Monte Burke is a journalist, New York Times bestselling author, and contributing editor at Forbes, Garden & Gun, and The Drake. His most recent book is Lords of the Fly: Madness, Obsession, and the Hunt for the World-Record Tarpon, which was one of the best books I read in 2020. He’s also the author of Saban: The Making of a Coach, which also happens to be one of my all-time favorite books. Whether he’s writing about fly fishing, Colorado conservationists, elk hunting, or football, Monte’s work is always impeccably researched and fun to read.
I loved every page of Lords of the Fly, and both anglers and non-anglers alike will be drawn into the book’s engaging story and wild characters. One of my favorite aspects of the book was how it opened my eyes to the connections between the 1970s Florida fishing scene and modern-day art, poetry, and literature of the American West. Western luminaries who are frequently mentioned on this podcast– Tom McGuane, Jim Harrison, Richard Brautigan, Russell Chatham, and more– all created art and chased tarpon together in Florida in the 1970s. They all eventually moved West and became some of the most respected western artists of their time, but were it not for the creative foundation they built in Florida, today’s western literary and art scene would look quite different.
Monte and I had a fun and wide-ranging conversation discussing everything from fly fishing to fatherhood. We started out talking about Lords of the Fly— we obviously talked about the crew of anglers that included McGuane and Harrison, but we also discussed the full cast of obsessed characters who make up the history of fly fishing for tarpon. Monte explains why this story was so compelling to him, and he discusses some of the headwinds he encountered while trying to get the book published. We discuss Monte’s attraction to writing about intense, obsessed people, whether they happen to be world champion coaches or anglers. We chatted about Monte’s writing and journalism career, as well as some of the routines that allow him to be such a prolific writer. And as usual, we discuss favorite books, authors, films, and he offers up some wise parting words.
If you love fishing and literature, or if you’re an aspiring writer or artist, this episode is chock-full of useful information. Be sure to check out the show notes for links to everything we discuss– this episode may very well hold the record for most books and authors recommended! Hope you enjoy!
Photos courtesy of Monte Burke
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EPISODE NOTES
Topics Discussed:
- 3:50 – Why Monte was drawn into the story of fly fishing for tarpon
- 8:30 – Early stages of writing the book
- 14:30 – Jim Harrison, Tom McGuane, and tarpon fishing
- 20:45 – What McGuane such a unique writer?
- 23:15 – Monte’s decision to include himself in the story
- 26:45 – His obsession with obsessed people
- 31:15 – Monte’s personal obsessions
- 35:45 – How having children affected his outlook and career
- 40:15 – When writing and reading became his focus
- 42:45 – Getting started in journalism + writing at night
- 45:45 – The coolest part of writing
- 48:45 – Writing routine
- 53:15 – Techniques for convincing people to share their stories
- 56:15 – Writers that Monte admires
- 59:45 – Favorite books
- 1:00:30 – Favorite movie
- 1:02:15 – Favorite place in the West
- 1:03:45 – Parting words of wisdom
Information Referenced:
- Monte Burke
- Lords of the Fly by Monte Burke
- Pegasus Books
- Saban by Monte Burke
- All books by Monte Burke
- Garden & Gun magazine
- Forbes magazine
- Steve Huff profile by Monte
- Carl Hiaasen profile by Monte
- Thomas McGuane
- Jim Harrison
- Russell Chatham
- Richard Brautigan
- Hunter S Thompson
- Rinella – McGuane podcast
- Ninety-Two in the Shade by Thomas McGuane
- Richard Ford
- Pappyland by Wright Thompson
- The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean
- Valley Uprising
- The Last Dance
- John McPhee
- Michael Lewis
- Ian Frazier
- Emily St John Mandel
- James Salter
- Wallace Stegner
- The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt
- The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald
- Light Years by James Salter
- Trading Places
- Ketchum, ID
- Henry’s Fork
- Howler Brothers
Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these as well:
- Hampton Sides, Part 2 – How to Tell a Damn Good Story
- Callan Wink – A New Voice for the New West
- Heather Hansman – Demystifying Water in the West
- Chris Dombrowski – Words, Water & the West
- Malcolm Brooks – Epic Tales from the American West
- Peter Heller – Chasing the Flow
- Chris La Tray – Rediscovering His Past, Writing His Future
- Sara Dant – A Deep Dive Into the History of the West
