Montana Books

Since my youth I have admired the poetry of John Donne. Not for its overwhelmingly religious and theological sentiments but for its individuality.One can take a subject that he was writing on in one poem, say mortalism, and see it interpreted in another way in another poem dedicated to another patron. It was only later that I found out that my intuition about what amounts to the theological opportunism of the Rev. Mr. Donne was more than a literary devise. He was desperately trying to keep his head above water in the on-going theological struggles that held England in their grip for most of the 17th century. I am much more of a philosophical materialist now than I was in my youth however these metaphysical poems still mean something to me. The `deathless' "Death Be Not Proud" is still one of my favorite poems in the English language.

***I've noticed that a second edition of Donne's poetry has been released and amazon has just been forwarding the reviews from the first. This review was written for the first edition.

When I made the decision that I wanted to study John Donne this book was the first place I turned. Norton Critical Editions tend to be the most thorough studies of any particular writing with generous helpings of criticism and well annotated authoritative texts and this one is no different.

The criticism in particular is phenomenal. They are especially brilliant when reconciling the difficult contradictions between what can appear as base as lust in Donne's love poetry and the higher love that Donne aspires to. The essays dealing with the various categorizing and readings of Donne's religious poetry are also invaluable. Most every piece of criticism included in this edition helps to illuminate Donne's works and aid new readers attempting to grasp the various levels of activity going on in much of his poetry.

I only refrain from giving this edition a full five stars because it lacks any sort of cohesive introduction to Donne's life. The poetry of John Donne in particular reflects the man's life and without any sort of background information, even a few pages in an introduction, readers are essentially just cast adrift. However, this information is easily obtained online or at the library.

Regardless, this still remains the best edition of Donne available both as an introduction for beginners and for those who wish to have a better grasp on Donne's work. If you are at all interested in John Donne, this book is absolutely necessary!

John Donne was truly a poetic master. Preeminent among the metaphysical poets, his talent shines brightly in both his early secular and later religious poetry. This volume is particularly useful in its helps with the texts and its discussion and analysis of the meaning and impact of his work. I find these aids useful indeed with a more "difficult" poet like Donne. This book is a good starting place for the study of John Donne's poetry.

This selection of the most important of Donne's poems complemented by critical articles that provide insight into the techniques and meanings of one of the most intellectually challenging of the great English poets is first -rate.
Donne's greatness as a poet is in part in his making passionate argument of ideas, in his fusing the world of sense and idea in startling combinations. His poems of Love and of Death are among the most profound and moving in the language.

This novel features veteran Montana state trooper Beau MacAllister, a wise-cracking good ol' boy who has great instincts and is not too concerned with protocal. Beau is called to a truck stop to stop a robbery in progress - but the whole thing seems fishy to him and he ends up shooting the supposed victim in the butt during a 3 way fight between Beau, the "victim" and several Indians using compound bows. Beau suspects something is amiss and tugs on this loose thread until he finds the conspiracy.

The characters in this story are well-written - Beau is particulrly well developed, especially for a cop novel. The DA character (Vanessa Ballard) is quite memorable and "feels" like a real person, rather than a caricature. Even McAllister's nemesis, Dwight Hogelan, shows signs of growth during the book.

All of this makes the end of the book very disappointing. The first 90% of the book is a great cop thriller - but the end is very hoaky and formulaic. It is like he finished the book under pressure and ran out of time. For example, he was maneuvering an Indian character into becoming a second Crazy Horse destined to lead a spiritual revival of the Plains Indians. However, 50 pages of character development was quickly dismissed in one page at the end. Why bother?

Due to the disappointing end of this novel I have to lower the rating for this book from 5 stars to 3 stars.

I've reviewed Carsten Stroud in the past. I've always stressed his atmosphere and characters. In my opinion he excells in his books at being able to take you into the story and make you genuinely care for his chatracters. the same is true of Lizardskin, but here his dialouge is also very finely done. Yes the conclusion is a little weak but it's such a pleasure getting there that I will readily forgive Mr. Stroud and his Robin Cook ending. Actually I found myself enjoying the story so much that I really wasn't in all that much of a rush to see it end. I have read this novel several times over the years and every time I enjoy it immensely. Read this novel if you enjoy storytelling at its finest.

