Chris Dombrowski is a Missoula-based writer, poet, teacher, and fishing guide, and he’s also the author of the excellent new book The River You Touch: Making a Life on Moving Water. If you’re a longtime Mountain & Prairie listener, you probably remember Chris’s first appearance on the podcast in which we discussed his first book Body of Water and his poetry collection, Ragged Anthem. Since that first conversation, Chris has become a great friend, sounding board, and supporter, and his generous spirit and creative commitment continue to be a huge source of inspiration for everything I’m trying to do here at Mountain & Prairie.
Like me, Chris is not originally from the West, but since moving here, he has built a meaningful, purpose-driven life that is deeply connected to the region’s rugged land and powerful rivers. Whether guiding fishing clients on the Big Hole, foraging food with his family, or hunting birds with his dog Zeke, the West’s wild places are a cornerstone of Chris’s life– professionally, personally, and spiritually. His new book The River You Touch offers rich insights into his journey from his home state of Michigan to his now-home of Montana, as well as his personal evolution as a husband, father, friend, and community member. Beautifully written, surprisingly vulnerable, and extremely inspiring, The River You Touch is one of the best books I’ve read this year.
Chris and I connected virtually and had a fun conversation about the book, fatherhood, adventure, writing, and much more. We started by discussing how The River You Touch came to be, which has an interesting connection to our first podcast conversation. We talk about his process of combining poetic prose with non-fiction narrative, as well as his desire to explore ideas around masculinity and vulnerability. We talk a lot about Jim Harrison– their friendship, Harrison’s genius, and his other-worldly work ethic. We discuss family, the blessing of having strong and tough wives, advice for aspiring writers, and more good book recommendations. Enjoy!
Photos by (past podcast guest) Erik Petersen
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Topics Discussed:
- 3:15 – Chris talks about how he came upon the idea that became his most recent book, The River You Touch
- 8:30 – Chris discusses his motivations for writing
- 14:30 – Chris talks about his writing process for The River Your Touch
- 20:30 – Chris discusses being vulnerable in his writing
- 30:30 – Chris talks about the need for more writing that discusses masculinity and vulnerability
- 34:45 – Chris discusses his relationship with Jim Harrison and how he operated with such a work hard, play hard mentality
- 42:15 – Chris explains the advice he received from Jim Harrison: “Don’t let your life become the sloppy leftovers of your work.”
- 45:45 – Chris reads a section from The River You Touch
- 48:30 – Chris discusses his thinking regarding having children and their environmental impact
- 51:45 – Chris talks about his wife and continuing his writing career after having children
- 54:15 – Chris discusses how he advises students who may not want to write as much as they think they do
- 1:00:15 – Chris talks about his audiobook narrator for The River You Touch
- 1:04:00 – Chris’s book recommendations
Information Referenced:
- The River Your Touch by Chris Dombrowski
- Body of Water by Chris Dombrowski
- Jeffery Foucault
- Upper Big Hole River
- Montana Arctic Grayling
- Draft No. 4 by John McPhee
- Salish peoples
- Bill Bryson
- Jim Harrison
- Boys and Oil: Growing up Gay in a Fractured Land by Taylor Brorby
- Sergei Yesenin
- Raymond Carver
- Richard Ford
- Tobias Wolff
- Dirty Realism
- John Updike
- Mile Marker Zero by William McKeen
- Thomas McGuane
- Jimmy Buffett
- Hunter S. Thompson
- Juanita Vero
- Chandra Brown
- Freeflow Institute
- Jonathan Franzen
- Lois Welch
- Norman McLean
- David Gessner
- Taj Mahal
- Nick Adams Stories by Ernest Hemingway
- The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
- Milkweed Editions
- Mary Austin Speaker
- Tecovas
- Nickolas Butler
- Adam Gall
- One Long River of Song by Brian Doyle
- Believers by Lisa Wells
- Perma Red by Debra Magpie Earling
- The Lost Journals of Sacajewea by Debra Magpie Earling
- Fools Crow by James Welch
Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these too:
- Dylan Tomine – Protecting What He Loves
- Peter Stark – Tales of Adventure, Exploration, & Epic Battles
- Antonia Malchik – Exploring Culture & Complexity
- Nickolas Butler – The Craft of Creativity
- Peter Heller – Chasing the Flow
- Hal Herring – A Man of Words & Wild Places
- Monte Burke – Exploring Obsession
- Juanita Vero, Part 2 – A Deep Desire to Serve
- Malcolm Brooks – Epic Tales from the American West
- Mike Foote – Perfection is in the Process
- Brendan Leonard, Part 2 – On Running, Creating, and Other Irrational Passions
- Chris La Tray – Rediscovering His Past, Writing His Future
Visit the podcast page for a full list of episodes where
