Synopses & Reviews
More than one mans journey to self-awareness, this is a raw, honest coming-of-age story that reveals the true meaning of family.In Looking Through Water, William McKay finds himself reliving his past to help his troubled grandson, Kyle, deal with the present.
Williams story starts on an Adirondacks lake and wends its way through Manhattan to the Florida Keys. Colorful characters from the old mans past come to life to help him tell an unforgettable story full of surprises and suspense. Fueled by natures fury, men are yanked out of their comfort zones and thrown together to confront life and death. Just as William appears to be on the brink of permanent unmooring, a stranger unexpectedly arrives to provide the tethering he has always sought.
Looking Through Water twists and turns as old wounds are revealed, wrongs are redressed, lives are threatened, understanding surfaces, and love arrives. With his grandfathers past laid bare, Kyle must ultimately face how he might shape his future.
This story explores the emotions that make up the intricate tapestry of family structure by pulling at the threads of truth, lies, and misunderstandings.
Review
Daily demands so often lead us astray from what we care about most.
Looking Through Water calls us back. With wit and wisdom, Bob Rich reminds us that a conversation held on the open water is analogous to lifea little solitude on the surface is just what we need to ponder its depth.” Sandy Moret, Florida Keys Outfitters
Everyone who is or has a son, daughter, father, or grandfather will see parts of themselves and their families in this beautifully crafted book. I love the way Bob Rich weaves multiple coming of age stories together in a clear and touching way.” Robert Nutting, Chairman of the Board, Pittsburgh Pirates
Looking Through Water is a powerful novel of male bonding and fractured relationships. The journey through water and fly fishing is one of forgiveness for three generations of men; a father, a son and finally a grandson. In his fast moving narrative, Bob Rich asks us to consider the trappings of a material life and the healing forces of the sea.” Susannah Marren, author of Between the Tides
This is a moving story of self-discovery and redemption which climaxes in a superbly told fishing-tournament off the Florida Keys. It is at once an adventure, a meditation on what it means to be a man, and a magnificent novel.” Bernard Cornwell, author of The Last Kingdom
As with any great work of fiction, Bob Richs Looking Through Water is really about a profound truth. In this case, that truth is about familyabout fathers and sons, and grandfathers and grandsonsand the sometimes stormy seas that must be navigated to find a safe harbor.” Monte Burke, author of Saban: The Making of a Coach
At the same time a gripping, fast-paced, hard-to-put-down fishing adventure story, and a wise, big-hearted look at four generations of father/son relationships. The result is nothing less than one hell of a good read!” Charles Gaines, author and outdoorsman
About the Author
Bob E. Rich, Jr. was first exposed to the art of storytelling in summer camps in northern Ontario. Growing up, reading Hemingway inspired him to write. Living on the shores of Lake Erie and the Florida Keys provides him with a wealth of his own tales to tell. He is the author of three books, Fish Fights, The Fishing Club, and The Right Angle and is the coauthor of Secrets of the Delphi Cafe. Looking Through Water is his first novel.