Carsten Stroud's Lizardskin is one of the best books I have ever read. If you had the chance for revenge--would you take it? It's your choice. You decide. In an instant. That is partly what this book is all about. Set in the area of Montana and the Little Big Horn, this book opens with an incident at a gas station. There is a shootout between the owners and someone shooting at him with bows and arrows. Carsten Stroud's character is called in to investigate. He does not like what he finds

This was Stroud's first novel, after two works of non-fiction. And unlike most journalists who have great difficulty making the transition from fact-based writing to fiction, Stroud has no problem at all. This is an outstanding book: characters so real you can practically touch them, humor so outrageous that sections provoke out-loud laughter, a complex completely viable plot-line, and sections of writing lyrically simple and beautifully constructed. Stroud is one wonderful writer.

Aside from all the above assets, the author's feel for place is so powerful that Montana comes alive in its vistas, its climate and its denizens. There's also a lot of native American history, integral to the plot, that isn't sentimentalized but made to come alive--via hero Beau McAllister's sensibilities.

A good author always, always leaves the reader wanting more. Lizardskin is a signal accomplishment in that it practically begs for a sequel. Stroud has gone on to write other, equally fine books, resisting the temptation to overwork a winning hand. Smart fellow, first-class writer.
My highest recommendation.

i really loved this series, and this book in particular. oliole's personality is such an easy one to love. i never wanted to stop reading!the ending is understandable, but that doesn't make it easier to take. it's not a happily ever after, so it leaves the book feeling unfinished. i would love more books in this series!!

When you combine a fiesty, independent 30 year old woman in the west who also happens to be a photographer-- with a handsome gentleman with plans for an isolated ranch, you are in for a wild ride.

Ollie as I called her, fought with the best of them, often freeing herself and others from the frightful gangs of outlaws which terrorized their towns. She was always ready.

One of the highlights of the book occured when Ollie was commissioned to do a 24 picture series titled Women of the West and her quest to obtain those pictures...the good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly, all colors and ages.....what an adventure.

Much action, much emotion, just enough religion and love cause this book to hold one's attention clear to the last few pages when I wanted to throw the book across the room I was sooo disappointed. More, please.

Really related to this heroine and her struggles to choose between her photographer career and freedom and ride off into the sunset with a handsome drover. His open personality and simple ways sneak past her defenses and force her to consider giving up all she came West to find. It's a fight between her will and God's as she faces a number of enemies too. The ending was right, but want more in this series!

This book is full of hilarious dialogue, real life experiences of people assuming things before they happen and a great love story where the boy does not get the girl. A fun read, but most important is the dialogue between the main character and God. Thanks, Mr. Bly, for a great book and one that does not end in the normal way.

Michael Malone, who has since passed away, was a great scholar. As with his previous writings there is some overlap, but plenty of new material, as well. Other great books include Emmons' book which is also first class. Thus, I would recommend both Malone's early writings and Emmons book. The "Copper Camp" written during the Works project is another book worth looking at; but keep it in historical perspective. It seemed rather racist to me, particularly in the manner in which it deals with the Native American population.

This is what most people would call the "definitive" one-volume history of Montana, and I'd have to agree. Written primarily to serve as a testbook for college-level history courses, this is a comprehensive, balanced, and detailed overview of Montana's fascinating history. All three authors knew the state extraordinarily well, and clearly loved its past. (Both Malone and Roeder taught history at Montana State University, and Malone later served as the school's president; Lang edited the Montana Historical Society's journal.)

Still, it's difficult to recommend this book to the casual reader. By striving so diligently for completeness and balance, the authors created a product that is weighty, dense, and largely without style. Montana's vibrant, spirited history has been rendered lifeless here, and reading this book can be very slow going. As a professional historian, I find it to be a great reference tool, but its not something that most folks will want to read for fun. Instead, you might consider these two evocative and beautifully-written histories of the state: Joseph Kinsey Howard's "Montana: High, Wide, and Handsome" and K. Ross Toole's "Montana: An Uncommon Land." Both are classics in their field, and are wonderful reads.

