Wading Through Norman Maclean's River

Why I'll Probably Re-Read This Book

Years ago (we’re talking last century!) a friend recommended a novel written by E. Annie Proulx called The Shipping News. I will always read a book when a friend I respect recommends it, and I did read this one. But I admit, it was a bit of a slog. I remember wondering more than once why I continued reading it. But all I could think was, a friend I respect recommended it. So I soldiered on. Eventually I finished the book. 

 

But here’s the weird thing. By the time I reached the end of the novel, I was oddly moved. I remember thinking, as if it had never occurred to me the entire time I was reading, “Ohhh . . . it’s a love story.” 

I had a similar experience when I finished A River Runs Through It, by Norman Maclean, though for a different reason. It’s the oddest book I’ve ever read in that not only does it have no chapter breaks, it literally has no breaks at all. You know how some novels separate sections within a chapter by an extra space? So if you’re reading a long chapter but aren’t able to complete it in one sitting, you may reach that internal break knowing it’s a logical place to pause, even if you’re not finished with that chapter? That’s what I mean by no breaks at all, let alone no chapter breaks. The entire book is literally only one chapter. I’ve never experienced anything like that while reading. 

In that regard, A River Runs Through It is probably a book that should be read in one sitting. Since for a variety of reasons that scenario is not realistic for me, I ended up taking a few weeks to finish the book. My habit of penciling in the spot where I’d stopped reading and then resuming the next day was trickier in this book since there are neither section nor chapter breaks: consequently, I’d usually end up re-reading a paragraph or two before the spot I’d marked in order to re-capture the thread. 

Also, unlike other novels, A River Runs Through It, though referred to as a novella, is, in fact, autobiographical. In that regard, the book lacks the traditional narrative pattern of a novel: there’s no clear beginning-middle-end plot line, no distinct rising action/climax/falling action/denouement that you get when reading a novel. So, there’s a bit of a mismatch between the words on the page (autobiographical) and the expectations of the reader (fictional). At least, there was for me.

In a nutshell, here’s the book: 

Setting: Montana. 

Main Characters: the author himself, his preacher father, his alcoholic brother

Minor Characters: his brother’s wife, his brother’s brother-in-law 

Key Events: fly fishing in one particular river 

Minor Events: Rather than me summarizing, here's a helpful synopsis.

And that pretty much sums it up. There’s not much tension—as mentioned above, no dramatic rising action, at least, not until literally the last few pages. With the exception of getting his brother out of jail once, there’s really not much drama. And the most dramatic part of the story is literally not even discussed. Rather, it’s mentioned in passing. Almost as an afterthought. 

Re-reading my own description, I have to say, it’s not really a book that’s easy to recommend. 

And yet…I do. And I will read it again. Much like my experience reading The Shipping News—reading a book I wasn’t quite getting—I got to the end of A River Runs Through It and had a similar reaction. “Ohhh . . . it’s a love story.” 

But, it's also the writing. The prose. At times funny, at other times breathtakingly lovely. The author hints at a tragedy but doesn’t dwell on it. It’s truly the most understated event in the book. Yet it’s the saddest. Have I mentioned the incredible details about fly fishing? Even if you know nothing about this sport, the author has you baited and hooked. These three men (father and sons) were masterful fishermen. But the best among them was the author's brother. The final pages are of the author and his elderly father watching from the riverbank as the brother battled a monster trout. Ordinary event. Extraordinary prose. 

A River Runs Through It is a book that should be read more than once. Hopefully, my next read will be in one sitting.