Doig is clearly an underappreciated American writer, particularly outside of the West. I would suggest this book to anyone who likes to read beautiful language about heartfelt subjects. I would further recommend "The Solace of Open Spaces" by Gretel Ehrlich and "Angel Fire" by Ron Franscell, both cut from the same lyrical, evocative Western cloth.

This is Ivan Doig's story of growing up in Montana. It was not an easy life. His widowed father kept Ivan close, made sacrifices, taught him everything he knew. The father even made a truce with his mother-in-law for Ivan's sake. Ivan was raised by two strong characters! Which made Ivan a strong character.

I would highly recommend this book. It touches all the parts of your heart.

A River Runs Through It has all the majesty and beauty of the American West written with the deep emotion and reverance MacLean attaches to fly-fishing (he compares it to religion). The other stories ("Logging and Pimping" and "USFS 1919") relate to MacLean's experiences working in the Montana Rockies with the Forest Service, and for some reason did not move me as the former story did. His relationship with his brother in A River Runs Through It particularly spoke to me.

All of MacLean's stories are good, but it is MacLean's easygoing narrative, vivid prose and almost spiritual way in which he turns a phrase that makes this book so special. It is an outstanding example of modern American writing, and should be read for such - not fishing.

I only write all this because I'm afraid readers who would truly enjoy this book may be turned away, not wanting to read a book about fishing. It's a beautiful story, beautifully told.

Doig's major triumph, though, is relating Angus McCaskill's pursuit of "the love of his life," Anna Ramsay. Doig skillfully describes the personal and social destructiveness caused by blindly (and greedily) pursuing one's selfish perceptions and dreams while ignoring (and losing) the far more beautiful gifts which grace our lives. I wished I could have jumped into the pages and shaken some sense into him, but I eventually realized this is how we, too, frequently order our lives.

I first read this book ten years ago, and it still seems like a story told by a dear and respected friend or mentor.

There is not a single dud in this series. Even if you don't like "western" novels (and I usually do not), these are great reads with excellant characters.

On the plus side, Mr. Doig certainly knows his subjects well. He develops interesting characters and relationships and weaves it all into a complex novel.

I was left feeling like I'd been teased with the mystery which turned out to be little more than a footnote. Also, I'd have to say I didn't find the author's style all that easy.

On whole, though, the book was worthwhile and I'll try another of his works.

All members of the family Duff are unique, as are their relationships. All are enjoyable with only the Scottish Uncle seeming a little too polished; his dialogue a little too precise. But that's a quibble because overall, Doig does very well with his characters. Throw in the dam as another major character and Montana itself, and you have a book worth your time; a great tableau of the 1930s Depression in America.

And if you know what the cover of the first Life Magazine looks like, you know Fort Peck. Doig weaves many real events into his fiction including a visit by FDR, a major dam mishap, and a visit from a Life photographer.

I appreciated the sense of place and time that was so well evoked. I admired the characters, thier complexities, and the overlapping and differences among their personalities. But I missed the warmth and the sense of the moment that I got from English Creek and Dancing at the Rascal Fair.

I found many of the phrases, allusions, and figures of speech to be quite unnatural and unrealistic. I found myself doubting that anyone would talk that way. While the words chosen were interesting and evocative they didn't flow and contribute to my connection with the story and characters. In fact, I often found the manner of speech to be quite distracting.

The dam was huge in life and in the story. I found that I could not easily follow some of the details about the design and construction but I also found that understanding the specifics was not necessary. What seemed to me to be important was the understanding that the dam was perhaps the major character in the novel with a life of it's own that grew in complexity as the structure itself built layer by layer. Much as the lives of the human characters interwove, unraveled, and were repaired.