Backcast

I am no fisherman (or fisherwoman) but I did enjoy reading Backcast by Louis Ureneck, whose memoir discusses his childhood, marriage, divorce, and parenting and how fishing has been a large part of every segment of his life.Ureneck's childhood was marked by poverty. Raised by a single mother, he yearned for a father-figure. He also spent hours fishing, even practicing how to cast away from the water. It is no surprise that Ureneck, a journalist spent hours reading while growing up. His marriage and time raising his family was one marked by professional success, yet he and his wife grew apart, and end up divorcing. As a product of divorce, Ureneck had always believed that was something that he would never allow to happen to him. He struggles through this time in his life, and he tries to repair the rift that has occurred between him and his son, Adam. Their fishing trip to Alaska is an attempt to reconnect and Ureneck chronicles their interaction in Alaska and the how this trip altered their relationship. Even though I don't know anything about fishing and I think my husband would really enjoy reading about that aspect, I really liked the parts of the book that Ureneck spent recounting his history and how fishing impacted him. As I have said numerous times, I love memoirs. Backcast would appeal to outdoor lovers, fishermen, and readers looking for a good memoir.