"Languid Boozing Along the Rapidan"

May 27, 2004 By: Marshall Cutchin

Alex Beam, a Boston Globe columnist, once aroused the ire of Howell Raines with his mocking characterizations of fly fishing books with spiritual aspirations. Then in 2001 fly fishing author Michael Checchio mocked Mr. Beam by adopting his title for the prototypical fly fishing self-discovery book. Mr. Beam has now issued his mini-review of the book, whose complete title is Being, Nothingness, and Fly Fishing: How One Man Gave Up Everything to Fish the Fabled Waters of the West (The Lyons Press, November 2001), noting that the “portions I’ve read look very nicely turned.”
Which all goes to prove that writers can run in very tight circles, even when drunk.