A JERK ON ONE END: Reflections of a Mediocre Fisherman by Robert Hughes

A JERK ON ONE END: Reflections of a Mediocre Fisherman Reviews

• 
  Lara

  Art critic Robert Hughes, in "A Jerk on One End: Reflections of a Mediocre Fisherman", brings us his lifelong passion for fishing in this very short but elegant book. I'm a huge fan of Mr. Hughes, who died in 2012, and his TV series, "The Shock of the New", all about the history of modern art, as well as his numerous other books covering topics such as Goya, Rome and Barcelona, as well as an excellent history of his native country, Australia ("The Fatal Shore"). He was "Time" magazine's leading art critic from 1970.
  
  His prose is always a joy to read. If you've heard Mr. Hughes speak (and I urge you to watch "Shock", and his other documentary, "Goya: Crazy Like a Genius", you'll hear his melodious Australian cadences in your head as you read. But, for me, the last section of the book had the most important overall impact. In this, Mr. Hughes turns his attention to the plight of commercial and industrial fishing in today's world, and the effect such practices are having on fish populations of all kinds all over the world. These industries do nothing but serve human vanities and desired for "rare" and "elegant" food without thought for the damage their boats cause to the fish and their environments. I learned a lot just from that section alone, and was greatly shocked as I read practically each page. And this book was written in 1998, so one can only imagine the damage that has been done since then.
  
  The book is both an elegy to the art and pleasure of fishing, its final section is a wake-up call to anyone concerned with the ocean's survival. As Hughes observes (paraphrasing), what happens to the oceans and their mysterious inhabitants happens to us. Neither humans nor fish can survive without them.
• 
  Kevin Tole

  Robert Hughes is (or rather was - he sadly died not too long ago) an Art Critic, Australian long time resident in the USA, a fisherman and quite a good writer. This is a short book about Robert Hughes' lifetime fascination with fishing.
  
  Its short and written in the compelling style that all Hughes' books have. There is however the sense - as to a degree there is in all his books - of the how-could-I-possibly-be-wrong-and-how-could-you-possibly-think-anything-other-than-what-I-am-telling-you. Fishing to me is about catching fish. At least A fish. If I want the transcendental I'll find something else. But hey - thats me. I dare say it floated Bob's boat and good luck to him. Each to his own. It is, though, as if to take any other position on fishing is to somehow be a neo-nazi, and there are the distinct signs of it containing the common eco-fascism traits one associates with the ever-middle-class-if-we-were-chocolate-we'd-eat-ourselves Greenpeace trustafarians.
  
  So there ys go. Well written; some interesting anecdotes and facts; a bit of toeing the party line; so go on my son. Be a fisherman. This book might help you with getting yer heid intae it.
  
  But whatever you do
  
  DON'T BE AN ART CRITIC!!!!!!!!!
• 
  Kelv

  Short and simple. Title implies a comedy but it is definitely not. Written about Robert's personal finishing history, with other historic fishing stories added for good measure. There is a serious section on fish sustainability that covers some grim techniques, methods, etc.
• 
  Aimeé Nicole

  Great book ! I really enjoyed the historical element to this book 😊
• 
  Alberto

  All'inizio il testo sembra una divertente riflessione sulla pesca sportiva, che prende di mira bonariamente i pescatori (come si puo' fare con chi ama qualsiasi hobby), la loro dedizione, il loro essere succubi delle mode, le spese cui si sottopongono per il loro amato sport. Ha anche un lato poetico, quello del rapporto con la natura, il mare in particolare, che nel caso della pesca e' davvero privilegiato.
  
  Ad un certo punto poi vira con una digressione storica sulla concezione della pesca nel mondo antico, e qui sinceramente diventa pesante e perde di interesse. Vira ancora e diventa un grido contro lo sfruttamento delle acque del pianeta, problema enorme, e forse sottostimato. Lo fa restando a meta' pero' tra il serio e il faceto, e per me non riesce per questo ad essere credibile, o almeno godibile.
  
  Due riflessioni pero' sono azzeccate. Una sul racconto biblico della Genesi, in cui l'uomo si trova per volere divino signore sulla Terra e su tutte le creature: condizione che e' diventata distruttiva perche' ci ha posti, nel nostro sentire, al di fuori della catena vitale di cui invece facciamo parte, e la cui integrita' violiamo a nostro pericolo. La seconda sul fatto che grida d'allarme di scienziati ed ecologisti iniziano a dare risultati, ma questo si sta applicando piu' agli animali, e alla flora, terrestri, al massimo ai volatili, ma esclude quasi completamente i pesci e gli animali acquatici; sia perche' i primi sono visibili, e quindi immediatamente riconoscibili, sia perche' sono belli. Quello che c'e' sotto il mare, ma anche in fiumi e laghi, non ha sponsor, non interessa. Speriamo che questo cambi, prima o poi...