While the title novella is the most famous, the book contains three distinct works set in early 20th-century western Montana:
: In the Maclean household, "there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing". Fishing serves as a metaphor for spiritual discipline, grace, and a way to communicate when words fail. A River Runs Through It and Other Storie
: The collection is an elegy for a lost Montana. Maclean famously concludes the title story with the line, "I am haunted by waters," signifying how the memories of his family and the river remain inextricably linked. While the title novella is the most famous,
: A central, tragic theme is the realization that "it is those we live with and love and should know who elude us". Norman struggles with his inability to save Paul from his destructive gambling and drinking habits. Maclean famously concludes the title story with the
: A shorter, more humorous tale about Maclean's summers working in a logging camp and his intense rivalry with a skilled sawyer named Jim.