Page-turner picks for anglers, hunters and hikers who’d rather be outside
Christmas shopping for an outdoorsman or outdoorswoman is pretty easy: fishing lures, camo and pocketknives are always welcome. This column goes beyond the usual gear gifts and offers a few great reads from the road less traveled.
At times when bad weather or a tough work schedule can make it difficult to get outside, books offer a short escape to some well-written prose. The outdoors is a favorite topic of some of the top writers in the world. Here are some titles we recommend:
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Books make great gifts and inspiration for future
adventures.“St. Tom’s Cathedral” by Bryan Hendricks. Hendricks weaves narratives about life into stories from the woods. The best part about this book is that you don’t have to be a turkey hunter to enjoy every page. While Hendricks addresses the fun and humor of the unpredictable side of the outdoors, he also instills hard-earned wisdom about the choices we make in life. Hendricks, a writer for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, is one of the few full-time outdoors editors in the country. We are lucky to have him.
- For the younger audience, “Hatchet” by Gary Paulsen. We read this to our sons in their pre-teens and enjoyed the fictional adventure of a young man placed into a sudden survival setting. It was compelling to think of how we would handle such a situation and discuss the options. It was also a really fun parent-child read.
- We recommend any books by Patrick McManus. This longtime outdoors writer brings the wit that makes readers look forward to mishaps in the outdoors! At times, his humor provides such intensity you won’t be able to see the pages through your tears of laughter.
- “The Unreasonable Virtue of Fly Fishing” by Mark Kurlansky. A surprise hit from last year, this book covers the history of the art form of fly fishing as well as the majesty of the motion. It is impossible not to learn from this book while being fiercely entertained.
- Books by photographer and writer Tim Ernst, the author of many Arkansas books to help hikers and lovers of our state’s natural beauty. “Arkansas Hiking Trails” is a gold standard.
This list is certainly not complete, but it might tide your outdoors enthusiast over until their next cast, climb or campout.
Carlton and Leigh Wing host the “Arkansas’ Great Outdoors” weekly television series. Visit facebook.com/arkansasgreatoutdoors/.