Read This Book

       A River Runs Through It and Other Stories is written by Norman Maclean and published by The University of Chicago Press.
     Maclean is an American author who was raised in and around Missoula Montana. These writings are greatly inspired by the times of his youth growing up in Montana. He admits in the acknowledgements, that they are some what embellished.
     Although there are three stories in this novella, the titled main story is featured and takes place in early 1900's Montana. Brief parts of this tale occur in Missoula and the small town of Wolf Creek. But the most important setting involves their favorite river, The Big Blackfoot. This river is described as one of kind. It was carved straight out from the Rocky mountains to the west by a massive glacial breakdown and flood. It’s a swift and wild waterway that runs so fast that it inhibits the growth of vegetation on it’s rocks while producing some of the largest brown and rainbow trout around.
     His western Presbyterian family is very close knit and held together largely by their religion and equally by fly fishing in the nearby rivers. It is the fly fishing that is used as a metaphor throughout the book to help illustrate the balance in a man's life between work, religion and play. While referring to his fly casting lesson as a boy Maclean quotes his father as saying, “It is an art that is performed on a four count rhythm between ten and two o’clock,” (p 2) He goes on in the book to show how his father was shaping the boys in to well balanced men with an equal command over fishing and religious values. Maclean talks about the importance of fly fishing when he writes, “Even so, in a typical week of our childhood Paul (his brother) and I probably received as many hours of instruction in fly fishing as we did in all other spiritual matters.” (p 2).

     The words, art and grace, appear continually throughout the book helping to shape the tone of this novel. The father, a Presbyterian minister, is constantly referencing these words as he compares the art of fly fishing to the grace of religion. Mostly, the feeling is up-beat but it can't help being overshadowed by the problems of Norman's younger brother Paul. With Paul, the story becomes weighty and heavy. Despite his enormous talent for fly casting, he is often troubled with alcohol, gambling, and the law.
     Norman carries a deep respect for his parents, his brother, his wife, the art of fishing, and for how the rivers tie them all together. There is a theme of wanting to help the ones you care about most while disregarding the others who lack respect. In this story, Norman seems destined to learn how to help himself understand that you can’t always help people, no matter how much you want to, no matter how much you love them.
     The river runs not only through a land that they love and respect, but also through a family, a man’s identity, his heart, his soul, and his spirit.

The other two stories are,

Logging and Pimping and "Your Pal, Jim"

plus,

USFS 1919: The Ranger, the Cook, and a Hole in the Sky.



     These stories deal mainly with part of Norman's back-story as a young man in his teens serving in the US Forest Service high up in the Rocky Mountains. Logging and Pimping is only twenty pages long. It's mostly an account of his working relationship to a gruff, rough and tumble bully, in a logging camp. Jim, the bully woodsman, likes to spend his off season pimping girls in a small town nearby.                            

     USFS 1919 is more involved and is much more enjoyable. Also taking place high in the mountains and nearing the end of the work season, Norman tells how they make the long trip back to civilization. He describes the plans his company makes to tear up the town and plan a poker game heist that ends in a whirl wind of action and excitement.
     These stories remind me personally of the people I grew up with in the logging and fishing town of Fort Bragg, CA. These hard working blue collar types helped shape me in to the person I am today. I later worked along side some of the toughest men and woman in the commercial fishing industry. They seemed to be modeled directly after some of the characters in this book. My brother Sean and I  grew up fishing together and have both worked in the business. We have maintained our passion for the sporting aspect of it and often spend time fishing together in the nearby lakes and rivers. These stories really hit home for me and I would recommend this book to anyone who loves nature and the outdoors. But even if you don't, there is still a lot to take away from it.

Works Cited

“Arising.” Monte Dolack Gallery. Monte Dolack Gallery, n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2013.
Dolack, Monte. “Big Blackfoot River Autumn.” Monte Dolack Gallery. Monte Dolack Gallery,           n.dWeb. 17 Apr. 2013.
Maclean, Norman F. A River Runs Through It: And Other Stories. Chicago: U Chicago                      P, 1976. Print.
“Missoula, MT  ANCESTRY & FAMILY HISTORY.” e Podunk. e Podunk, n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2013.
“A River Runs Through It.” http://fishingwildplaces.com/images/books/riverruns.jpg. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2013.
Unknown. “The Dugout, Wolf Creek, Montana, 1930s.” Helena as She Was. Helena as She Was, n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2013.

Thanks for reading.