You might wonder why I’m reviewing a book about bass fishing, given that I know nothing about the topic. When I started doing reviews for Roseland online I thought it was important to review as wide a range of books and authors as possible. Over the years I’ve tried to do just that.

As with last month’s review of a book about wine (a topic I know only slightly more about than fishing), if a writer can hold my attention despite my lack of knowledge of or interest in a topic, then he’s done a good job.

Like Liam Mulvin (one of my favourite local authors), Robin Bradley has an eye for the minutiae around him, so he doesn’t just write about fishing – the what, where and how – but also about his family, friends, his love of Cornwall and, of course, Toby, his faithful retriever.

When he writes about fishing, the words on the page really come alive and his enthusiasm shines through, whether he’s discussing the politics of catch and release, the work of the RNLI, the cost of recreational sea angling, the need (or not) for the latest bit of kit or the joy of meeting a fellow angler or landing a big fish.

Did I learn anything about bass fishing? Well, I can report that I now know that when foxgloves come out it’s time to start fishing for bass and that an ‘Arms Pencil’ is a type of plug. But this isn’t just a book about the lifecycle of bass or a how-to guide to fishing, it’s also about life lessons: never forget the people who’ve helped you, be grateful for what you’ve learned from them, use your common sense, know your limitations, but don’t be afraid to try something new and, above all, appreciate the life you have.

Available from https://robinbradley.co.uk/