Inventing Montana

Ted Leeson is taking us in the only direction the literature of angling should go: toward finding our place in the natural world. His voice is indispensable.

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Every summer for two decades, Ted Leeson and a maverick group of close companions have returned to an old ranch house on the benchland overlooking the Madison River. Trout and fly fishing may be at the heart of their ritual return, but their experience goes far beyond fishing. For these men, fishing is more than a hobby: it’s a way of life. Leeson brilliantly contemplates both the human and natural landscape: the fly-anglers’ passionate, ironic, and sometimes hilarious allegiance to what they do; the intriguing Madison Valley and its creatures and flowers; the trout town of Ennis; maps and their revelations; the “green-card” experience of living in a place you aren’t originally from; the nature of leisure.

Full of wit, surprise, shrewd observation, and wisdom, this book tells a story about creating a place of temporary liberty, and inhabiting a world fashioned of your best imaginings, where you might, for a time, experience the potency of a place that has shaped you immeasurably and, in turn, you have shaped as well. No lover of the very best writing about fly-fishing and the natural world can afford to miss this stunning book. Whether you are a seasoned fisherman, or a curious newcomer, this book will make you want to pack up and head for the Madison Valley to experience Leeson’s world for yourself.

Skyhorse Publishing is proud to publish a broad range of books for fishermen. Our books for anglers include titles that focus on fly fishing, bait fishing, fly-casting, spin casting, deep sea fishing, and surf fishing. Our books offer both practical advice on tackle, techniques, knots, and more, as well as lyrical prose on fishing for bass, trout, salmon, crappie, baitfish, catfish, and more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.