Home Waters: A Chronicle of Family and a River

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Beautiful. ... A lyrical companion to his fathers classic, A River Runs through It, chronicling their familys history and bond with Montanas Blackfoot River.Washington Post

A "poetic" and "captivating" (Publishers Weekly) memoir about the power of place to shape generations, Home Waters is John N. Maclean's remarkable chronicle of his family's century-long love affair with Montana's majesticBlackfoot River, the setting for his father's classic novella, A River Runs through It. Maclean returns annually to the simple family cabin that his grandfather built by hand, still in search of the trout of a lifetime. When he hooks it at last, decades of longing promise to be fulfilled, inspiring John, reporter and author, to finally write the story he was born to tell.

A book that will resonate with everyone who feels deeply rooted to a landscape,Home Watersis a portrait of a family who claimed a river, from one generation to the next, of how this family came of age in the 20th century and later as they scattered across the country, faced tragedy and success, yet were always drawn back to the waters that bound them together. Here are the true stories behind the beloved characters fictionalized inA River Runs through It,includingthe Reverend Maclean, the patriarch who introduced the family to fishing; Norman, who balanced a life divided between literature and the tug of the rugged West; and tragic yet luminous Paul (played by Brad Pitt in Robert Redfords film adaptation), whose mysterious death has haunted the family and led John to investigate his uncles murder and reveal new details in these pages.

A universal story about nature, family, and the art of fly fishing, Macleans memoir beautifully captures the inextricable ways our personal histories are linked to the places we come fromour home waters.

Featuring twelve wood engravings by Wesley W. Bates and a map of the Blackfoot River region.

Reviews

A lyrical companion to his fathers classic, chronicling their familys history and bond with Montanas Blackfoot River. His storytellingfrom the fishing with his dad to the life and death of his uncle Paulis reliable, elegant and charming. Spectacularly vivid and personal. While Macleans journalistic prose is sharp and concise, it can also be beautiful. Washington Post "The prose inHome Waters,which is often transporting, flows with a shadow-cast grace.... The best word I can think of to describeHome Watersalso happens to be the Macleans family word: beautiful." Field & Stream "A memoir about the Maclean familys four-generation tie to Montanas Blackfoot River that elaborates on the back story of Norman Macleans extraordinary 1976 novella A River Runs Through It." Wall Street Journal "Macleans father, Norman, wrote the classic novella A River Runs through It. This memoir is an ode to its inspirations." New York Times Book Review, "New & Noteworthy" "Graceful and compelling. ... Greatly expands what we might already know about Montana, fly fishing and the meaning of family. ... This is a great book." Chicago Tribune A worthy non-fiction companion to his fathers classic, A River Runs Through It. Reminded me of Herman Melville recounting whaling minutiae in Moby Dick. Throughout Home Waters, Maclean shows that hes a real writer. But hes also a real reporter with a long career for the Chicago Tribune." Chicago Sun-Times A wonderful book about fathers, sons, brothers, and family." USA Today A moving memoirof a familys love affair with the Blackfoot River in Montana. Lovers of literature and nature will be captivated by this heartfelt tribute to place and family. Kirkus Reviews(starred review) In this welcome companion to an American classic, John N. Maclean casts a story of place, family, and legacy: of highland streams and woodlands, and the gifts waiting in their depths; of a quiet father with much to share; and of the sometimes meandering, sometimes tumbling courses that carry us through life. A spare, patient, and compelling reminiscence that stays with you. Earl Swift,New York Timesbestselling author ofChesapeake Requiem: A Year with the Watermen of Vanishing Tangier Island "Finally, a brilliant, intimate, and reliable chronicle of the remarkable Maclean family and the origins of a great book, welded seamlessly to the memorable angling days and writing life of a central member. I loved Home Waters." Nick Lyons, author of Spring Creek "I can honestly say I loved Home Waters. Reading it felt like a visit with old friends--the characters from A River Runs through Itwho you havent seen in a long while, during which you learned some things youd never known before. John N. Macleans book does a wonderful job of illustrating the importance of family and placesomething we can all relate to even if the particulars of our stories are very different." Kirby Lambert, Montana Historical Society John Maclean's Home Waters isa wonderful reflection on how a sense of place and shared activity, especially sport, defines our lives, our families, and the meaning we find in them. David Brooks, executive director, Montana Trout Unlimited Macleans Hemingway-esque prose is as clear as a mountain stream, flowing with a poetic cadence and lyrically describing the many splendid natural treasures to be found under the Big Sky. A sure bet for readers who enjoy American and natural history and a must-read for fishing enthusiasts. Booklist Maclean offers a lyrical love letter to Montanas Blackfoot River, fishing, and his storied family in this captivating memoir. Fans of his fathers novella will relish the details that served as its inspiration and are here rendered in Macleans sharp yet poetic prose. This richly observed narrative is sure to reel readers in. Publishers Weekly The mythology of fly-fishing in the West is richer because of this book. Angler's Journal "A must-read. ... Its narrative revolves around relationships rooted in Montana's favorite pastime, connecting with anyone who covets the meditative value of casting for trout on familiar rivers. ... Pick up a copy to read this summer and let your mind wander to the waters you call home." Outside Bozeman Even if you arent a fly-fishing aficionado and dont know a wet fly from a dry one, you just might be hooked within the first few pages as Maclean reels you into this engaging book of family, place and history. Helena Independent Record "John Maclean has filled in the holes of his fathers story with Home Waters. Where Norman used his book to make his peace with his past, Johns narrative shows how his dad, like a savvy trout that always avoids the hook, learned to distinguish truth from imitation and pass that wisdom on to the next generation.... John didnt fall far from the Maclean writing tree. Like his father, the longtime Chicago Tribune writer has an affinity for crafting his experiences in aesthetic tones." Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star "In Home Waters, John Maclean brings readers back to his familys love of Seeley Lake and a life spent out of doors, a life marked by both magic and tragedy, but always by fly fishing for trout. Good reading." Petoskey News-Review "A testament to the power of place and the love that binds us, throughout the generations. Home Waters is a keeper." Flathead Living Magazine

Author Bio

John N. Maclean is an award-winning author and journalist who for 30 years was a reporter, writer, and editor for The Chicago Tribune, most of that time as a Washington correspondent. After leaving the Tribune, Maclean wrote five non-fiction books about wildland fire that are considered a staple of fire literature as well as training material for firefighters. Maclean is the son of Norman Maclean, beloved author of A River Runs through It. The younger Maclean, an avid fly fisherman, lives with his wife, Frances, in Washington, D.C., and at a family cabin in Montana. They have two sons, Daniel and John Fitzroy, and five grandchildren.