Think your local fishing club is historic? This new book by IGFA historian Mike Rivkin details one that really is. The West Palm Beach Fishing Club - A 75-Year History (Silverfish Press) is an unusually compelling story. Founded in 1934 as a civic antidote to the Depression, the Club went on to pioneer such practices as tag-and-release angling and sailfishing with light tackle. The red release pennant, universally recognized throughout the big-game fishing world today, was a WPBFC innovation. The Club's Silver Sailfish Derby (f. 1935) remains the oldest billfish tournament in the world, and its' classic Fifth & Flagler clubhouse has been a West Palm Beach landmark since 1941. In the day, celebrity anglers such as Kip Farrington, Lynn Bogue Hunt, Lou Marron, and the recently deceased Alfred C. Glassell, Jr. filled its roster. I don't know about your club, but this one has a truly glittering history. Rivkin tells it all in his usual enchanting style. As with his previous books, Rivkin supports the story with hundreds of heretofore unpublished photos and documents. The book's cover is dazzling: a Deco-style sailfish leaping towards the sun with a hint of palm tree in the background. In fact, palm trees were relatively late to arrive in Palm Beach, not turning up in quantity until 1878 when a Spanish bark shipwrecked nearby with a load of coconuts aboard. There's a whole goggle of other things you'll learn from this book about early Florida, angling pioneers, the birth of sailfishing, WWII, and even artificial reefs. It's an easy read, a visual delight, and belongs under your Christmas tree and those of your angling amigos. The West Palm Beach Fishing Club - A 75-Year History has just been released and is available now in a limited first edition of 900 signed-and-numbered copies ($75). All net proceeds benefit the Club's affiliated charitable foundation.

The West Palm Beach Fishing Club: A 75-Year History

History

Mike Rivkin

Americas

West Palm Beach Fishing Club

During the 1930s, big-game fishing emerged from obscurity to become the new passion of American sportsmen. By decade's end, the capture of gigantic fish on the flimsiest of tackle had become the stuff of front page news. Suddenly ... war. This is the fascinating and untold story of how the newly-emerging sport of big-game fishing was plunged headlong into the defining event of the 20th century: World War II. That big-game fishing was severely impacted by the war is no surprise, but the contributions of the angling community to the Allied war effort were equally vast. The story of how each impacted the other is both surprising and compelling, and here it is. Carefully researched and delightfully written, Angling and War includes more than 260 pages and hundreds of heretofore unpublished photos, documents, and illustrations from all over the world. The book begins with the sudden emergence of big-game fishing in the 1930s and concludes with a look at the wartime-related technologies and adventures that sparked a veritable explosion in postwar angling. Incredible stories of both angler/authors and angler/warriors add richness and life to this remarkable tale, including a special foreward by legendary pioneer Alfred C. Glassell, Jr., whose catch of a 1,560 lb black marlin is the largest tackle record of this species for more than 50 years. Note that the deluxe first edition is limited to only 900 signed-and-numbered volumes, so order now!

Angling and War: The Collision of Big-Game Fishing and WWII

Military

Silverfish Press

CATALINA ISLAND DIVE BUDDIES is a great new resource for the newbie or casual diver about to dive Catalina Island and wanting to know more about what's really down there. No excruciating taxonomy, no crummy little drawings on plastic cards, CIDB gives you big juicy illustrations along with fun anecdotal copy for the 30-odd species of fish you're most likely to see. Written by award-winning copywriter Mike Rivkin, tweaked by master diver Jon Council, and illustrated by the talented Nick Mayer, this little book belongs in your dive bag. Who needs a regulator anyway? So pony up twenty bucks and get ready to laugh and learn!

Catalina Island Dive Buddies

Sports & Outdoors

Hunting & Fishing

The first comprehensive book on the life and work of legendary artist Stanley Meltzoff is finally in print! Stanley Meltzoff - Picture Maker was nearly done when the artist passed away in 2006 and the project was put aside. Now angler and IGFA historian Mike Rivkin has completed the job in a lush oversized format. This is the rare book that belongs on the coffee tables of discriminating sportsmen around the world. Fans of game fish art will have no trouble in recalling Stanley Meltzoff. He was the first artist to realistically portray all the major game species in their natural habitats, and today his body of work is recognized as the very best of its kind. Born in Brooklyn in 1917, Meltzoff received a classical education in the arts before joining The Stars and Stripes Army newspaper as an illustrator during WWII. Later he taught at the prestigious Pratt Institute in New York before becoming one of the leading commercial artists in the country. Meltzoff paintings have graced the covers of Field &amp; Stream, Scientific American, The Saturday Evening Post and many other publications. Among his most famous work was the iconic cover of the At&amp;T bicentennial telephone book, of which more than 176 million were distributed. In 1960, Meltzoff's groundbreaking series on striped bass for Sports Illustrated made him an instant celebrity in the world of sporting art. During a hugely productive second career, his renderings of billfish, bonefish, tarpon, and tuna served to define the genre while drawing accolades from every quarter. His death in 2006 at age 89 stilled a paintbrush that may never be equaled. Stanley Meltzoff - Picture Maker includes nearly 190 color plates of the artist's work throughout his career, plus lively narratives from both Meltzoff and co-author Mike Rivkin. This deluxe edition will be limited to 500 copies and include a navy blue cloth cover with vintage extras. Published by Silverfish Press, 2009, hardbound, 182 pages, fully illustrated.

Stanley Meltzoff: Picture Maker

Arts & Photography

Stanley Meltzoff

History & Criticism

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Books by Mike Rivkin