Fly Fishing: Memories of Angling Days

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Fly Fishing: Memories of Angling Days is a light, humorous fishing book by British author Michael Russell, written under the pen name J. R. Hartley. It was published in 1991 by Stanley Paul in the United Kingdom.

Origin and concept
The book was created to ride the fame of the J. R. Hartley character from a 1983 Yellow Pages television advert. In the ad, an elderly man travels from shop to shop looking for a copy of a book called Fly Fishing by J. R. Hartley, and finally reveals himself as the author. The widespread attention from the advert led many people to ask for the non-existent book, so Russell decided to publish a real book under that name. Norman Lumsden, who played Hartley in the advert, was hired to promote the book as the public face of the author. While Russell is listed as the sole author, there have been claims that others helped with the writing. The book features illustrations by Patrick Benson.

Publication and popularity
The book sold very well, with about 130,000 copies sold during the Christmas period and it reached the top of the UK Christmas bestseller list in 1991.

Reception
Critics described the humor as very British. Some noted a shift in tone near the end, with a ghost and a drowning scene, which was seen as disconcerting but well done. One reviewer called it a successful parody of traditional English country-life autobiographies, though it offered limited value for experienced fly fishers beyond comments on British fly patterns and famous streams. Another reviewer, Sidney Vines of The Spectator, was positive and not surprised by the book’s popularity.

Sequels and legacy
The success led to two sequels: J. R. Hartley Casts Again: More Memories of Angling Days and Golfing by J. R. Hartley. In 2011, BookFinder.com listed Fly Fishing: Memories of Angling Days as the 17th most sought-after out-of-print book worldwide. In 2012, a bookshop in Tonbridge, Kent was broken into by an intoxicated man who told the police he was reading Fly Fishing by J. R. Hartley.