Trout Fishing in America
Encyclopedia
Trout Fishing in America is a novella
written by Richard Brautigan
and published in 1967. It is technically Brautigan's first novel; he wrote it in 1961 before A Confederate General From Big Sur
which was published first.
Trout Fishing In America is an abstract book without a clear central storyline. Instead, the book contains a series of anecdotes broken into chapters, with the same characters often reappearing from story to story. The settings of most of the chapters occur in three locales: Brautigan's childhood in the Pacific Northwest of the U.S.; his day-to-day adult life in San Francisco; and a camping trip in Idaho with his wife and infant daughter during the summer of 1961. Most of the chapters were written during this trip.
The phrase "Trout Fishing in America" is used in multiple ways: it is the title of the book, a character, a hotel, the act of fishing itself, a modifier (one character is named "Trout Fishing in America Shorty"), etc. Brautigan uses the theme of trout fishing as a point of departure for thinly veiled and often comical critiques of mainstream American society and culture. Several symbolic objects, such as a mayonnaise jar, a Ben Franklin statue in San Francisco's Washington Square
, trout, etc. reappear throughout the book.
The cover of the book is a photograph of Richard Brautigan and a friend identified as Michaela Le Grand, whom he referred to as his "Muse." The photo was taken in San Francisco's Washington Square Park in front of the Benjamin Franklin statue. The first chapter of the book is an extended and fanciful description of this photo.
Arion Press
published a deluxe edition of Trout Fishing in America in 2003, with a preface by Ron Loewinsohn
, and a color lithograph in half the edition by Wayne Thiebaud
.
cited the book as a major influence on his 1985 book, The Alligator Report
. There is a folk rock
band called Trout Fishing in America
.
Apollo 17
astronaut Jack Schmitt named a crater explored in the Taurus-Littrow Valley on the moon "Shorty", after the character in the book.
In March 1994, a teenager named Peter Eastman Jr. from Carpinteria, California
legally changed his name to "Trout Fishing in America", and now teaches English in Japan. At around the same time, National Public Radio reported on a young couple who had named their baby "Trout Fishing in America".
Novella
A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
written by Richard Brautigan
Richard Brautigan
Richard Gary Brautigan was an American novelist, poet, and short story writer. His work often employs black comedy, parody, and satire. He is best known for his 1967 novel Trout Fishing in America.- Early life :...
and published in 1967. It is technically Brautigan's first novel; he wrote it in 1961 before A Confederate General From Big Sur
A Confederate General from Big Sur
A Confederate General From Big Sur is Richard Brautigan's first novel, published in 1964.The story takes place in 1957. A man named Lee Mellon believes he is a descendant of a Confederate general who was originally from Big Sur...
which was published first.
Trout Fishing In America is an abstract book without a clear central storyline. Instead, the book contains a series of anecdotes broken into chapters, with the same characters often reappearing from story to story. The settings of most of the chapters occur in three locales: Brautigan's childhood in the Pacific Northwest of the U.S.; his day-to-day adult life in San Francisco; and a camping trip in Idaho with his wife and infant daughter during the summer of 1961. Most of the chapters were written during this trip.
The phrase "Trout Fishing in America" is used in multiple ways: it is the title of the book, a character, a hotel, the act of fishing itself, a modifier (one character is named "Trout Fishing in America Shorty"), etc. Brautigan uses the theme of trout fishing as a point of departure for thinly veiled and often comical critiques of mainstream American society and culture. Several symbolic objects, such as a mayonnaise jar, a Ben Franklin statue in San Francisco's Washington Square
Washington Square, San Francisco
Washington Square is a park in the North Beach district of San Francisco, California. The popular destination, for both locals and tourists, is surrounded by eating establishments and the Sts. Peter and Paul Church...
, trout, etc. reappear throughout the book.
The cover of the book is a photograph of Richard Brautigan and a friend identified as Michaela Le Grand, whom he referred to as his "Muse." The photo was taken in San Francisco's Washington Square Park in front of the Benjamin Franklin statue. The first chapter of the book is an extended and fanciful description of this photo.
Arion Press
Arion Press
The Arion Press "is considered the nation's leading publisher of fine-press books," according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Founded in San Francisco in 1974, it has published 80-plus limited-edition books, most printed by letterpress, often illustrated with original prints by notable...
published a deluxe edition of Trout Fishing in America in 2003, with a preface by Ron Loewinsohn
Ron Loewinsohn
Ron Loewinsohn is an American poet and novelist.Trout Fishing in America is dedicated to Loewinsohn and poet Jack Spicer.- Works :* Watermelons, New York: Totem Press, 1959...
, and a color lithograph in half the edition by Wayne Thiebaud
Wayne Thiebaud
Wayne Thiebaud is an American painter whose most famous works are of cakes, pastries, boots, toilets, toys and lipsticks. He is associated with the Pop art movement because of his interest in objects of mass culture, although his works, executed during the fifties and sixties, slightly predate...
.
Cultural influence
W. P. KinsellaW. P. Kinsella
William Patrick Kinsella, OC, OBC is a Canadian novelist and short story writer who is well-known for his novel Shoeless Joe , which was adapted into the movie Field of Dreams in 1989...
cited the book as a major influence on his 1985 book, The Alligator Report
The Alligator Report
The Alligator Report is a collection of short stories written by W. P. Kinsella and was published in 1985.The Alligator Report contains 26 short stories written by W. P. Kinsella and is 134 pages long...
. There is a folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
band called Trout Fishing in America
Trout Fishing in America (band)
Trout Fishing in America is a musical duo which performs folk rock and children's music. The duo is composed of Keith Grimwood and Ezra Idlet...
.
Apollo 17
Apollo 17
Apollo 17 was the eleventh and final manned mission in the American Apollo space program. Launched at 12:33 a.m. EST on December 7, 1972, with a three-member crew consisting of Commander Eugene Cernan, Command Module Pilot Ronald Evans, and Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt, Apollo 17 remains the...
astronaut Jack Schmitt named a crater explored in the Taurus-Littrow Valley on the moon "Shorty", after the character in the book.
In March 1994, a teenager named Peter Eastman Jr. from Carpinteria, California
Carpinteria, California
Carpinteria is a small oceanside city located in southeastern Santa Barbara County, California, east of Santa Barbara and northwest of Ventura. The population was 13,040 at the 2010 census, down from 14,194 at the 2000 census....
legally changed his name to "Trout Fishing in America", and now teaches English in Japan. At around the same time, National Public Radio reported on a young couple who had named their baby "Trout Fishing in America".