When I recently asked at the Montana Historical Association about the best history of Montana, this was the book recommended. Having read many books about Montana, I agree. The current edition, published in 1991, is authored by Malone, Roeder, and Lang. An earlier publication in 1976 was by Malone and Roeder alone, and the newer revision is significantly updated.

While acknowledging that Montana's history dates back thousands of years before white Europeans first appeared on the scene, this text primarily deals with history since the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1805-1806.

Fur traders and mountain men followed quickly after Lewis and Clark. They explored the land but didn't settle anywhere for long. The populating of Montana began in the western part of the territory in the 1860s with the development of the gold and silver mining districts. Geographically, western and eastern Montana differ greatly. Cattlemen were the first developers of eastern Montana, primarily after 1880, and were followed after 1900 by the farmers of the homestead era. "A History of Two Centuries" is one of the few books to treat development of the entire state evenly.

Gold, cattle, mining, homesteading, railroads, economics, drought, and the evolution from frontier to integration into the United States are all elements of Montana's history. Each of these ingredients caused Montanans to compete forcefully against the natural world and one another. Many of the ingredients have spawned individual books. No other single book covers them all so well.

A lot of the Montana's history is at the heart of America's "Wild West." Few writers have the discipline to describe Montana without getting caught up in the romance of the myth. That is unfortunate since the facts provide ample romance. The reader of this text will find plenty of "wild west" in the people, development, and politics of Montana. It is a worthy successor to "Montana: High, Wide, and Handsome," which for years served Montanans as the best account of their state's history.

The chapters are roughly chronological and the authors provide an extensive bibliography for each chapter.

I am from Montana and have never really learned the history. I became interested after seeing a Montana Historical Society art showing. They recommended this book as the best general review out there. It is rare that any author can capture Montana's extrordinary beauty with words, but Mr. Malone does that surprisingly well. I would have to agree with the Historical Society that this is a great book for people unfamilier with Montana's diverse and amazing history.

Here is a true American hero. She survived one of the biggest tragedies of the modern age and carried herself forward through the aftermath to dazzle us all with her wit, her charm, her intelligence - and the beautiful, selfless example of her spirit of forgiveness.

The example Montana-LeBlanc sets is gift to all of us. Would that I could live up to her example in the face of adversity... She is a model of positive and constructive energy that every parent can hold up to their children as a lesson in resilience and good.

NOLA has a special place in my heart and I swear to this day I won't go back because of how Katrina all went down. When I saw Phyllis Montana Leblanc on Spike Lee's "When the Levees Broke" I knew there was something about this woman. She spoke with power and the pain of someone who survived a great ordeal. And she didn't mind expressing herself with a curse word or two, which reinforces the BS the survivors went through.

I heard about the book when she was being interviewed on the Tom Joyner show. I rushed out and got it. Let me tell you, this book takes you where the TV did not. I can't imagine how they did made it. Sticking around vs. leaving town. Taking the chance to go out beyond their "safe haven" through murky waters. Going from place to place until they ended up in San Antonio. Going for a week in the clothes on their backs and no baths.

Phyllis Montana Leblanc is no seasoned writer, nor did the editor correct every pargraph or sentence. I don't think that is what this book is about or meant to be presented as. Keep in mind this is her personal account, just as if you were reading her journal or sitting out on the porch listening to her tell it to you - minute by minute. I finished the book on a lazy afternoon, it's only a couple hundred pages but makes you feel like you endured the entire week.

This is how author closes the last chapter of her story. It made me laugh. It is one of the few things to laugh about in this book.

If you have ever wanted to sit down and have a one-on-one conversation with a survivor of the Katrina disaster, then this is the book for you. The author and her husband did what they felt they needed to do in order to prepare for the storm. They had their cell phones fully charged; filled their tubs with water; cooked plenty of food which they sealed in ziplock bags; set aside water, and secured the windows. But when the roof started to fall in, and they had to make an emergency evacuation, they were forced to leave these things behind and become what the television pundits called "refugees". What happened next makes for a gripping first hand account of their struggle to survive not just during the storm but during the aftermath.

Something she says in her book sums it up: "To say that Hurricane Katrina traumatized me would be a flat-out lie. I was traumatized by being left behind for so long without my family. We were left to die."

