The Compleat Angler, first published in 1653, has become a classic of English literature. Where other angling books are of limited appeal to those who do not fish, The Compleat Angler inspires readers from all walks of life to go in search of the countryside that Walton recreates with such vivid and loving writing. Walton appears to have spent his life in an oasis of calm conviviality and, what's more, he succeeded in bottling it for us to enjoy more and more with each century that glides silently by.