If you are a fan of Patrick McManus, as I am, you may be a little disappointed in Bill Heavey's work. It's in the same genre: the humorous problems inherent in outdoorsmanship (getting lost, running out of fuel, being chased by wild animals, etc.), and it's well-written, but it doesn't have either the crashing absurdity or belly-laugh quality of McManus' works. If you are fond of outdoor activities, however, you may like Heavey...he's no expert and says so right at the beginning, so he gets into trouble a lot. The humor is more subtle, but worth a read.

‘The Professional Amateur’s Guide to the Outdoors’ is a compilation of Heavey’s columns for Field and Stream magazine. And if the title sounds curious, his previous books are “If you didn’t bring jerky, what did I just eat?” then “It’s only slow food until you try to eat it” followed up by “You’re not lost if you can still see the truck.”

In the book’s introduction, he acknowledges that ‘these pieces have been known to make people laugh, cry, or curse, often in their bathrooms, since that is where many people prefer to read my stuff.” Reminds me of that line from The Big Chill where People magazine writer Jeff Goldblum tells his friends that his writing has length limits – only long enough for one to finish within the length of the typical American crap.

Translated: short stories most anyone who has ventured beyond their fescue moat can relate.

As with other similar compilations, this is non-fiction. Heavey tells us that in the world of outdoor writing, the high end (the experienced, the knowledgeable, the successful) is heavily populated.

But the other end of the spectrum (the rookie, the downright dumb, the failure who keeps trying bless his heart) is largely ignored.

This book is for and about 'that guy' . . .

. . . who has a ‘case of athlete’s foot that would be at home in a leper colony’ whose only saving grace is his ‘deranged perserverance’ in search of ‘a beast with a cow-catcher on its head forever to be known as the Heavey buck’.

. . . who is such a gear head that he lives in a suburban Virginia house ‘with as much of the Cabela’s catalog crammed into his house as possible’ because he knows that ‘new gear solemnly swears to change your life’.

. . . who realizes that, while waiting for the Valium to kick in for his colonoscopy, he needs to inventory his flashlights and head lamps.

. . . whose head shot for his column presents ‘someone who aspires to be a sex offender, but doesn’t have the nerve.’

. . . with sufficient wisdom and understanding to recognize that with age comes a neck that would do a snapping turtle proud.

. . . who, when dressed out for a hunt resembles an ‘outdoorsy transvestite that would be proud to be introduced to parents’

. . . who isn’t the slightest bit concerned about wearing pink lipstick when forgetting the Chap Stick or wearing pantyhose for a 5-day horseback trek to avoid chafing (XL, taupe, opaque, regular not control top; and don’t let the salesperson jerk you around).

. . . who ventures into unpopulated areas of the planet to hunt caribou with a bow, realizing that he is headed into ‘a violent feeding ground for the strongest predators, a trap for the week, a graveyard for the unlucky.” No problem for a DC area resident, because that ‘sounds a little like the Beltway.’

. . . who enters a team event for hunting skills with three other similar guys who know they have no chance of winning. So, they plan to try mightily, but strive to come in last and realize “We failed to fail. Tell me, grasshopper, what more complete failure can a man attain.’

But this book just isn’t about ‘that guy’. It’s also about the steelhead freak who sleeps in his pickup truck cab because the bed is too loaded with gear. The world’s shotgun expert trying to teach the unlearned how to shoot birds. The PharmD who is also the mountain trout guru. Those guides who take the foolhardy into pristine places not to be revealed and opens beer bottles with a Bic lighter.

In short, this book is for all those nerds and rookies who greatly outnumber the cool guys and experts. That’s who this book is for.

In other words, it’s for you.

The author presented an entertaining collection of many articles he had written for Field and Stream magazine. Admittedly, never hunted nor had been much of a fisherman myself, I still enjoyed the many amusing passages in this book. An especially good read for the outdoor enthusiast.

It’s as if some minister told me at an early age, “We enter and exit this world with nothing. In between, a man’s spiritual salvation depends on getting as much of Cabela’s catalogue into his house as possible”

That sums up this entire hilarious riot of a reading ride on the outdoors and the people who are truly "out there"!! You will love this

I enjoyed each individual column. Bill has a healthy take on hunting and fishing, and despite his self-admitted addiction to fishing tackle, he has a good perspective on what amounts to an alternate lifestyle in this day and age.

Bill's writing style is friendly and conversational, and the essays seem to flow one into another with ease.

I haven't fished in years, but this brought back to me what I loved about it.

