'A River Runs Through It' and Writer Norman Maclean

Published August 21, 2024 at 2:00 AM MDT

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Norman Maclean became a literary star after publishing his largely autobiographical novella, “A River Runs Through It.” A new book recounts his lifelong efforts to reconcile the different parts of himself.

Maclean was a man who lived in two worlds. In one, he was a revered teacher and an intellectual at the University of Chicago. In the other, he was a wilderness-loving Montana man concerned with his family. The author Rebecca McCarthy was a student of Maclean’s, and over time, they became friends. Her new biography of him brings together her own experiences with Maclean, along with those of his other friends, his colleagues and family. It’s the story of a divided life, finally brought together by the publication of an American classic. Rebecca McCarthy is joining us to talk about her book, along with the scholar Mark Matheson. He’ll take us through “A River Runs Through It.”

GUESTS –

Rebecca McCarthy. She worked as a reporter for 21 years at the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Her book is called “Norman Maclean: A Life of Letters and Rivers” [Amazon|Bookshop].

Mark Higgs Matheson. Professor of English at the University of Utah.

Airdate: Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024 at 9 a.m. and 7 a.m.