Illuminated By Water

Shortlisted for the Richard Jefferies Award 2022

Growing up in Shetland with its myriad lochs and burns, Malachy Tallack and his brother would roam the island in search of trout, and in so doing discovered a sense of freedom, of wonder - and an abiding passion.

But why is it that fishing - or the mere contemplation of catching a fish - can be so thrilling and so captivating?

Why is it that time spent beside water can be imprinted so sharply in memory?

Why is it that what seems a simple act - of casting a line, waiting and hoping - can leave so much room for mystery?

Here award-winning author and singer-songwriter Malachy Tallack tells the story of his own infatuation with fishing, a pastime that has brought him joy (and frustration) since early childhood. And in bringing together memoir, nature writing and reflections on culture and history, he explores why angling means so much to so many.

Beautifully written and hugely engaging, it is a book about attention, about nature, and that sense of wonder; it is about a way of engaging with the world, of reaching out - and feeling it reach back.

Reviews

A beautifully meandering meditation on the mysterious allure of fishing. From windswept lochs to sluggish canals, Malachy Tallack grapples with big ethical issues about our place in the natural world as deftly as he does the fish.