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jfmirab2 's review for:
A River Runs Through it and Other Stories
by Norman Maclean
Phenomenally written. I tend to give five stars to anything I enjoyed throughout, and so five stars could be a spectrum; this book belongs at the top of that spectrum. There are few works one can be lucky enough to stumble upon that are written perfectly, works in which every paragraph seems to clearly belong, and every sentence is useful and beautiful. Those works are usually short, and "A River Runs Through It," is certainly one. It is the longest such work I have read. While the short stories following it are also excellent - caustic and fun, while serious bits of biography - they seem to make greatness a following ARRTI; the titular novella takes the cake, and is one of the finest written works I've ever read.
My only complaint: I was worried about the book after reading the introduction, (my copy is identical to the one pictured) which was boastful and full of the sort of academic pretension someone writing about a U Chicago author might expect. I had a downright scornful view of what I was about to read, thanks to the ego at the beginning. Maclean's introduction following that came off, thus, as even more academic and conceited than what could possibly have been intended, though I did detect a trace of ego in his introduction. Fortunately, the ego could be forgiven, because ARRTI earns it.
Once more for the back: Phenomenally written.
My only complaint: I was worried about the book after reading the introduction, (my copy is identical to the one pictured) which was boastful and full of the sort of academic pretension someone writing about a U Chicago author might expect. I had a downright scornful view of what I was about to read, thanks to the ego at the beginning. Maclean's introduction following that came off, thus, as even more academic and conceited than what could possibly have been intended, though I did detect a trace of ego in his introduction. Fortunately, the ego could be forgiven, because ARRTI earns it.
Once more for the back: Phenomenally written.