Nearly everyone who has picked up a fly rod has experienced the "otherness" of fly fishing, its inherent beauty, its sense of calm and purpose, its power to heal. Fly fishing is, for many men and women, a deeply meaningful and spiritual activity. In this sensitive and beautiful volume, Jody Martin addresses that spirituality directly, introducing fly fishing to beginners and offering it as a form of ministry to anyone who might wish to teach the sport as part of a spiritual or therapeutic program. The Spirituality of Fly Fishing is simultaneously a concise primer, demystifying and clearly explaining what is basically a simple sport, and a paean to the higher powers that drive us all. Replete with quotes and writings from a wide variety of authors and faith traditions, this slim book has been endorsed by Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Casting for Recovery, Reel Recovery, and Joey's Foundation, all of which use fly fishing as part of a healing or mentoring program. Proceeds from the book support both Project Healing Waters and Casting for Recovery. Tastefully illustrated with stunning photographs and paintings by some of today's foremost artists, including John Juracek, Ken Takata, Matt Shaw, James Nelson, Tony Czech, Louis Cahill, and Joseph Tomelleri, the book is far more than just another entry into the world of "how to do it" fly fishing books. The Spirituality of Fly Fishing serves as an introduction, an offering, and a benchmark for anyone who might wish to dive deeper into the streams of spirituality that nourish our souls. No fly fisher should be without this book in his or her library. (from Morgan Creek Publications)
About the Author: Dr. Joel (Jody) Martin is a marine biologist who works as the Curator of Crustacea and Chief of the Division of Invertebrate Studies at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. He is also an ordained elder in the Presbyterian Church USA, where he works with the high school youth ministry and teaches The Spirituality of Fly Fishing: An Introduction as part of the men's ministry program. An avid fly fisherman and a life member of Trout Unlimited, he is also a member of the Sierra Pacific Fly Fishers club and volunteers for Casting for Recovery and Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing. His previous books include The Prism and the Rainbow (Johns Hopkins University Press), Decapod Crustacean Phylogenetics (CRC Press), and Atlas of Crustacean Larvae (Johns Hopkins University Press).