involved with refugees.