This was a hard book to rate. While the author's story is worthy of 5 stars, the presentation, as the Newsweek reviewer noted, is raw. It is unpolished, tends to ramble and could have used better editing. I'd rate it 3 stars. So I averaged the two out and gave it 4 stars.

At times a painful story to read, I learned a lot by doing so. I wish the author and her family the best, as I wish the best for others who also suffered through Katrina.

i watched and followed the whole katrina storm, have family and friends who dealt with it and the whole aftermath, but when you read this book you getr a up close and direct day by day account of just what went down and the many obstacles faced during and after it's devasting effect on all people involved.Phyllis Montana Leblanc pulls no punches and speaks on her and Her Husbands situation through this brutal and unfair storm. it forever changed lives. this is a powerful must read Book ASAP and a reminder of natural disasters and how to be prepared for and what to do. very detailed and a strong,strong book.

Robinson has written an excellent title encouraging Christians to witness without gimmicks or manipulation.

The book is divided into 3 main sections with several chapters in each section:

1. You Have Been Empowered to Share Jesus.
2. You Have Been Entrusted to Share Jesus.
3. You Can Be Equipped to Share Jesus.

The book is an excellent encouragement for Christians to witness in the Spirit without being manipulative. However, if you are looking for a title with more specific information on what to present when witnessing, I would recommend books on FAITH or Evangelism Explosion. It just depends on what you're looking for.

Despite this, I still recommend the book.

I thought this would suggest a more "sensitive" approach to sharing religious beliefs for those who "feel guilty, stressed and awkward" about it, as the back cover says. Unfortunately, this is just another pitch for proselytizing. Therefore, I have to say that maybe there is a good reason many Christians feel guilty, stressed and awkward about that. They know, deep down, that it is wrong and that it is contradictory to the concept and meaning of religious freedom.

Religious freedom is not license to try to impose your beliefs upon others (even subtly). It is freedom to believe in God as an Evangelical or a Unitarian Christian, a Freemason, a Buddhist, a Sufi, a Hindu, or whatever, without having someone try to convince you that you're wrong.

As Thomas Jefferson said,"Our particular principles of religion are a subject of accountability to God alone. I inquire after no man's, and trouble none with mine."

Thomas Jefferson also said: "Religion is a subject on which I have ever been most scrupulously reserved. I have considered it as a matter between every man and his Maker in which no other, and far less the public, had a right to intermeddle."

I think Jefferson had the right idea, and the sooner we put a halt to all religious bigotry and establish real religious freedom, the sooner we will have a country where we are indeed all equal.

We used this book in a Personal Evangelism class in Seminary. I have to say that I found it very easy to follow, and yet it contains all of the elements needed for evangelism.

Unlike some Evangelism books, which require groups or trained leaders to use them properly, this book was written to be used by a single person to learn more about evangelism.

It is a book designed to help you larn to bring others to a knowledge of Jesus Christ, and as such it is excellent.

This book is written in a way that it is easy for any christian to read.It is written in a way that may seem to some to be too simple.But if people are still dying and going to hell we are doing something wrong.It is time that we as christians get back to the basics.We need to regain that joy that we lost in telling people about Jesus Christ.It is time we realize that this is not just some game we are playing,and after it is over we can all just go home.How selfish have we become to think that it is not our responsibility to tell people about Jesus.It is time we opened our eyes to the big picture and share the love of Jesus to a lost and dying world.

I was engrossed with Pretty Shields story from the moment it began. It was wonderful to read of a native woman's life, before "the buffalo went away". Life then was simpler and so full of joy, as well as so many hardships, but the spirit that is brought across is inspiring and uplifting. A wonderful and engrossing read from beginning to end. I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone interested in Native studies, feminism, or simply life, before we came along.

Based on the title and the editorial reviews, I was expecting (and hoping) to read about Pretty-shield's life as a healer, and more about the customs of her tribe. Instead, a lot of the stories were about things she did as a child and teen, mostly how she got into trouble and silly things she did with friends.

On the positive side, it's an easy read, and would be a good introduction to Native American life.

a wonderful collection of memories of Pretty Shields life- as soon as you start reading you will love her. A strong, smart woman from the last generation of native people who lived by the way of the earth. you should read this!

