The book of bamboo

When I arrived home this summer, there was a book on the night stand:Casting a SpellThe Bamboo Fly Rod and the American Pursuit of Perfectionby George BlackEarly on in my fly fishing days I became aware of the need to have at least a curiosity about the origins of the sport and particularly bamboo rods. Not that I wanted to read about them or could afford to buy a decent one, but I was curious.I will admit, the book mom left me in June has further sucked me into the vortex that is fly fishing. Though the book appeals to a particular audience, one without a fishing background could appreciate the insight into the lives of specialized small-business craftsmen of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There is the pull of commercialization and marketing, the branding and diluting of product in the name of revenue. It is gripping in this regard, and as a fly fisherman, probably something worth picking up.I've also started a separate change jar. If I save a few pennies a day, I will be able to afford a Hiram Leonard bamboo rod by about the time the kids I don't have graduate from college.