MY BOOK


FLY-FISHING-THE SACRED ART
CASTING A FLY AS A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE

My friend Reverend Michael Attas and I have written a book on the spiritual side of fly-fishing.  In  Fly Fishing-The Sacred Art, Rev. Mike and I share our experiences on the water and the deeper truths that we find when casting a fly.  

With a forward by Chris Wood, the CEO of Trout Unlimited, and a preface by Lori Simon, the Executive Director of Casting for Recovery, our book will help you to begin to think differently about the time you spend on the stream and pursue more than trout when wading into the river.  




Fly-Fishing-The Sacred Art is available from Amazon.com and directly from the publisher SkylightPaths.

Happy reading!

The Fly Fishing Rabbi,
Eric Eisenkramer


Fly-Fishing—The Sacred Art
Casting a Fly as a Spiritual Practice
Rabbi Eric Eisenkramer and Rev. Michael Attas, MD
Foreword by Chris Wood, CEO, Trout Unlimited
Preface by Lori Simon, executive director, Casting for Recovery

Discover the spiritual potential hidden in every cast of the fly rod.

“For us, fly-fishing is about more than catching fish. We have been skunked on the stream too many times to count, and stood shivering in our waders in 45-degree water long after sundown. Yet, every chance we get, we head back to the river in search of trout and something more.”
—from Rabbi Eric’s Introduction

“Early in my fly-fishing career I remember telling a friend that there is so much to learn! Some forty years later, that is still true. Every trip I learn something new about rivers, fish and the natural world. Most importantly, I learn something new about myself. Every encounter with the waters of our planet draws me deeper into who I am and who I want to become.”
—from Reverend Mike’s Introduction

In this unique exploration of fly-fishing as a spiritual practice, an Episcopal priest and a rabbi share what fly-fishing has to teach us about reflection, awe and the wonder of the natural world, the benefits of solitude, the blessing of community and the search for the Divine. Tapping the wisdom in the Christian and Jewish traditions and their own geographically diverse experiences on the water, they show how time spent on the stream can help you navigate the currents and eddies of your own inner journey.


Praise For:

“Offers beautiful and original perspectives on a pastime that for many is a kind of religion. They find common ground in the rivers they fish and the spiritual truths they encounter. Lovely, learned, personal, heart-warming and instructional.”
James Prosek, author, Trout: An Illustrated History and Fly-Fishing the 41st:
From Connecticut to Mongolia and Home Again—A Fisherman’s Odyssey

“Tastefully integrates valuable fly-fishing principles, accounts of adventures and deep spiritual truths that we can all apply to our lives and reflect on when we are on the water.”
Italo Labignan, television host, Canadian Sportfishing

“Clearly [shows] we are all united in our spirit…. A great read for anyone who cares about people, the conservation of our planet or learning to fly-fish.”
Sherry Steele, communications chair, Federation of Fly Fishers National Board of Directors

“Wonderfully written, inspirational … thoughtful and articulate, a careful read of this exceptional book will make you a better fly-angler, but more importantly, it will make you a better person.”
Todd Larson, PhD, history professor, Xavier University; publisher, Whitefish Press; creator, the Fishing for History blog

“Help[s] explain why so many people have ascribed spiritual meaning to this sport, and it does so in a way that will help others find such meaning in this pastime as well.”
Kenneth H. Lokensgard, PhD, creator, the Literary Fly Fisher blog

“I loved this book. Both men write beautifully, lyrically, poetically about … the connection, the preparation for and act of fly-fishing. You will enjoy it. The words will ‘take’ you there.”
John Lionberger, author, Renewal in the Wilderness:
A Spiritual Guide to Connecting with God in the Natural World



About the Authors:

Rabbi Eric Eisenkramer is creator of The Fly Fishing Rabbi: A Blog about Trout, God and Religion, and a contributor to Trout magazine. He is the spiritual leader of Temple B'nai Shalom in East Brunswick, NJ, and he fishes the cold-water streams of New Jersey, New York and the Northeast.

Rev. Michael Attas, MD, an avid angler for over forty years, is assisting priest at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Waco, Texas, a practicing cardiologist, professor of medical humanities at Baylor University and a columnist for the Waco Tribune Herald. During the summer months, he works as a volunteer fly-fishing guide in Colorado.

Chris Wood is president and CEO of Trout Unlimited, the conservation organization whose mission is “conserving, protecting and restoring North America’s cold-water fisheries and their watersheds.” He is the author of Watershed Restoration: Principles and Practices and coauthor of From Conquest to Conservation: Our Public Land Legacy.

Lori Simon is the executive director of Casting for Recovery, a breast cancer support group that uses fly-fishing to heal sufferers, both mentally and physically. She enjoys the contemplative and spiritual surroundings of the natural world through hiking, fishing, horseback riding and sitting quietly in a canoe.



4 comments:

tim said...

Great job Rabbi Eric! Can't wait to get me a copy or should I wait and see if I win your book giveaway contest again? :) Thanks again for Gerich book.
Tim

Rabbi Eric Eisenkramer said...

Thanks Tim! Glad you like the Gierach book and let me know what you think of Fly Fishing-The Sacred Art.

Anonymous said...

Rabbi Eric
Would you be able to autograph a copy if I mail it to you?
TC

Rabbi Eric Eisenkramer said...

I would be happy to autograph a copy for you TC. Please send me an email or a Facebook message and we'll set it up.