This biographical information about Pretty Shield, a Wise One of the Crow was originally compiled and published in the 1930's by Linderman. This book is the third reprint of the original story and contains a new preface by Alma Snell (Pretty Shield's granddaughter) and Becky Matthews. Linderman was called Sign-talker by the Crow due to his insistence that his interview subjects spoke in signs even when a translator was present. His earlier biography about Pretty Shield's clansmen, Plenty Coups, gained him unprecedented respect and admiration within this clan.

Due to this distinguished reputation, Pretty Shield was willing to tell Linderman stories about her seventy-four years and about the lives of women before and after the coming of the White men and the decline of the bison herds. Pretty Shield is uniquely candid describing daily activities of women that are rarely recorded. Moreover, she describes specific incidents illustrating traditional Crow behavior and conduct. Many of these sometimes humorous, sometimes heart breaking stories demonstrate both negative and positive examples of such customs, often with Pretty Shield herself being in the wrong.

In addition to narrating these stories about Pretty Shield's youth, family, marriage, and the raising of her children, Linderman also records his impressions of Pretty Shield and her life at the time of the interview. This information not only illustrates how traditional Crow ideals relate and are translated into the more modern lifestyles of Pretty Shield and her grandchildren but also allows a view into the personality of a very unique woman.

Pretty-shield is a touching biography that will be enjoyed as a recreational read. Nonetheless, this book also contains important rare incites into the lives of traditional and modern Crow women. Thus, the book is suitable for those interested in learning a little about traditional native life as well as those researchers looking for detailed information about the changing lifeways, traditions, and belief systems of the Crow during this transitional period. This book contains unprecedented candid information about this time from a viewpoint rarely recorded presented in an entertaining, easy to read, meaningful way. That the author also wrote a book on the male perspective from the same native group, simply adds to the potential importance of this resource.

Once Upon a Time there was Vince and Nancy...

This is the sobering story about domestic and substance abuse in America and becomes somewhat of a knowing commentary about the gigantic obstacles that must be surmounted be they social or through the courts system. Nancy Lewiston's story is a microcosm of one of our country's most frightening social pandemics: domestic violence.

The story begins with the heroine, Nancy Lewiston, leaving her husband, Vince Cooper, under the stealth of the early morning. It took Vince hours to even know that he'd been was still incontinent from a heavy night of substance abuse for most of the day. Nancy had hatched a plan to leave her emotionally deranged husband the in southern California community of Vista Oaks and start a new life in an entirely new community, with new identities for herself and her children Frank and Lilley. Nancy was now Suzanne Keller and her children were Russ and Angela.

Vince in the meantime would not take this abandonment lying down. He didn't care so much that his family was gone. He was insulted. Vince, in his deranged state, could only see his family's flight this as a personal affront. It was an affront that would require, or better to say demand, his exacting revenge on the mastermind, the responsible party - his estranged wife, Nancy.

So into action he went...

Vince started with the most obvious of havens, Nancy's family in their hometown of Greenbriar, California, about 150 miles to the North. Vince just knew that his in-laws were behind the whole escape. He wasn't far wrong as Nancy's older brother, a successful lawyer in Massachusetts, was behind the scenes making arrangements for her to start her new life even further away from Vince, under the watchful protection of Castle City's young police captain, Trent Brown.

Nancy's new life of Suzanne was as dual as her identity. As Suzanne, although she had all the struggles of starting life over as a single mom, she also had the joys of living life and raising her two children with never having to worry about suffering the emotional and physical abuses that Vince dished out at whim. But as Nancy, on the other hand, she was still looking over her shoulder everywhere she went for the man who was coming to destroy her new life, the man who wanted to take not only her children, but her dignity. She knew Vince was a dangerous predator on the hunt for her - and he was after her children.

In the meantime Vince through a private detective had discovered that Nancy was in Castle City. But because Vince reneged on paying the bill he could not find out her exact location. Vince didn't have the time or money to continue to go back and forth to Castle City in search of Nancy and the children. He refused to give up. He was fired by his thirst for revenge so he decided his best option was to move to Castle City and get work. He would settle there just long enough to find his prey. And in a dramatic turn in the plotline, Vince comes within a gnat's hair of finding Nancy as he starts an adulterous affair with Christina Brown, the wife of the police captain, Trent Brown, the one man in Castle City who know exactly Nancy Lewiston's assumed identity and whereabouts.

