Through the Eyes of a Fisherman
A Journey of Faith, Fishing and Friendship
This sportsman’s memoir is directed by an uplifting, positive tone.
Dennis Blue’s religious memoir Through the Eyes of a Fisherman follows his second career as a charter boat captain after working at Ford Motor Company.
True Blue Charters was started as the fulfillment of the dream. Blue wanted to share his love of fishing and to be a positive, Christian influence on others. The book chronicles the challenges and joys of starting his own business, exploring new fishing grounds, travelling extensively, and watching his family grow. Remaining humble, paying attention to where God leads you in life, and offering an excellent value to customers are three of the primary lessons espoused. Excitement enters Blue’s otherwise calm fishing life through near-record catches, unique methods and techniques of fly fishing, and the unusual accommodations and wildlife he encountered when travelling internationally to fish.
The text is clear and easy to read, moving in roughly chronological order with only brief references back in time or forward to future events. The stories take the form of short anecdotes that last only a few paragraphs, rather than a moment-by-moment story with continuous dialogue. While this technique is effective for showcasing a wide breadth of experiences, it results in a surface-level analysis of each fishing trip or family experience. The anecdotes contain new locations, conditions, and fishing results, but still become repetitive.
The most interesting sections focus on describing aspects of fishing or of starting a business, going in-depth about the decision making processes and attempts made that resulted in successes or failures. Language is often informal. Blue learns from everything he experiences, and his narrative voice is pleasant and optimistic.
The story’s arc is compelling. Foreshadowing plays out in future fishing trips. Transitional points and references form the anecdotes into a cohesive story. Fishing jargon is used, but even a person who knows nothing about fishing can learn from and appreciate Blue’s tale. Occasional pictures add to the experience, both for those who know fishing and for those who can’t picture twelve- or thirty-pound catches.
Hints at religious motivations behind kindness and service to others are given, and the text frequently mentions the Bible, but Blue’s faith is not the driving story. Rather, his faith is used to explain the gratitude and joy he finds in his family, friends, and fishing.
This sportsman’s memoir is directed by an uplifting, positive tone.
Reviewed by
Laura Leavitt
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
