Norman Maclean

At the time I did not know that stories of life are often more like rivers than books.

— Norman Maclean

“In this story of the outside world and the inside world with a fire between, the outside world of little screwups recedes…

— Norman Maclean

“I hope there are others also who don't mind trees.”

— Norman Maclean

Probably most catastrophes end this way without an ending, the dead not even knowing how they died...,those who loved them forever questioning…

— Norman Maclean

If our father had had his way, nobody who did not know how to fish would be allowed to disgrace a fish…

— Norman Maclean

I knew that, when needed, mountains would move for me.

— Norman Maclean

“I sat there and forgot and forgot, until what remained was the river that went by and I who watched... Eventually the…

— Norman Maclean

It is those we live with and love and should know who elude us.

— Norman Maclean

Unless we are willing to escape into sentimentality or fantasy, often the best we can do with catastrophes, even our own, is…

— Norman Maclean

As for my father, I never knew whether he believed God was a mathematician but he certainly believed God could count and…

— Norman Maclean

At sunrise everything is luminous but not clear.

— Norman Maclean

“On the Big Blackfoot River above the mouth of Belmont Creek the banks are fringed by large Ponderosa pines. In the slanting…

— Norman Maclean

Of course, now I am too old to be much of a fisherman, and now of course I usually fish the big…

— Norman Maclean

“...it is not fly fishing if you are not looking for answers to questions.”

— Norman Maclean

“Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and…

— Norman Maclean

He told us about Christ's disciples being fisherman, and we were left to assume...that all great fishermen on the Sea of Galilee…

— Norman Maclean

A mystery of the universe is how it has managed to survive with so much volunteer help.

— Norman Maclean

“I, an old man, have written this fire report. Among other things, it was important to me, as an exercise for old…

— Norman Maclean

One great thing about fly fishing is that after a while nothing exists of the world but thoughts about fly fishing

— Norman Maclean

“time was just a hangover from the past with no present meaning”

— Norman Maclean

I sat there and forgot and forgot, until what remained was the river that went by and I who watched. On the…

— Norman Maclean

A river, though, has so many things to say that it is hard to know what it says to each of us.

— Norman Maclean

One of life's quiet excitements is to stand somewhat apart from yourself and watch yourself softly becoming the author of something beautiful…

— Norman Maclean

My father was very sure about certain matters pertaining to the universe. To him all good things-trout as well as eternal salvation-come…

— Norman Maclean

“...the most sublime of oddballs, Leonardo da Vinci”

— Norman Maclean