Fragrance of Grass by Guy de la Valdene (English) Paperback Book

Description: Fragrance of Grass by Guy de la Valdene Part memoir, part history, The Fragrance of Grass stands as a testament to Guy de la Valdènes deep love of, and abiding respect for, the natural world and all that inhabit it. Set in places as far afield as France and Montana, Saskatchewan and Florida, this is a beautifully w... FORMAT Paperback LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Publisher Description An ode to one mans enduring love affair with hunting, The Fragrance of Grass stands as a testament to Guy de la Valdenes deep affection for and abiding respect of the natural work and all its inhabitants. Set in places as far afield as France and Montana, Saskatchewan and Florida, this beautifully written memoir is a treatise on dogs, birds, and wildlife; food, wine, and women.The Fragrance of Grass is suffused with la Valdenes appreciation for and understanding of natural history along with his vast knowledge of centuries-old hunting traditions. It is a walk through the decades of memories of fields and birds, friends and dogs that will be treasured by all true sportsmen. Back Cover An ode to one mans enduring love affair with hunting, The Fragrance of Grass stands as a testament to Guy de la Vald Author Biography Guy de la Valdène was born and raised in France. His earlier books include For a Handful of Feathers, and Making Game: An Essay on Woodcock. He is the also the author of a novel, Red Stag. His articles have appeared in Sports Afield and Field & Stream, among other publications. He lives on an 800-acre farm outside of Tallahassee, Florida. Review "Guy de la Valdenes memoir, The Fragrance of Grass, soars like a condor high above the arid landscape of our eras largely flimsy, narrow and shallow sporting books. It is an extraordinary stew of poignant reflections, deeply felt sentiment and sensitive introspection having equal measures of pride and regret. Time and again there is demonstrated a fearless willingness to stare deeply into the human conscience while the whole is sewn together with absolutely impeccable language. In my view, this may well be the defining masterpiece of this genre in our time." -Russell Chatham The love of hunting and the love of animals in cultivated people gives rise to a sometimes rueful, sometimes triumphant intensity of spirit which has rarely been so well expressed as in Guy de la Valdenes book. Few have had as wide an opportunity--so unpretentiously expressed--to find out what drives, rewards and worries us about hunting. -Thomas McGuane Valdenes wondrous field memoir is a rich sportsmans miscellany -- memorable and erudite fowling lore, camp etiquette, ballistics, poaching ethics, glorious anecdote, bloody ducks, persistent bawdiness, and better wine than you or Ill ever drink -- all elegantly spun as an affectionate and sentimental education of loss and renewal. Its a terrific book. - Richard Ford The Fragrance of Grass is an exquisite, big-hearted celebration of a life grandly spent outdoors. Any novelist whod try to invent a character like Guy de La Valdene would be doomed to fall short. He is a unique philosopher- scoundrel with a wise, gentle heart, and he writes like a dream. —Carl HiaasenThe Fragrance of Grass is destined to become one of the very smal number of true hunting classics. Valdenes writing is lovely indeed and the book is fresh, direct and utterly original.—Jim Harrison Capturing Proust and honoring both Thoreau and Hemingway, Guy de la Valdene has carved out a new and delightful voice in American beauty both for outdoorsman and mere observers alike. The recipes for a seasoned hunters delight in the joys of his life are inspirational and delicious and the succulent prose a true pleasure to savour, morsel after morsel. This is quite simply the most tasty, satisfying and fascinating ragout that I have tasted in years.—Mario BataliYou wont find a living writer who knows more than Guy de la Valdene on his three favorite subjects: birds on the wing, birds on the table, and the short, happy lives of bird dogs. And in crisply lyrical prose, his memoir confronts the haunting question of whether the beauty of the hunt can ever justify its savagery. —Howell Raines"La Valdène lyrically recounts a rugged lifetime fortified by the land, offering . . . resonant and beautifully written memories of his time in the fields. . . . Savory recipes close out the authors light, lovingly crafted fare. A compact, delightful feast for the senses."—Kirkus Reviews "His view of hunting is, at its deepest level, a joyous melancholy meditation on life and death." —Chris Camuto, Grays Sporting Journal Long Description An ode to one mans enduring love affair with hunting, The Fragrance of Grass stands as a testament to Guy de la Valdenes deep affection for and abiding respect of the natural work and all its inhabitants. Set in places as far afield as France and Montana, Saskatchewan and Florida, this beautifully written memoir is a treatise on dogs, birds, and wildlife; food, wine, and women.The Fragrance of Grass is suffused with la Valdenes appreciation for and understanding of natural history along with his vast knowledge of centuries-old hunting traditions. It is a walk through the decades of memories of fields and birds, friends and dogs that will be treasured by all true sportsmen. Review Quote "Guy de la Valdenes memoir, The Fragrance of Grass, soars like a condor high above the arid landscape of our eras largely flimsy, narrow and shallow sporting books. Feature An ode to one mans lifelong love affair with hunting Excerpt from Book "I am watching a thousand feathers--grey partridge feathers--floating high on the surface of the pond in front of the cabin I pretend to work in. I have plucked a million feathers from the bodies of all the grey partridge I have cooked in my life, beautiful golden-brown feathers that match the fall colors of the cypress tress that grow on the edge of my pond. It is November and all at once winter includes me. On the porch of the cabin there is a wooden rocking chair, weathered and comfortable, that I sit in every day. On quiet afternoons I think about the slowing growth of the loblolly pines I have been watching for twenty years, the everchanging face of the pond now active with fish, and the condition of the natural world outside of my custody. Today I watch a young osprey hunting below the level of the pine trees glide past the dock. He cocks a disinterested head at the intrusion of feathers drifting on the surface of the water while I comtemplate, with ambivalence, what I know about grey partirdge and what they have meant to me. I have hunted at least one hour a day for three months a year, ever since I was eight years old. That translates into more than 5,000 hours in the field, a lifetime walk that, under different circumstances, might have taken me from Paris to Istanbul and back. If to this hike I add the time I have spent shooting--shotguns at clay pegeons and birds, air rifles at my parents horses, the farmers cows and pigs and chickens, and my sisters and her friends asses--I can safely assume that I have had my hands on the stock of a gun for one whole year of the sixty-plus that I have been around. I like to walk, and I know guns." From the introduction to THE FRAGRANCE OF GRASS Details ISBN0762779772 Short Title FRAGRANCE OF GRASS Language English ISBN-10 0762779772 ISBN-13 9780762779772 Media Book Format Paperback Country of Publication United States Residence Tallahassee Illustrations black & white illustrations Imprint The Lyons Press Place of Publication Guilford Series Globe Pequot UK Release Date 2012-10-23 Year 2012 Publication Date 2012-10-23 AU Release Date 2012-10-23 NZ Release Date 2012-10-23 US Release Date 2012-10-23 Author Guy de la Valdene Pages 236 Publisher Rowman & Littlefield DEWEY 799.24092 Audience General We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! TheNile_Item_ID:45126737;

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