Dumb Luck and the Kindness of Strangers Audiobook By John Gierach cover art

Dumb Luck and the Kindness of Strangers

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Dumb Luck and the Kindness of Strangers

By: John Gierach
Narrated by: David Colacci
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In his latest fresh and original collection, Gierach shows us why fly-fishing is the perfect antidote to everything that is wrong with the world.

In Dumb Luck and the Kindness of Strangers, Gierach looks back to the long-ago day when he bought his first resident fishing license in Colorado, where the fishing season never ends, and just knew he was in the right place. And he succinctly sums up part of the appeal of his sport when he writes that it is "[A]n acquired taste that reintroduces the chaos of uncertainty back into our well-regulated lives".

Lifelong fisherman though he is, Gierach can write with self-deprecating humor about his own fishing misadventures, confessing that despite all his experience, he is still capable of blowing a strike by a fish "[I]n the usual amateur way". He offers witty, trenchant observations not just about fly-fishing itself, but also about how one's love of fly-fishing shapes the world that we choose to make for ourselves.

©2020 John Gierach (P)2020 Tantor Animals Biological Sciences Essays Outdoors & Nature Science Fishing Nonfiction Witty
Relaxing Storytelling • Engaging Narratives • Perfect Performance • Poetic Writing Style • Profound Contemplations
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I look forward to the next book. As a fisherman I can relate to so many things.

Never get tired of his stories

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Very nice collection of personal trip experiences that have a good mix of location, fish and tactics - with JG’s unique and subtle flare for brief character development - just enough to picture the situation.

Great variety of short personal experience stories

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first time listener. It's great to hear each story unfold and go along for each cast and character.

A long time reader...

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You feel like you are on the water. The personal relationships are similarly heartening. Like poetry, meant to be experienced more than just read.

Just from listening

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I listen to his books while driving to go fishing and they always remind me why I love being in a river.

As good as all his books

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This is the title I gift to my friends, not just fly-fishing friends. These words, paired with Colacci's delivery, is one of my very favorite things. Chapter 19 Up In Michigan is one of the most beautiful tributes to a friend that I could imagine and I listen to it frequently. Thank you John, for your beautiful words, and thank you David, for your perfect performance of this amazing book.

Perfection.

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I had forgotten how much I enjoyed Geirach’s story telling. The first I have listened to vice read. Now I want to go back and listen to the others.

The consummate for fish tales.

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never read anything by John Gierach before, but I look forward to exploring more of his writing now!! the book is enticing, profound, poetic, and approachable for non fly fishers too! can't say enough good things really. if you love contemplating life and nature in any way,this book is for you.

absolutely beautiful

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This book was relaxing to listen to but read like a Sunday morning comic strip, sort of like one long sentence that dropped the end period and left me wondering, "What on earth was the premise of that thought?" Lovely story-line but so sleepy and slow it felt un-engaging. All said, I liked the story and my criticism would be only that at no point did my heart rate rise at all listening to it.

Relaxing to hear

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Gierach and Colacci make an impeccable team. Colacci’s performance for near perfect with the literary voice of Gierach. I imagine if I ever meet John I’ll be surprised by the way he sounds. Gierach excels at making you feel like one of the guys or gals sharing a campfire exchanging stories. Sure, they are all about fly fishing but they are also about place, people, relationships, landscape, philosophy, and living right. I appreciated the midwestern locations in this book. I recognized many of the “fish dogs” - think my lab thought the story was about her. I’m always sorry when his books are finished. I miss the conversations while I do the chores around the farm. My Dad would have been John’s age. I’m quickly approaching 50 and it gets harder and harder to find sage advice. Gierach, stay safe and keep writing!

Familiar places and familiar characters of any fisherman’s experience

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