True North - by Jack Kulpa (Paperback)

About the Book

In this poetic collection of outdoor essays, Jack Kulpa brings the wonders of the wilderness to his readers and skillfully relates his passion for the solitary art of fishing.

Book Synopsis

In this poetic collection of outdoor essays, author Jack Kulpa brings the wonders of the wilderness to his readers and skillfully relates his passion for the solitary art of fishing. Whether used as a metaphor for the triumphs and tribulations of his life or only a medium for meditation and supreme enjoyment of the outdoors, Kulpa's rich passages on his favorite past time open a window to the heart of a fisherman. With beautiful prose True North explores the wonders of the north woods of Wisconsin with its magnificent lakes and rivers. As is appropriate for this thoughtful memoir, the chapters are organized by seasons, each with its own fishing trials and gifts. Kulpa's encounters with walleye, pike and trout, as well as his fellow fisherman provide a relaxing source of introspection and give readers a hankering for some wholesome soul searching in the north woods.

Review Quotes

...True North includes what Kulpa believes is his finest work on the subject of fishing. Divided into four sections named after the spring, summer, fall, and winter seasons, "True North" contains 34 essays on all things fishing. Kulpa's knack for writing vivid pieces places the reader in the scene he is writing about, making the essay seem more real and very difficult to put down.

A collection of 34 stories and essays, most set in Lake Superior Country, True North celebrates the places fishing takes us- in body, in spirit, in imagination, for all their bright, quick beauty, are only one of many possible measures of the experience.

Anglers everywhere will identify with the memories and feelings poignantly expressed in True North.

Far more than just a fishing book, it is a collection of thoughtful and evocative tales from a middle-aged narrartor who knows the virtues of silence and solitude. Sometimes melancholy, occasionally hilarious, it describes the subtle beauties and sometimes savage climate of the North Woods so that even a stranger can experience them.

Kulpa evokes the mystery, the grandeus and the wonder of the Nothwoods. This collection of 34 stories and essays set in the Lake Superior country deserves all the recognition it can get. It's that good.

Kulpa is a master of the short outdoor essay, his prose clear and clean and honest, his sense of wildlife and landscape and the feel of the seasons apt and deft and evidence of many, many hours spent afield taking it all in.

Rare is the individual who has his or her hand on the pulse and rhythms in nature, who truly understands its marvelous intricacy and infinite complexity. Rarer yet is a writer like Jack Kulpa who can convey all of that in such a way that his stories, like our own memories, remain with us-forever.

The book is a delight, both for those who fish and for those who just appreciate good writing.

We no longer recognize silence for what it is, what it does, or why it is necessary. We think of it as a pause in the din, instead of what was there before bedlam. Carlyle observed that "Silence is the element in which great things fashion themselves." Without silence there can be no dreaming: without dreams, there is no great ness.

...True North includes what Kulpa believes is his finest work on the subject of fishing. Divided into four sections named after the spring, summer, fall, and winter seasons, "True North" contains 34 essays on all things fishing. Kulpa's knack for writing vivid pieces places the reader in the scene he is writing about, making the essay seem more real and very difficult to put down.-- "The Daily Telegram- Lifestyles"

A collection of 34 stories and essays, most set in Lake Superior Country, True North celebrates the places fishing takes us- in body, in spirit, in imagination, for all their bright, quick beauty, are only one of many possible measures of the experience.--Tom Davis "Wisconsin Trails"

Anglers everywhere will identify with the memories and feelings poignantly expressed in True North.-- "Iron Mountain News"

Far more than just a fishing book, it is a collection of thoughtful and evocative tales from a middle-aged narrartor who knows the virtues of silence and solitude. Sometimes melancholy, occasionally hilarious, it describes the subtle beauties and sometimes savage climate of the North Woods so that even a stranger can experience them.--Stephen Bodio, Council for Wisconsin Writers

Kulpa evokes the mystery, the grandeus and the wonder of the Nothwoods. This collection of 34 stories and essays set in the Lake Superior country deserves all the recognition it can get. It's that good.-- "Sporting Classics"

Kulpa is a master of the short outdoor essay, his prose clear and clean and honest, his sense of wildlife and landscape and the feel of the seasons apt and deft and evidence of many, many hours spent afield taking it all in.--Christopher Camuto "Gray's Sporting Journal"

Rare is the individual who has his or her hand on the pulse and rhythms in nature, who truly understands its marvelous intricacy and infinite complexity. Rarer yet is a writer like Jack Kulpa who can convey all of that in such a way that his stories, like our own memories, remain with us-forever.--Chuck Wechsler "Sporting Classics"

The book is a delight, both for those who fish and for those who just appreciate good writing.-- "Wisconsin State Journal"

We no longer recognize silence for what it is, what it does, or why it is necessary. We think of it as a pause in the din, instead of what was there before bedlam. Carlyle observed that "Silence is the element in which great things fashion themselves." Without silence there can be no dreaming: without dreams, there is no great ness.-- "Sporting Classics"

About the Author

Jack Kulpa has written about fishing, hunting, outdoor life, and conservation for over forty years. He has contributed to hundreds of outdoor magazines and is a regular contributor to Field & Stream, Sports Afield and many other magazines. He lives in Superior, Wisconsin.