A River Runs Through It and Other Stories is a semi-autobiographical novella by Norman Maclean (1902–1990).

Plot introduction

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This novella, which first came out in 1976 has been published in several ways. It is issued as a collection of short stories, including the novella, and bearing a title starting with that of the novella. The novella has also been published apart, usually as an art book with many photographs, or with many illustrations such as woodcuts.

For an illustrated version there is still in print a hardcover edition issued in Chicago by the University of Chicago Press in 1989 with ISBN 0226500608.

The collection of short stories with the novella, A River Runs Through It and Other Stories is issued as a paperback in Chicago by the University of Chicago Press in 2003 with ISBN 0226500667.

Major themes

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A prominent theme of the book, set in the Montana of the 1920-30s, is fly fishing. While vividly described in Maclean's prose, the sumptous cinematography of the book's film version — sweeping shots of crystal clear rivers flowing through pristine mountain valleys — captured the imagination of many non-anglers, especially affluent urbanites. Not surprisingly, the film fueled a dramatic rise in fly-fishing's popularity: the fly fishing industry expanded roughly three-fold in the five years following the film's release.

This rapid expansion of the sport was a mixed bag, both for die-hard fisherfolk and for the fish. On the one side, many new technologies and refinements were brought to bear on ancient equipment and methods; fly-fishermen are gadget freaks by nature, so this was generally enjoyable. However, the well-known rivers also became very crowded with novices, and some ecosystems suffered. Both the unspoiled natural places and the contemplative state of mind portrayed in Maclean's book (and the film) became harder to find.

Allusions/references to actual history, geography and current science

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Incidentally, the Big Blackfoot River near Missoula, Montana, is featured in the story, but most of the scenes in the film were actually filmed on the Yellowstone River near Livingston, Montana and Emigrant, Montana due to Robert Redford's ill-conceived disparagement of the condition of the Blackfoot, which was grossly inaccurate. Primarily, the Blackfoot River in the Missoula area runs parallel to the highway for many miles which would ruin the view for cinematography, and generally has access only to limited foot travel, which is not conducive to film crews.

Film

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In 1992 Robert Redford directed a film of the same name starring Brad Pitt, Craig Sheffer, Tom Skerritt, Brenda Blethyn, and Emily Lloyd. It was nominated for three Academy Awards and Philippe Rousselot won an Oscar for his cinematography.

External links

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1976 novels | 1992 films | Biographical films | Drama films | Independent films | Montana films

Aus der Mitte entspringt ein Fluss | Et au milieu coule une rivière | リバー・ランズ・スルー・イット | И катит воды река (фильм)