Book Review - Our Days with Dick

A must for angling book collectors and fans of the late Dick Walker, Jeff recommends this book by chevin

The Publisher says - 

In conjuction with Watermeadow Books we are delighted to announce the publication of a fascinating new book about arguably the most influential figure in the sport of angling during the twentieth century - Richard Walker.

Bearing the title Our Days with Dick, this is a collection of specially written reminiscences by many of the friends and acquaintances who were fortunate enough to know him and to fish with him.

Compiled by Fred J Taylor’s son-in-law, Ian Howcroft - known to many on internet angling sites as chevin - this is a work intended to honour the memory of Dick Walker.

Contributors who have written for this book, several of whom have sadly passed away since this compilation was started, include:

Fred J Taylor                                              Chris Ball
Bob Buteux                                                Kevin Clifford
Ken Taylor                                                 Ian (chevin) Howcroft
Fred Buller                                                 Derrick Davenport
Pat Marston Walker                                     Ian Watson
Frank Murgett                                             Robert Walker
Peter Thomas - in conversation with Pat Walker
Alan Brown - the transcript of a lengthy interview shortly before his death

The book extends to 191 mono pages and includes numerous photographs, many of which have not previously been published. Within this work are scans of 27 pages of letters between Dick and others. Some of these were in Dick's own hand, others typewritten. Together they give further insight into this extraordinary man.

The book is produced to the high level of quality that Watermeadow has set itself as a publisher. Printed litho on 130 gsm silk paper, the standard edition is bound in natural cloth with coloured endpapers, a ribbon marker and matching head and tail bands. Gold blocked on front and spine. The leather edition specified to a particularly high standard. It is fully bound in polished antique burgundy goatskin over bevelled boards. It has handmade marbled endpapers, head and tail bands, a matching ribbon marker, 3 raised bands to the spine, gilded all edges, gold blocked on front and spine with extra gold tooling on the insides of the covers. This edition will be presented in a black slipcase, lined with burgundy Suedel and with a curved opening to allow the book to move smoothly in and out.

Inserted into the leather edition is a signed limited edition print of Dick Walker, painted by the renowned illustrator Ted Andrews, one of the contributors to the book.

This first edition is limited to 500 copies of the cloth edition and just 50 of the leather bound.

All copies will be individually numbered by hand and the leather edition will have a bookplate signed by the compiler, Ian Howcroft mounted within.

Cloth bound copies are available at £30 plus £5.00 postage and packing.

Leather bound copies are £175.00 plus £10.00 postage and packing. SORRY Leathers SOLD OUT

the Reviewer says

It’s always nice to read about our heroes of the past and there can be no more famous an angling hero, perhaps legend would be the better description, than Dick Walker.

This book is a compilation of chapters written by his friends and others who knew him over the years and it’s edited by one of FishingMagic’s own members, Ian Howcroft, otherwise known as chevin.

Ian was one of Dicks best friends along with Fred J. Taylor, who was also chevin’s father-in-law until Fred J's recent death, so not many would know Dick much better than Ian or Fred. Not surprisingly then that there are four chapters in the book as well as the foreword composed by Fred J. prior to his death and one by Ian himself. Some of the contributors I have never heard of, not that it matters, they knew Dick and speak well of him.

There’s also one chapter by our other long-standing member, Ron Clay, and without checking it word for word you can read the main tenet of it here.

It’s not all sycophantic though, once or twice people point to some of Dick’s faults, which is how it should be for no one is an angel. Over all though, many speak of his kind nature and non-condescending attitude to youngsters and learners, nor anyone who approached him in a civil manner. This book just gives you a further insight into his nature and also into the nature that he loved.

Towards the back of the book there are many reprints of letters between himself and other anglers and indicating that Dick’s interests went well beyond merely catching fish. All in all, this is a wonderful tribute to a great man, a great angler, and for many, a great human being. Well done chevin.