I just finished reading a new book I picked up at Barnes & Noble: CASTING A SPELL, by George Black. This book was just released and I found it intriguing. It covers much of the history in American bamboo rod building, with some background information I had never seen anywhere else. This book was released so recently, it covers the issue of why Glen Brackett left Winston. The book is subtitled "The Bamboo Fly Rod and the American Pursuit of Perfection". While there are more exhaustive treatises on the history of the bamboo rod, this is one of the best I've seen on the people and personalities involved. Find this book and read it; I think if you're interested in the history of our sport in America or in bamboo rods in general, you'll find it just as interesting as I did.

Larry Compton