I know… out of all the books I give THIS book 5 out of 5?! Well, you’ll just have to read it for yourself to realise why. This book was everything; Funny, emotional, interesting, dramatic, and full of amazing characters! I know that being a book supposedly about outdoors stuff like hunting and fishing people may think that the content just isn’t for them but… I’m pleading you, GIVE IT A CHANCE! I was a vegetarian for 13 years and now I have lived with a hunter for 10 years, so this book was the best of both worlds. Many things reminded me of my boyfriend,

“The hardest part for me is acknowledging that I own more hunting and fishing gear than anyone who has not already appeared on Hoarding: Buried Alive. It’s as if some minister told me at an early age, “We enter and exit this world with nothing. In between, a man’s spiritual salvation depends on getting as much of Cabela’s catalogue into his house as possible”

“I don’t own a single waterfowl decoy, but I do have a huge Primos decoy bag, a perfect place to store my thirty pounds of old tree-stand harnesses. Most are from the torso-only days, before we knew that hanging from your armpits kills you just a bit more slowly than hanging from your neck. The point is that there’s sixty yards of good nylon webbing and seat belt buckles in there. What is I suddenly need to make, say, a really secure canoe seat for a keg of beer? A man wants to be prepared for things like that.”

There were things that reminded me why I came to the conclusion that hunting isn’t as awful as I used to think it was (and is really better than what animals go through before they wind up in our grocery store… but, that’s another story)

“I flashed on the first buck I had killed with a bow. The euphoria of mastery, of besting a wild thing at its own game. I’d dipped a toe into the river that day, been initiated into the mystery and knowledge that all life feeds on other life. It had been both wonderful and terrible, humbling and pride inducing. I remembered being immensely relieved to discover that it hadn’t been wrong to kill.”

“But I had to admit that, like life, hunting was turning out to be a lot more complicated than I’d thought. Memory really doesn’t give a damn what you think. At the yard sale of the mind, memory is the whack job who shows up and ransacks every box-driving off the paying customers- and yelps in triumph at striking gold: an old VFW flyswatter bespattered with its kills. Memory has a mind of its own.”

But, It is a very emotional book as he tells about how an ordinary deer stand can somehow turn itself into a spiritually powerful place, where you can climb in complete strangers and come down hours later knowing things about each other that even your best friends don’t know, and he shares some of these poignant stories of loss.

There is something for everyone in this book and I thank Netgalley and Grove Atlantic, Atlantic Monthly Press for giving me and Advanced copy of this book in exchange for and hanest review. and, honestly, I LOVED IT!

Should the Tent Be Burning Like That?: A Professional Amateur's Guide to the Outdoors
by Bill Heavey

My father taught me how to shoot a rifle when I was young and before I raised the weapon I was told that it was never to be pointed at anything living. I kept that lesson close and always wondered about people who hunt for sport. Bill Heavey has successfully, humorously and intelligently explained why hunting is more than a challenging sport. He can make you understand that “an hour means nothing; the innocent rustle of leaves is a matter of life or death; and a change in the wind can bring panic or euphoria.”

I probably didn’t need the detail on flies and fishing lures but wow, really an $85,000.00 rifle?! Heavey tells stories that are infused with homilies that just make you understand and feel better. There is Tony, who owns a tackle store, and has a purpose and a connection to his business “It’s about running things the way his father and grandfather had, not just profitably but well, aiming higher than the bottom line. It is about honor.” And Heavey gets it. He understands on the day that he kills a deer as an older hunter the sport was becoming more complicated for him introspectively. There is always a personal price to be paid.

He has the ability to describe lunatic situations with great alacrity, self-deprecatory wit and sense of self. He can be humble, and wrong-footed but always an avid and eager hunter and fisherman. He describes how in his hands “a fly line becomes a physical example of Obsessional Defiant Disorder - negative, disobedient, and hostile.” We are taken into his closest relationships and friendships and made to understand that this is a man who cherishes those who pierce his armor. He admits to too much time alone and gives credit to those who make him remember that he is “straddling the edge between the sublime and the ridiculous, that that was exactly” where “he belonged”

These are a great bunch of stories and I am so glad I invested the time to get to know more about Bill Heavey and his years of outdoor sporting activities.

Should the Tent Be Burning Like That?
A Professional Amateur’s Guide to the Outdoors
by Bill Heavey was not as funny as I expected from the creative cover and description. There was some humor and a lot of talk about hunting. I hoped there would be more camping stories and I honestly got bogged down with the hunting and man bonding. I wouldn't say the book was poorly written, but not as humorous as I had hoped. I stopped reading a little over half way through. May be a good read for anyone who loves to hunt or loves to hear others talk about hunting.

I loved the title of this book when I first saw it, and the book lives up to its fabulous title. This is a compilation of Bill Heavey's columns from Field and Stream; I do not read that magazine so the essays were all new to me. If you like the outdoors, you will love this book.

It has been a while since I've gone fishing or camping and I've never hunted, but I've been reading Bill Heavey's column in my husband's Field and Stream magazine for quite some time. This book has reproduced popular columns from that magazine and other publications. Bill Heavey's outdoor adventures (and misadventures) from across the U.S. are relatable and are full of his self-deprecating humor. Behind all the humor, it's obvious Heavey knows and loves his subject matter. This is a great collection of his work, with lots of variety, that can be read in any order. The stories are always funny and sometimes touching. Those who enjoy the outdoors and have experiences outings that don't always go as planned will relate to the trial and tribulations, as well as the fun, Heavy describes in his articles.

