Laura’s overall rating: 2/5 Stars
My friend Alie chose this collection of short stories for our book club. The title story was the basis for the 1992 film of the same name, which won an Academy Award for Best cinematography in 1993. All 3 stories are narrated in the first person by Norman Maclean and detail his personal life experiences.
The Analysis:
A River Runs Through It (2/5 Stars)
Honestly, I knew that this book was not necessarily my kind of book from the first couple sentences. Lengthy descriptions of fly fishing and author Norman Maclean’s Presbyterian family dynamics are the focus of the novella. I read more about fly fishing, types of lures, and where fish hide in rivers than I ever thought I would. Between the fishing are insights into the Maclean family dynamics, specifically between Norman and his brother, Paul. Nuggets of wisdom about familial relationships and the attached sense of duty are sprinkled throughout the story. A big takeaway for me is that you can’t always help people that don’t want to be helped.
Montana naturescape makes for a grounded reading experience, as opposed to genres like fantasy or horror, which whisk the reader away into an unknown universe. Many find that the story is a very human experience, focusing on relationships and real life. While it can be nice to focus on human connections, it was buried a bit too deep under subjects that didn’t particularly interest me.
Logging and Pimping and “Your Pal, Jim” (3/5 Stars)
Yes, that is literally the title of the second story. This story was shorter than the other two but the length worked well. It had the perfect balance of life lessons mixed with humor. After growing to hate his logging partner, Jim, over a summer of working together, Maclean realizes that maybe there is more to Jim than just a ferocious work ethic.
USFS 1919: The Ranger, the Cook, and a Hole in the Sky (2/5 Stars)
This story was interesting but I wish it was half the length. First, Maclean describes one of his summers in the early days of the US Forestry Service. He talks about fighting fires, living among nature, and packing and moving animals. Then, there is a significant shift to focus on the nearby town and a wild night spent with the forestry crew at the end of the season. While both parts were mildly interesting in their own right, I would have preferred to hear these stories first hand while sitting around a fire with Maclean, rather than reading them off a page. Much in the same way, someone would enjoy Hemingway sharing his tales over a whiskey at the bar, subtly sharing wisdom and lessons woven underneath the surface of the tale. This collection of stories was not my personal favorite but fans of Hemingway might enjoy Maclean’s writing.
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