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31 Thought-Provoking Quotes By Norman Maclean

Famous As: Novelist, Journalist, Writer, University teacher
Born On: 1902
Died On: 1990
Born In: Clarinda
Died At Age: 87

Norman Maclean was a noted American scholar and author. His is known for his books ‘Young Men and Fire’ and ‘A River Runs Through It and Other Stories.’ Some of his other notable works include ‘Young Men and Fire,’ ‘A Manual of Instructions in Military Maps and Aerial Photographs,’ ‘The Woods, Books and Truant Officers,’ ‘Personification But Not Poetry,’ and others. Here is a list of quotes and by Norman Maclean, which have been excerpted from his books, writings, interviews, essays, articles, etc. Take a look at notable quotes and thoughts by Norman Maclean on luck, numbers, Montana, sunrise, stories, summer, memories, environment, life, philosophy, friends, silence, brothers, relationships, and more.

Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.

Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.

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 by grace and grace comes by art and art does not come easy.

My father was very sure about certain matters pertaining to the universe. To him all good things-trout as well as eternal salvation-come by grace and grace comes by art and art does not come easy.

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

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

Norman Maclean
We can love completely what we cannot completely understand.

We can love completely what we cannot completely understand.

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 even if it is only a floating ash.

One of life's quiet excitements is to stand somewhat apart from yourself and watch yourself softly becoming the author of something beautiful even if it is only a floating ash.

Norman Maclean
The world is full of bastards, the number increasing rapidly the further one gets from Missoula, Montana.

The world is full of bastards, the number increasing rapidly the further one gets from Missoula, Montana.

Norman Maclean
Slowly we became silent, and silence itself if an enemy to friendship.

Slowly we became silent, and silence itself if an enemy to friendship.

Norman Maclean
All there is to thinking is seeing something noticeable which makes you see something you weren't noticing which makes you see something that isn't even visible.

All there is to thinking is seeing something noticeable which makes you see something you weren't noticing which makes you see something that isn't even visible.

Norman Maclean
At sunrise everything is luminous but not clear. It is those we live with and love and should know who elude us. You can love completely without complete understanding.

At sunrise everything is luminous but not clear. It is those we live with and love and should know who elude us. You can love completely without complete understanding.

Norman Maclean
At sunrise everything is luminous but not clear.

At sunrise everything is luminous but not clear.

Norman Maclean
Many of us would probably be better fishermen if we did not spend so much time watching and waiting for the world to become perfect

Many of us would probably be better fishermen if we did not spend so much time watching and waiting for the world to become perfect

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

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

Norman Maclean
If our father had had his way, nobody who did not know
how to fish would be allowed to disgrace a fish by catching him.

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

Norman Maclean
...life every now and then becomes literature...as if life had been made and not happened.

...life every now and then becomes literature...as if life had been made and not happened.

Norman Maclean
Unless we are willing to escape into sentimentality or fantasy, often the best we can do with catastrophes, even our own, is to find out exactly what happened and restore some of the missing parts.

Unless we are willing to escape into sentimentality or fantasy, often the best we can do with catastrophes, even our own, is to find out exactly what happened and restore some of the missing parts.

Norman Maclean
The hardest thing usually to leave behind, as was the case now, can loosely be called the conscience.

The hardest thing usually to leave behind, as was the case now, can loosely be called the conscience.

Norman Maclean
To him, all good things - trout as well as eternal salvation - came by grace; and grace comes by art; and art does not come easy

To him, all good things - trout as well as eternal salvation - came by grace; and grace comes by art; and art does not come easy

Norman Maclean
For a scientist, this is a good way to live and die, maybe the ideal way for any of us - excitedly finding we were wrong and excitedly waiting for tomorrow to come so we can start over.

For a scientist, this is a good way to live and die, maybe the ideal way for any of us - excitedly finding we were wrong and excitedly waiting for tomorrow to come so we can start over.

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

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

Norman Maclean
Ahead and to the west was our ranger station - and the mountains of Idaho, poems of geology stretching beyond any boundaries and seemingly even beyond the world.

Ahead and to the west was our ranger station - and the mountains of Idaho, poems of geology stretching beyond any boundaries and seemingly even beyond the world.

Norman Maclean
Time was just a hangover from the past with no present meaning

Time was just a hangover from the past with no present meaning

Norman Maclean
Sunrise is the time to feel that you will be able to find out how to help somebody close to you who you think needs help even if he doesn't think. At sunrise everything is luminous but not clear

Sunrise is the time to feel that you will be able to find out how to help somebody close to you who you think needs help even if he doesn't think. At sunrise everything is luminous but not clear

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

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

Norman Maclean
They were still so young they hadn't learned to count the odds and to sense they might owe the universe a tragedy.

They were still so young they hadn't learned to count the odds and to sense they might owe the universe a tragedy.

Norman Maclean
...it is not fly fishing if you are not looking for answers to questions.

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

Norman Maclean
What a beautiful world it was once. At least a river of it was.

What a beautiful world it was once. At least a river of it was.

Norman Maclean
...the most sublime of oddballs, Leonardo da Vinci

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

Norman Maclean
Sunrise is the time to feel that you will be able to find out how to help somebody close to you who you think needs help even if he doesn't think so. At sunrise everything is luminous but not clear

Sunrise is the time to feel that you will be able to find out how to help somebody close to you who you think needs help even if he doesn't think so. At sunrise everything is luminous but not clear

Norman Maclean
It is a strange and wonderful and somewhat embarrassing feeling to hold someone in your arms who is trying to detach you from the earth and you aren't good enough to follow her.

It is a strange and wonderful and somewhat embarrassing feeling to hold someone in your arms who is trying to detach you from the earth and you aren't good enough to follow her.

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 by grace and grace comes by art and art does not come easy.

My father was very sure about certain matters pertaining to the universe. To him, all good things—trout as well as eternal salvation—come by grace and grace comes by art and art does not come easy.

Norman Maclean