Rating: 
Summary: Very enjoyable, but the accuracy...
Review: After reading the reviews on this one I was just giddy with anticipation when it arrived. Any book on fish or fishing is a good one, and this one promised to be very good.I don't read new books front to back - I browse at first, and flipped through "Trout", very impressed with the number of species and the marvellous illustrations. Then I went to Brook Trout - the fish of my youth, and still the one nearest and dearest my heart. Very good illustration and text. I then went to the front and started through, and as fate would have it the Arctic Char was first up. That's when I started to worry. You see, I live in the Canadian Arctic, and have seen lots of Arctic Char - literally tens of thousands. I've studied them, fished them, eaten them, read about them, and learned about them. I am no "expert", but I know a few things. Th fact of the matter is that from reading the text accompanying the illustration of the Arctic Charr, it is obvious that Prosek knows little of them. For example, he writes, "Eskimos cut a hole in a lake through ten feet of ice, fishing with a piece of seal meat on an ivory hook." Do tell. It gets better with, "In summer when the rivers run free, they catch them in nets made of Musk-ox or caribou sinew." Really. That stuff would have been half truths two centuries ago - today it is just plain wrong. Those lines are tourist fiction reminiscent of the hogwash written by the early arctic explorers who, after a trip up north, could return home and write any mix of truth and fiction they wanted - because nobody knew any better. That's my problem with the book. He knows little of Arctic Char, but proceeded anyway to write an inaccurate text - without the qualifier - "by the way I don't really know this, somebody told me and I didn't have time to check it out". Thinking what? Nobody would notice? It's the other species in the book that worry me now - the odd, rare, and primarily western ones I have not had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with. Is that stuff accurate? Still a great and very enjoyable book, and I recommend it to anyone who loves (okay, likes) trout. Enjoy the illustrations - just don't count on the information without checking it out.
Rating:
Summary: Very enjoyable, but the accuracy...
Review: After reading the reviews on this one I was just giddy with anticipation when it arrived. Any book on fish or fishing is a good one, and this one promised to be very good. I don't read new books front to back - I browse at first, and flipped through "Trout", very impressed with the number of species and the marvellous illustrations. Then I went to Brook Trout - the fish of my youth, and still the one nearest and dearest my heart. Very good illustration and text. I then went to the front and started through, and as fate would have it the Arctic Char was first up. That's when I started to worry. You see, I live in the Canadian Arctic, and have seen lots of Arctic Char - literally tens of thousands. I've studied them, fished them, eaten them, read about them, and learned about them. I am no "expert", but I know a few things. Th fact of the matter is that from reading the text accompanying the illustration of the Arctic Charr, it is obvious that Prosek knows little of them. For example, he writes, "Eskimos cut a hole in a lake through ten feet of ice, fishing with a piece of seal meat on an ivory hook." Do tell. It gets better with, "In summer when the rivers run free, they catch them in nets made of Musk-ox or caribou sinew." Really. That stuff would have been half truths two centuries ago - today it is just plain wrong. Those lines are tourist fiction reminiscent of the hogwash written by the early arctic explorers who, after a trip up north, could return home and write any mix of truth and fiction they wanted - because nobody knew any better. That's my problem with the book. He knows little of Arctic Char, but proceeded anyway to write an inaccurate text - without the qualifier - "by the way I don't really know this, somebody told me and I didn't have time to check it out". Thinking what? Nobody would notice? It's the other species in the book that worry me now - the odd, rare, and primarily western ones I have not had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with. Is that stuff accurate? Still a great and very enjoyable book, and I recommend it to anyone who loves (okay, likes) trout. Enjoy the illustrations - just don't count on the information without checking it out.
Rating: 
Summary: It's art but is it good?
Review: Being a scientific illustrator of fish, I dare say a few words about this book. These fish are pleasant to look at but the art work is no masterpiece. On my first attempts at color, i could easily do that kind of work.
