Pearce Foulk ‘27 is hooked on the serene imagery of fly fishing in a stream.
“The quiet, peaceful scene of nature and just water running,” Foulk said.
Last month, Foulk invited readers into this oasis, casting a line into the literary world with the release of his self-published novel.
In “Absurd Adventures & The Tails of Trout,” Foulk retells stories from throughout his life, centering his relationship with his brother, Lucas Foulk ‘21, and their fishing quests.
“It’s almost more fun getting to the stream than it is actually fishing,” Pearce Foulk said.
“Whatever it is, we’re always having a good time,” Lucas Foulk added. “No matter if it’s catching fish, just being together is really what is the most important thing for us.”
For Lucas Foulk, the book is an insight into his younger brother’s mind and memories.
“Even though we experienced most of them together, seeing them through his eyes and his perception of me and things like that is really cool as an older brother,” Lucas Foulk said.
However, the brothers disagree on who is the better fisherman of the two.
“I mean, if you look at the book, most of the pictures are of my fish,” Lucas Foulk said.
As a mechanical engineering student, Pearce Foulk never “really liked writing” but he wanted a a place to immortalize his fishing memories.
“When I was growing up, my grandpa was just telling me stories about his fishing adventures and stuff, and I don’t really remember them to the detail I wish I did,” Pearce Foulk said. “So I wanted to write it to not forget.”
His brother agreed, noting the desire to recall their grandfather’s fishing stories after he passed away.
“To read and remember rather than kicking themselves for not remembering details was important,” Lucas Foulk said of the rationale for writing down memories for future generations.
The book was completed over winter break, fly fishing a distant memory.
“Writing about it, I could see where it was in my head,” Pearce Foulk said. “It reminded me of warmer things when it was summer when we were still fishing.”
Pearce Foulk hopes his book will inspire readers to explore the natural world around them.
“I think it reminds people that the world isn’t just a city,” he said. “Nature has been here since way, way before us and it’s very peaceful and we can get away.”
