A River Runs Through It and Other Stories

Norman MacLean spent a lifetime preparing to write this remarkable work. A member of the Chicago literary circle of critics, he spent the academic part of each year at the University of Chicago, and returned to his boyhood home in Montana each summer. The story of his family, and the interplay of two brothers and their Presbyterian minister father, spans the book.

It took MacLean years to write this deeply personal memoir, and - when he finished it - he read it aloud to his wife and family. They recalled that he wept openly as he read the last few sentences. So did I, the first time I read it. I still tear up when I read it.

A critic no less than Annie Proulx (Brokeback Mountain) has written that she stands in awe of MacLean and could never compare her writing to his.

Read through some of the reviews below and see how many grown men say they are reduced to tears by the ending of this book, and how it stirs their soul. MacLean touches on the universal theme of family, love, and the sense of loss and helplessness we all feel when we are unable to help a loved one whose character flaw will lead to a tragic end. "But we can love them," says his father. "We can love completely, without complete understanding."

MacLean's understanding of the human condition, his sharp eye and writing skills combine to make this a masterpiece that continues to grow in stature. This 104-page novelette, written by a previously unpublished author already in his 70's, was rejected by publishing houses because they thought nobody would want to read a book about fly fishing and forests. But when it was published by the University of Chicago, where MacLean taught, it was embraced by an eclectic collection of literary critics and outdoorsmen. By word of mouth, the book's popularity spread and, eventually, the publishing houses that rejected MacLean wrote him, asking that he consider them for his next book. He wrote one such a house a letter - telling them where to go - that is also a classic of its genre.

A great literary work needs a memorable open and close....and MacLean's are such that most people remember the open (In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing), and everyone remembers the close.

Robert Redford, also haunted by the words, courted MacLean for years, seeking the movie rights. Redford obviously spent years planning to adapt the novel to the screen, perfecting ideas over time.
The film version is a visual feast, while remaining faithful to the novel.

If you are looking for something fast-paced, with lots of action, snappy patter, car chases and shootouts, this probably isn't for you.

But if you are willing to open your mind and your heart, Norman MacLean has a story to tell you. Perhaps you will understand. If you do, it will rock your soul.