Torday was particularly amused by the fact that, shortly after the film's release, British holidaymakers made enquiries to Yemeni tourism organisations asking about their real-life non-existent salmon fishing industry. [1] [3] See also [ edit ] I went to see the film Salmon Fishing in the Yemen this afternoon based on the brilliant 2006 book by Paul Torday. I read the book last year and loved it, (review here), so I was crossing my fingers that the film would also be good. It is light, but succeeds in an ambitious project: making a book about fishing readable, even touching. Fish may not be your bag, but it is the capacity for commitment and belief that makes for good reading." - Nadia Saint, New Statesman

Book review: Salmon fishing in the Yemen | Global FlyFisher Book review: Salmon fishing in the Yemen | Global FlyFisher

An unassuming scientist takes an unbelievable adventure in the Middle East in this “extraordinary” novel—the inspiration for the major motion picture starring Ewan McGregor ( The Guardian). A) novel that captivates the grumpiest reader within moments. What begins as hare-brained becomes increasingly plausible, in all its details. Written by someone who has spent most of his life working in industry, it describes the maddening world of petty officialdom sent into riffs of lunacy by political will; if you imagine The Office crossed with Yes, Minister, you may get some inkling of how very funny it is. (...) (T)he intelligence, inventiveness and humanity of this novel in comparison to the usual run of literary fiction is as wild salmon to the farmed." - Amanda Craig, The Telegraph

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I saw the movie when it first came out, but don't really recall much about it, other than that I enjoyed it. I don't even remember the ending, which people tell me is different to the book (being more suitable for Hollywood than Torday's ending), but I found the book's ending quite poignant. It has definitely made me want to watch the movie again. As you know the Yemen salmon project has received semiofficial support from the Foreign Office and from Number 10. You may be aware one of my colleagues has scoped the project following some guidance from me. He has now asked me to explore with the Environment Agency how best to procure live salmon for the project. The film stars Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt and Kristin Scott-Thomas, with the rather gorgeous Egyptian actor Amr Waked as the Shiekh. It was directed by Lasse Hallström from a script adapted by Slumdog Oscar-winner Simon Beaufoy.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen by Paul Torday | Goodreads Salmon Fishing in the Yemen by Paul Torday | Goodreads

They're meant to show the human sides of the characters -- and, of course, Fred and Harriet begin to eye each other -- but there's not enough to make it very convincing. Walsh, John (9 February 2007). "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, by Paul Torday". The Independent. London . Retrieved 23 December 2014. He is a caricature, though too many of even the absurdest exchanges don't sound that different from what has gone on at 10 Downing Street in recent years .....

Torday writes “Faith is absolute and universal. The choice, if there is a choice, is made at birth. Everyone believes. For these people, God is a near neighbor” Torday’s characters believe it’s really biblical to offer water to strangers while you don’t have so much water yourself. Is this really true in a Western country like Britain? The writer must know something. He’s been to the Middle East many times. He can surely make comparisons but is that a fair comparison? Did humanity really die in the West? Is that so simple? Or is the writer being naïve and does he just glorify the East out of proportion? Faith is the cure that heals all troubles. Without faith there is no hope and no love. Faith comes before hope, and before love. (Sheikh Muhammad ibn Zaidi bani Tihama)” Hornaday found Salmon Fishing in the Yemen a "surprisingly lush, endearing little film, in which a swelling sense of romanticism thoroughly banishes even the most far-fetched improbabilities." [18]