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The One that Got Away: A Memoir (Lisa Drew Books) | 
 enlarge | Author: Howell Raines
Publisher: Scribner
Category: Book
List Price: $25.00
Buy Used: $0.01
You Save: $24.99 (100%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  13 reviews
Sales Rank: 393017
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 336
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.4
ISBN: 0743272781
Dewey Decimal Number: 799.124
EAN: 9780743272780
ASIN: 0743272781
Publication Date: May 2, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Ex-Library. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More.
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Product Description
"Lost fish," writes Howell Raines, "chasten us to the knowledge that we are all, in each and every moment, dwindling. Imagine my surprise when I discovered well into my sixth decade that losing fish can prepare us for a blessing as well as for pain."Confronting loss -- of an elusive fish or something larger -- is at the heart of The One That Got Away, the graceful sequel to Raines's much-loved, bestselling memoir Fly Fishing Through the Midlife Crisis, published to great acclaim in 1993. With the same winning combination of reminiscences, anecdotes, philosophy and fishing lore, his bold new memoir covers the eventful years in this latest passage of his life, and the realization that in relinquishing his former identity as a newspaperman he has actually gotten what he wanted, just in the most unlikely way. In wry and witty prose, Raines shifts between fishing vignettes and personal reflections on his childhood, his second marriage, his relationships with his two sons, the trajectory of his career at The New York Times and his move toward old age. At the center of his narrative is his most thrilling fishing adventure -- an epic battle with a marlin he hooked and fought for more than seven hours in the South Pacific -- which comes to symbolize his growing understanding and acceptance of the unpredictability of luck, love, lies and life, and how the unexpected can, in fact, be an opportunity to make life more interesting. Raines's wonderful descriptions of streams, people and fish; his passion for angling and writing; and his wise and perceptive commentary on the vagaries of his own life combine to create a profound book -- one of undeniable appeal and uncommon heart.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
 Fishing, daydreaming, politics, woman, drinking......... April 17, 2007
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Even though I was not going to write a review about this book, the many critiques posted by other reviewers made me pause and then decide to add my thoughts. For the fisherman who has done any amount of fishing, you find that sooner or later, you discuss just about everything on your mind with your fishing buddies.
This book does meander over quite a bit of territory, both, literally and figuratively. Howell travels the world to engage in his beloved flyfishing hobby and catch the elusive fish of wherever he lands. He also muses on his career, life, and personal values.
The forward and backward in time writing technique seems a little forced sometimes and towards the end it does seem that there has been a little repetition, but, overall this is an interesting book written by a man who has seemingly made peace with himself and life.
To any potential readers, if you are a neo-conservative that can't stand a sentence or two of criticism of Fox News and the Bushies, then maybe you should pass. However, if your skin is not so thin, you wonder about what a smart man thinks when in his 50/60's, and you enjoy a fish tale or two, then read this book.
The reader is engaging and the story is pretty good.
 Too much politics, too little fishing April 6, 2007
1 out of 4 found this review helpful
Author is a major liberal, and there is way too much politics and way too little fishing. Not a bad book, but certainly not a good book...
Two Books In One November 21, 2006
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
If you're looking for a journalism memoir, you've come to the wrong place, really. You'll have to wade through much tedium about fishing, through which Raines tries to come to epiphanies about life and loss. I found myself flipping through about 85 percent of the book to get to what I thought were the good parts: his recollections of how Jayson Blair wrecked his NYT career. Raines paints himself as a saviour of what he thought was a hidebound newspaper. There may always be a debate about what he really achieved. He should have stuck to either fishing or journalism to make this book work. One wonders if something this muddled could ever make it past the gatekeepers at the evolving Times of today.
The One That Got Away - In more ways than one! November 12, 2006
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
Howell Raines' memoir, The One That Got Away, is a sequel to his best selling Fly Fishing Through the Midlife Crisis, and is an account of the latest years of his life including his remarriage and his career as executive editor of The New York Times.
It is also a book about fishing. If you're looking for a lot of details about the plagiarism scandal that ended his 25 years at The Times, you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you love fishing, especially fly fishing, you will be in heaven.
In The One That Got Away, Mr. Raines takes you around the world to a series of well-known (and little-known) fishing spots, where he describes his equipment and explains his techniques for catching the elusive salmon or bonefish or trout. You'll discover his love for this catch-an-release sport, especially in the tale of his epic battle with a marlin that he hooked in the South Pacific and fought for over seven hours.
You also might find yourself speculating about the absolute veracity of these fish tales as well as the other events he describes in his book. After all, aren't "fish stories" synonymous with "lies" in the English language?
His credos on journalism ("to see events wholly and coldly and try to write about them for the informational benefit of the Republic"), and The Times newspaper (to deliver high quality fact-based information and analysis about news that is found out, rather than imagined") were sorely tested when that "small, amiable, brown-skinned young man known as Jayson Blair" was exposed for publishing lies in The Times.
Howell Raines says he had "no way of knowing and no cause to be consulted" about Jayson's rapid promotion from trainee to reporter, his lack of professionalism, or his frequent errors. But, as the guy "at the end of the chain of command," he took personal responsibility and demanded a complete disclosure. When the dust settled the "Gray Lady's" reputation was saved, but the editor found himself without a job.
The One That Got Away is a book about confronting loss, be it fish or career. Howell Raines learned that in relinquishing his former identity as a newspaperman, he actually got what he wanted. As much as he loved journalism, the dream of escape was always there.
As far as his relinquishing that marlin...what do you think?
Thin Metaphor November 3, 2006
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
Raines uses the metaphor of hooking and losing a large fish to describe his career; the surprise of getting a job that was beyond his expectations (hooking the fish), the long tedious years of work (fighting the fish), and his unexpected firing (losing the fish). Raines' first fishing book outlined his political agenda. In his second book, he explains his management oversight that resulted in his dismissal. I prefer fishing literature that makes an environmental point, an ethical fishing point, or is just an entertaining story. I am finished buying Raines' books because I do not care to spend my entertainment money to listen to his personal agenda. Raines' books are editoral pages thinly wrapped in fish.
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