Obsessions….. I have one. It happens to be tying full dress atlantic salmon flies. This obsession enters into every part of my life. If it wasn’t for the obsession, I wouldn’t be writing this. It affects my spare time, time spent with family and friends, my work and even how I spend my money. That’s what obsessions do, they rule your life.
That’s why I was drawn to these books. “An Obsession Called Pheasant”, by Jolan Durrah is about a man with an obsession. The main character of the book is Dan, who even from a young age was captivated with pheasants. They became part of who he is, and Dan was driven to all parts of the country to be with them. The book is about his personal odyssey , and how they became an obsession for him. Sprinkled with good doses of humor, it explains who Dan is, how he became obsessed with pheasants, and especially one breed of them. It is an easy read, and anyone that ties these flies should be able to relate to Dan’s desire to learn as much as he can about these amazing birds. The book gives you the background information about Dan before his big adventure. It deals with the “why?” that causes Dan to leave everything he knows and travel to Borneo in search of the Bornean Peacock Pheasant.
“Adventure in Borneo” also by Jolan Durrah, takes off where “Obsession” leaves you. Dan has a burning desire to travel to Borneo to see if his beloved peacock pheasant exists in the wild. He decides to leave all of his worldly possessions and travel to Borneo on a shoestring. He gets more than he bargains for traveling through a strange land that was the recent jungle home of headhunters, giant hornets and questionable water quality. This book is also filled with adventure, humor and a story that really defines who Dan is, and shows the depth of his desire to learn more about these birds. If you are the kind of person that can’t wait until Christmas to open your presents, or would rather eat dessert before your main course, then get “Adventure in Borneo” first, and find out about what really drives Dan in “Obsession Called Pheasant” afterword. If you like logical procession, then read “Obsession” first and “Adventure” next. I feel that after you read both of these books you will have a greater appreciation for the feathers that we are so fortunate to have available for “our” obsession. If not for the dedicated breeders and people like Dan we’d be left tying some awfully dull flies, and the future of these birds in the wild would be even more dire. These books would also make great Christmas gifts for your fellow tier, bird lover or traveler. You can buy them on my website here http://www.aaronmostojfeathers.com/books-tools-etc.html
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