Sowbelly: The Obsessive Quest for the World-Record Largemouth Bass
“An absorbing chronicle.”
—The New York Times
“An artful narrative.”
—The Wall Street Journal
Summary
In 1932, a farmer named George Washington Perry decided it was too rainy to plow and went fishing. That day, George landed the largest largemouth ever recorded—twenty-two pounds four ounces. The fish has inspired and frustrated hundreds of anglers for decades. They’ve dedicated their lives to the pursuit of “Sowbelly”—a nearly mythical fish, whose swinelike girth holds the key to their dreams.
Accolades
- Named one of the best books of the year by Sports Illustrated and Amazon.com.
- Chosen for Barnes & Noble’s Discover Great New Writers program.
More praise for Sowbelly: The Obsessive Quest for the World-Record Largemouth Bass
“Worthy of attention not only of fisherpeople, but anyone intrigued by the extremes of human behavior…Monte Burke is a good and cheerful storyteller.”
National Public Radio“An epic journey filled with great drama and colorful characters.”
Tom Brokaw“What Seabiscuit did for thoroughbred racing, Burke’s masterpiece does for the noble art of fishing…Burke has penned an American classic.”
The Tucson Citizen“It is funny, profane, intuitive, entertaining, and sad…a marvelous snapshot of some intense anglers and a glimpse into the psyche that drives a human being to the extreme.”
The Courier-Journal (Louisville)“Any sort of passionate and obsessive activity makes for an interesting story and this one is especially brilliant. I read it in one sitting between San Francisco and London.”
Yvon Chouinard