The River Why, Twentieth-Anniversary Edition
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Product Description
Since its publication by Sierra Club Books more than two decades ago, The River Why has become a classic, standing with Norman Maclean’s A River Runs Through It as our era’s most widely read fiction about fly-fishing. This captivating and exuberant tale is told by Gus Orviston, an irreverent young fly fisherman and one of the most appealing heroes in contemporary American fiction.
Leaving behind a madcap, fishing-obsessed family, Gus decides to strike out on his own, taking refuge in a remote riverbank cabin to pursue his own fly-fishing passion with unrelenting zeal. But instead of finding fishing bliss, Gus becomes increasingly troubled by the degradation of the natural world around him and by the spiritual barrenness of his own life. His desolation drives him on a reluctant quest for self-discovery and meaning—ultimately fruitful beyond his wildest dreams.
Stylistically adept and ambitious in scope, The River Why is a touching and powerful novel by an important voice in American fiction.
In a new Afterword written for this twentieth-anniversary edition, David James Duncan reflects on the genesis of his book and on the surprising link between fishing and wisdom.
Spotlight Customer Reviews:
Summary:
Brilliant
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Comment:
The best book I have read in years. I would recommend this book to anyone that has a hard time believing in the traditional answers to the questions of life. Great!
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Summary:
After the first few chapters, throw it away...
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Comment:
Even though I hate fishing and have maybe done it once, the first few chapters of this book are humorous and interesting, in particular Bill Bob, Gus' younger brother. Unfortunately, Bill Bob's role is small to almost nonexistent as the book goes on and the author makes him say some pretty idiotic pseudo-philosophical/religious ramblings, such as a long discussion with Gus about how shadows are our guardians.
The book is largely predictable from the beginning until the end and it's almost like a bunch of authors get together to provide the same theme. The overall structure of the book is Gus starts to question life, including death, ultimate meaning, his meaning, and other philosophy 101 questions. And, of course, Gus ends up finding his meaning in the eyes of some backwoods hippie chick and has a religious experience (if you can call it that) while walking home from a long, incredibly drawn out trip down a river following a fish in his line.
I'm sure many people will see this book as being "deep" or "an interesting discussion of blah blah blah", but if you've even remotely dipped your foot in philosophy this book is hardly enlightening. I pushed through the book simply because I got past the half way point, then promptly threw it in the trash when I was done.
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Summary:
The River Why, by David James Duncan
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Comment:
Duncan delivers a heart warmingstory about family and love and even a little about fishing. While set in Oregon, near Portland and the coast, I believe that this "why" river might actually be in Northern California. You be the judge. His writing style is imaginative and fluid. I would reccomend this book to anyone who can read.
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Summary:
David James Duncan: a unique writer and excellent human being.
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Comment:
Dear reader of reviewers,
I am completely in awe of Mr. Duncan's writing. He writes as though he's lived 7 lives and had 14 different siblings, and 3 or 4 unique sets of parents. He transcends many writing barriers...his lines of words often have uniquely heightened states of dream-like consciousness. All lines and passages, stories and musings, conversations and descriptions, are very very alive. The lines of the River Why have a fascinating youthfulness. It is an excellent book.
The freshmen honor students at UM Missoula were supposed to read The Brother's K the summer before arriving in Fall 2002. But, for me, it was MUCH too thick for the time allotted. (I eventually finished that novel, and appreciate it very much, and reccomend it every time the word "book" comes up in conversation.) But, being a trout nut fly fisherman, I decided to tackle the relatively thinner "River." A good choice it was.
I have found myself, like the adolescent, going back again and again to the fishing scene where Gus meets his match. I actually get a rush from reading that part...when she jumps from the tree, my palms sweat. The dream sections with Bill Bob are amazing, like peering into the eyes of a glowing extraterrestrial cat. I wish William James could have read Duncan.
If baseball afficionados tend to love the Brother's K, fishermen will surely love this book. Indeed, I rate "River" as a valuble fishing book that can whack a fly fisherperson out of the intermediate rut and into creative angling. I would bet that Duncan is a supurb fisherman himself.
He is also a superb human being, even though he wriggled his way free when I asked him to go fishing with me, saying something like, "Well, we all have our favorite spots [to fish], and I'm sure you do too." Wanting to do far more than simply protect his fishing spots, he has a tremendous heart for the land and her rivers and forests and inhabitants, especially birds and trout. I feel very honored to have met him and read a few of his works. The River Why is my favorite novel, and I've read it and referred to it multiple times.
With continued thoughfulness and honing of leadership, Duncan could make a great fisher of men, for he holds the capacity to whack people's minds out of many ruts and into ones of positive personal and social change. He is rather disturbed by wars and habitat destruction and would very much like to see them altogether stop.
Bravo, David James, for providing us with your writings. The earth is very lucky to have you. I look forward to reading more of your works, especially the ones about water.
With Enthusiasm,
Clark Rector
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Summary:
Good, but a bit uneven
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Comment:
Although it took me a while to decide if I should keep reading this book, by the time I got to the end I was glad I did. Duncan basically makes the argument that a life worth living arises from building loving connections with the people around us and from loving God and respecting nature. I enjoyed the subject matter and in many ways identified with the narrator's way of experiencing the world, so ultimately I enjoyed the book.
With that said, here's a little warning: In the acknowledgments Duncan writes that, without his editor, the book "would at times perchance exhibit a not unperverse and not unmaddening which is to say not unstupid verbosity not unlike this here." Unfortunately, I can hardly tell the difference between this self-deprecating example of bad writing and a number of equally indulgent passages in the book as published. The dialogue can be unconvincing in parts, the narrative gets bogged down at times, and while the book has some great moments, the execution is a bit uneven.
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