I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Atlantic Monthly Press. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

As someone raised with a father and brother who hunted and fished, this had some good antidotes that brought up some old memories.

The title gave the impression this was going to be a book full of quirky tales with a few laughs along the way. However, it reads more like it is aimed at serious stalkers/game hunters etc. There were often moments where an assumed build up of tension led nowhere. I gave up 33 percent through. Certainly not what the title or front cover led me to believe it would be.

I requested this book as when I am not reading books I am outside in the open air sleeping under canvas.

This is a selection of pieces from the magazine Field and Stream, which I must admit I was not familiar with. This is not a novel and it is possible to dip in and out after each chapter.

It is primarily aimed at the outdoor hunter-fisher but that does not mean that you won't enjoy it if you are not type.

I'm definitely not a big "outdoorsy" kind of girl but I do like camping and fishing on occasion. I've not read Field and Steam but, if it contains more creators like Bill Heavey, maybe I should. I found this book hilarious. At times it reminded me of reading Patrick Mcmanus while I was growing up. I absolutely adore his stories and while this book isn't as zany, there's still plenty of room for humor and missteps. Heavey is a bit more dry with his humor while also being an actually decent guide to hinting and fishing. Overall, I enjoyed reading this and would recommend it to anyone, but especially to those with an inclination towards adventure in the outdoors.

Lots of fun

I seldom see Field & Stream these days, but in my youth it was a favorite read of my father and uncles, and of course, always available in medical waiting rooms in my part of the country. I always enjoyed the stories and I learned a lot from it. But that was then and this is now and my life outdoors is not involved with hunting (actually I don't care to hunt) or fishing (which I love, but seldom do anymore), so it was a treat to get this book to review.

If you can look at a hunting and fishing book without the top blowing off your skull, then you will probably enjoy this one a lot and even indulge in some out-loud laughs. Mr. Heavey has an enviable life getting paid to slog through mud and snow and be eaten alive by mosquitoes, ticks and leeches. (Actually there aren't any leeches here that I remember, but probably because Mr. Heavey has learned to keep them mostly out of his stories.) He writes about his life and adventures in a clean, straight-forward style that is so rare these days.

I received a review copy of "Should the Tent Be Burning Like That?: A Professional Amateur's Guide to the Outdoors" by Bill Heavey (Grove Atlantic) through NetGalley.com.

I hadn't read any of Bill Heavey's columns before so this book was all new to me but boy, I am SO glad I was lucky enough to get the chance to read it. I don't fish or hunt but I found this to be highly entertaining and very amusing. I was able to pick up this book whenever I had time to spare and read it to pass the time in airports/on the train etc and I can honestly say it kept me totally amused (and even helped soften the blow that my flight was delayed). I am sure I drew many a glance from other passengers on the plane and trains when I was trying to suppress my chuckling at some of the anecdotes!

I am not a reader of Field and Stream magazine where this author has been a featured writer for more than 20 years. This book is a compilation of columns or articles he has written within those years that examine more than an erudite knowledge of his subject. The amazing thing here is the manner of speaking, the sense of humor, and the down-home self-deprecating, ah shucks pattern in which he delivers his collection of little stories.

From the detailed description of a porta-potty, the Thetford 465 Electric, to a two-piece, 8 foot, fast-action Daiwa Steez Trigger fishing rod with a Shimano Calais 4x8 DC baitcaster with 32 settings and a Dartainium drag that will run you just over $1,333.93, you know there is bound to be a good story involved which will produce some good-natured, read-out-loud sharing guffaws.

These articles must have kept the magazine going as anyone reading them would have kept coming back for their laugh endorphins for the week. We are not just talking fishing, or camping, though many of the hunting stories did include camping of necessity. This man is a dedicated man's man--whether seeking the trophy caribou or elusive gobbler.

The travelogue alone is worth the read, from the Rockies to the wilds of Canada, no destination was beyond reason if it held a hunting or fishing promise of a worthy bronzeback.

I was given this ebook download through Atlantic Monthly Press and NetGalley for the read and review. It was my absolute pleasure and heartily recommended for sports enthusiast or couch potato alike. Both will enjoy a good laugh.

A hilarious look at outdoor life in the form of his articles for Field and Stream. He reminds me of The Outdoor Man and Dave Barry. This was one of those sitting in the deer blind telling tales kind of books and I enjoyed it!

Dec. 5th netgalley/Atlantic Monthly Press

A collection of the author's articles written for Field and Stream magazine. If you love hunting and fishing, you will really enjoy this book. Heavey is a very entertaining and funny writer.

Mr. Heavey's stories that I read were humorous yet very instructional. I think this was because each sport deserved its own day so to speak. I could appreciate the feeling of how a person can really get into his chosen sport, be it fishing, hunting, shooting and the like and why it would appeal to him/her. The author really brings this across in his writing.