Upstream in a Dream by Hamish Brooks – Local Author

BIRTHS, DEATHS, FATHERHOOD, FLY-FISHING Water has a primal, hypnotic power that attracts us, something vividly evident in the beautiful fishing essays in Upstream in a Dream. While water seeks its level downstream, fly-fishers are the the mercy of a force that draws them upstream to the headwaters. As they fish, events in their lives and their reactions to the natural world merge into one mediative cycle. In that cycle, life’s big events – becoming a father, losing a loved one and navigating relationships – are here presented in heartfelt, often humours, essays that possess the poetic, contemplative rhythm of fly-fishing. While fish are the main attraction in local waters and further afield, the consolations of time in nature impress themselves on reader and writer, making Upstream in a Dream a must-read for fishers and lovers of beautiful nature writing. Escape to the water and enjoy the author’s mindful, soulful engagement with the natural world, which has led to stories that invite further reflection on the environment and human nature, and the changing state of both.