The goal of fly fishing is simple: to catch fish. But beyond this goal lies a not-so-simple question: why? In essence, what is the point of it all?The question has puzzled anglers, writers, and armchair philosophers for ages. In his debut work, Matthew Shane Brown serves as our guide, casting not only his line into the deserted trout streams of the Great Basin, but also deftly dropping the reader into the questions of solitude, place, memory, and meaning. With lyrical prose and an introspective spirit, Brown weaves together observation, fieldwork, and philosophy... all with a raw, unflinching honesty. Fly Fishing in the 21st Century is at once a field report and a meditation: an ode to the wild spaces and wild creatures of the American West, and a thanksgiving for the peace and clarity they bring to anyone willing to burn the gas to find them.