leslielu67 's review for:

A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean

5.0

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I read this decades ago, and saw the movie *only* 25 years ago, so of course the only thing on my mind was Brad Pitt, sunburned asses, and the scene where the Presbyterian father/teacher crumples his son's essay up and tells him to make it tighter (my muse). In re-reading this small gem, I realize that the book and movie tell different stories, and maybe they have to because I'm not sure the fly-fishing philosophies and techniques and snobbery and beauty (from book) can be adequately translated to film. (Must watch movie again this weekend). Maclean's story ebbs and flows and swirls like the rivers he describes - I'd forgotten this was nominated for a Pulitzer but no wonder. I don't understand his many digs on Great Falls-ians; perhaps CMR dissed him back in the day and he carried the chip for all Electric City residents from then on. [Note: I am also a Maclean, but from a different isle.]