The Lure: Still More Stories of Families, Fishing, and Faith

by William J. Vande Kopple

Publisher:

Eerdmans

, 2012

Overview

They say that a fisherman never runs out of stories. Lucky for readers of this book, William J. Vande Kopple wants to do more than regale us with tales of the one that got away. In this winsome collection, Vande Kopple spins fifteen funny, poignant yarns out of his experience as a father, angler, and believer.
From its haunting opening vignette to more expansive recollections of road trips, family reunions, and solitary forays into nature, Vande Kopple effortlessly perceives the connections between families, fishing, and faith. He is steadfast in his faith yet comfortable with doubt (see the starkly untidy ending of “Not a Hair Shall Fall,” in which he and his son wrestle with both a big fish and the question of God’s providence). He is contagiously exuberant yet mindful of the vicissitudes of aging (Have I waited too long? he wonders after a much-delayed fishing trip with his father in “Time Is Tapping on My Forehead"). He is an able raconteur whose spirits are never dampened for long (in "Longing,” he promises never to drive up to Canada on a whim again to fish-until the locals tell him about a river he just has to try).
Fishermen and their longsuffering friends and family members will relish Vande Kopple’s latest book. So, too, will nature lovers of all stripes-particularly those who know the beauty of the pristine wildernesses of Michigan and Northwestern Ontario. In any case, whether or not readers share Vande Kopple’s love for fishing, these stories are sure to catch those who are angling for a good story!

Praise for The Lure

Paul J. Willis
Author of Bright Shoots of Everlastingness: Essays on Faith and the American Wild
"Bill Vande Kopple’s tales are lyrical, warmhearted, and wise. They will catch you up wherever you happen to be hiding and release you into a sparkling current."

Calvin Spark
“Vande Kopple shares his fishing stories but then moves on to grapple with spiritual matters, from stinging losses and sustained hopes to the unpredictability of memory and the certainty of grace.”

Product Details

• Title : The Lure: Still More Stories of Families, Fishing, and Faith
• Author: Vande Kopple, William J.
• Publisher: Eerdmans
• Publication Date: 2012
• ISBN: 9781467436236