Rating: 
Summary: 10 star must own for any serious trout fisherman/woman
Review: I know so many fly fisherman who also do water colour painting, and I think the reason is, it takes the same light hand or wrist action to do both. And I know for a fact that the author paints from personal experience, which means he catches the fish and then uses it as his model so that he gets the painting done right. Not from memory or some photograph, but right there on the banks of the river or shore. And he has traveled the world and fished with the best, and his work shows this. And to the negative reviewers, all I can say is if you think you can do better than he did, then do so. The fact his art has been show cased on ESPN and in art galleries around the world suggests to me that he knows much more than the few critics he has. Maybe its envy on their part. I recommend ALL his books. And Yale University is fortunate to have had him as an undergraduate.
Rating:
Summary: 10 star must own for any serious trout fisherman/woman
Review: I know so many fly fisherman who also do water colour painting, and I think the reason is, it takes the same light hand or wrist action to do both. And I know for a fact that the author paints from personal experience, which means he catches the fish and then uses it as his model so that he gets the painting done right. Not from memory or some photograph, but right there on the banks of the river or shore. And he has traveled the world and fished with the best, and his work shows this. And to the negative reviewers, all I can say is if you think you can do better than he did, then do so. The fact his art has been show cased on ESPN and in art galleries around the world suggests to me that he knows much more than the few critics he has. Maybe its envy on their part. I recommend ALL his books. And Yale University is fortunate to have had him as an undergraduate.
Rating:
Summary: Trout - Now more than ever
Review: I know what you're saying. No really, I do! You're saying that trout is full of unwanted fat and calories, toxic fish oils, and bones that could choke and kill you. Well, never fear! You no longer need to eat trout! Thanks to this innovative new book, you too can enjoy all the pleasures of trout right in the comfort of your own home! Never be accused by the friends of work of "fish breath" ever again. Be free from slimy fish skin sticking out of your teeth. The constant use of odor eaters in your coat pockets. All with the help of the guru James Prosek's new book, Trout : An Illustrated History. In this phenomenal offering, he brings out the true grace and beauty of fish without the bothersome wooing, catching and gutting. While some may consider this too be just coffee table material, true lovers of trout and fresh mornings will marvel at not just the wonderfully illustrated pages, but the wonderfully witty and adventurous stories that cover the Rivers of Idaho, to the small brooks in the Appalachians. If there was any such thing as an Indiana Jones for the American fish world, James Prosek is it. Always vibrant, detailed and, at times, awe inspiring. Any lover of angling, fly fishing, or cork fishing will hold this book as a colorful bible to the wonder of the outdoors. If you were disappointed from such fish food as On the Trout Stream With Joe Humphreys, Trout : an Illustrated History will enliven the passion that is fish
Rating:
Summary: Simply...Fantastic!
Review: I wonderful book detailing some lesser known and extinct trout strains, as well as most of the "common" trout in North Amrica. Beautiful drawings of the various trout represented.
Rating:
Summary: A fly-fisherman's wish-list of fish and destinations.
Review: If you're a fly fisherman, reading this book can make you want to go out and discover all of these trout. Most of us have no idea of the variety of trout found in North America. After reading this book I wanted to travel to distant corners of the continent in search of Rio Yaqui and Sheephaven Creek Redband trout. Although lacking the detail of an Audubon or Peterson, Prosek's illustrations are beautiful, and capture the spirit of these gorgeous creatures. A must have for any angler who has ever enjoyed just looking at a trout.
Rating:
Summary: A Classic in Every Sense
Review: James Prosek's magnificent book is in the tradition of John Audubon and Roger Tory Peterson. Like his famous predecessors, he has a passion for his subject coupled with a talent for capturing them in a unique way. He follows the tradition, but his style is fresh and contemporary. Seasoned anglers and those who have never lifted a fly rod will find much to like about this book. It will stand the test of time and that qualifies it as a true classic.
Rating:
Summary: A very special book
Review: This is a fascinating book. It provides a wonderful introduction to the varieties of trout in America. When I opened the book, the beautiful illustrations were the first to catch my attention. But after reading the informative and sometimes poetic text describing each species, I think the words paint an even more beautiful picture that reflects the author's passion and love for trout and their habitat. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about trout beyond just the rainbow trout sold in the grocery store.
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