The Optimist

As someone who is new to fly fishing, this book captured what initially appealed to me. Coggins is a master storyteller who made me feel like I was on the river with him and made me add a whole lot of things to my bucket list. “But I cast, not knowing what will happen. In the waking life I cast too,......more

A perfect Summer read! Coggins has a pleasant, conversational, and witty style of writing. I was "hooked" from the introduction, leading into the eight chapters of the book, each centered upon his quest fo a different species of fish in a different part of the country and/or world.......more

This was a fun read. There are chapters on trout, salmon & bonefish. The author tells of great catches & of the ones that got away. Definitely made me want to get out on the water.......more

A great nonfiction account of one man's fly fishing experiences from a very young age until the present. Covers a host of regions and variety of fish species and includes his experiences traveling to great destinations. There's a great philosophical thread throughout the book that truly would be goo......more

3.5 I'll start by saying that I generally like Coggins' short-form writing. In a few pages or paragraphs, I find his voice and his outlook enjoyable. But I think in a long-form book, he loses some of his appeal for me. The insights and philosophizing feel a little shallow, and his otherwise genial pe......more