Home Waters

A Chronicle of Family and a River

By: John N. Maclean

Narrated by: Robertson Dean

In the spirit of his father's beloved classic, A River Runs through It, comes John N. Maclean’s true chronicle of his family and their bond with Montana's Blackfoot River—a profound and beautiful story about the power of place to bind generations, past and present

“Maclean’s Hemingway-esque prose is as clear as a mountain stream, flowing with a poetic cadence.” —Booklist

“The trout completed its curve in an undulating, revelatory sequence. A greenish speckled back and a flash of scarlet on silver along its side marked it as a rainbow. One slow beat, set the hook … in those first seconds I felt a connection to a fish of great size and power.""

So begins John N. Maclean's remarkable memoir of his family's century-long love affair with Montana's majestic Blackfoot River, which his father, Norman Maclean, made legendary. Now himself past the age that his father published his bestselling novella, Maclean returns annually to the simple family cabin that his grandfather built by hand, still in search of the fish 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 place, Home Waters is chronicle 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 in A River Runs Through It, including the 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 Redford’s film adaptation), whose mysterious death has haunted the family and led John to investigate his uncle’s murder and reveal new details in these pages.

A universal story about the power of place to shape families, and a celebration of the art of fishing, Maclean’s memoir beautifully portrays the inextricable ways our personal histories are linked to the places we come from—our home waters.

A Worthy Companion to A River Runs Through It

John Maclean has a gift for weaving together family history, fly fishing, and the people who shaped his life into a story that is both personal and compelling. Learning more about the Maclean family—the relationships between John, his father, his uncle, and the legacy behind A River Runs Through It—made this much more than a book about fishing. It’s a thoughtful reflection on family, memory, and the places that define us.

The narrator deserves just as much praise. His delivery was clear, expressive, and perfectly matched the reflective tone of the book. He brought the story to life without ever feeling overdone, making it easy to become immersed in every chapter.

If you enjoyed A River Runs Through It, or simply appreciate well-written memoirs that explore family, the outdoors, and the passage of time, I highly recommend this audiobook. Outstanding work by both John Maclean and the narrator.

Lots of history

such a great book. I love the history and locations. I really learned a lot from listening to this adventures book

A land of mountains and trout…

Beautifully written and an amazing tribute to and continuation of the world we were introduced to in his father’s book, A River Runs Through It. I really enjoyed this one.

A generational story of the Maclean family.

Being a fan of reading books about water, fishing, mountains, the west, family history and those who risk their lives fighting forest fires, every thing is here. it flows smoothly like a calm stream. This is the third John Maclean book I have read/listened to and I have enjoyed them all.

A truly beautiful story.

John Maclean weaves a thread of his families storied past, Montana and the Blackfoot River into the present for our generation. His father’s book, A River Runs Through It was a classic even in its day and it would be an immense undertaking to follow upon such a great legacy but in his own grandfather’s words, John has achieved something of greatness all on his own, echoing the beautiful and thoughtful writing style of a classic.