Although settling in to their new life in the new community and their new school, Frank and Lilly begin coming with the hard questions about their father that Nancy knew she'd eventually have to answer. They want to know about their father. They need a father figure in their young lives. Caught between fears of losing her children and having to look over her shoulder everywhere, Nancy ultimately decides to face the music and stop hiding. Whatever consequences will come will come. She wants a divorce. She wants to formally finalize her life with Vince. Through Vince and Nancy's divorce proceeding Vince was finally able to pin Nancy to the mat through the court system and win custody of Frank and Lilly, based on legal technicalities stemming from Nancy's flight.

But the story doesn't end there! Youngerman has provided a dramatic ending for the story with a big twist in the outcome. To give this away in a book review would do the author an injustice. If you want to know the ending, read it yourself!

Public Lies, a professional looking paperback, was printed by Outskirts Press in Denver, Colorado. This book is available through the publisher and on the various online stories such as Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, etc. You can also get the book through the author by contacting her through her personal website or you can request it at your local bookstore.

Brenda Youngerman's Public Lies is her second work which uses the novel to shed light on the plight of families dealing with domestic abuse, her first being her debut literary venture, Private Scars. In reading Youngerman's books and studying her website you will see that she is on a crusade to fight domestic abuse. She has intended her novels to show the plight of victims who are struggling with the causes and affects of the abusers.

Let's hope she finds her audience.

After six years of abuse, Nancy leaves her husband. With the help of family, she and her children change their names and begin a new life. However, the children want to see their father. Nancy gives up her safety only to be drug through a court of lies.
Public Lies is riveting. I could not put this book down. Brenda Youngerman has created a drama that reads like a true story. She sheds light on spousal abuse and the ability of some to manipulate others into believing lies. It is to be remembered that both genders can be abused, and both genders can lie and manipulate. Fans of drama and fiction will want to add Public Lies to their list of must reads.

Reviewed by Carol Hoyer for Reader Views (5/08)

Brenda Youngerman has really hit the nail on the head with this book. It is a very dramatic and truthful story of what happens when women are caught in domestic violence. This is a book that all women should read who are in a violent relationship.

This story revolves around Vince and Nancy Cooper and their turmoil of a marriage. Vince is controlling and abusive mentally and physically in addition to being a substance abuser. After a great mental struggle, Nancy decides she can't live this life anymore and takes her children and leaves Vince. What follows is the harrowing tale of what Vince will do to get his wife back so he can have revenge on her. Even with the help of her family, friends and lawyers, she is depicted as a mother who is useless, running the streets and using drugs, all of which are not true. But it shows us how a person who is cunning and manipulative can make people think otherwise.

Having worked in the field of domestic violence for over 20-years, I can say this book says it all. Even if one's relationship is not at the same point Nancy and Vince's is, it can happen to all of us. I would recommend reading "Public Lies" at all women's shelters and crisis centers. Also all professionals that work in this field would benefit from reading it.

Nancy marries Vince Cooper in her parents' backyard. Nancy had believed she was marrying Prince Charming, but everything changed after the wedding. Nancy and Vince have a girl and a boy together.

After six years of threats, along with sexual, mental, and verbal abuse, Nancy takes the kids and flees while Vince is asleep. Vince wakes up after a drug hangover and notices his family is not there. Vince swears he will find Nancy no matter what-and will get revenge on her for leaving.

Nancy gets help from her family and is on the run. She and the kids move to a new town.Nancy changes her appearance and all their names. Nancy is constantly looking over her shoulder for Vince. She knows he is looking for her, and that it is only a matter of time before he finds her and the children.

After about three years, the kids are getting older and asking more about their father. Nancy is feeling guilty keeping him from them and decides to get out of hiding, find Vince, and file for a divorce. Nancy is hoping to make everything alright again and give the kids their father back.

The kids get their wish and get to see their father, but Vince is back to his ways again. He will use any lie or threat to get what he wants. Vince is filled with so much revenge for Nancy he will do anything to get back, even if it means turning the kids on their mother.

Nancy is trying to prove the type of person Vince is and to protect her children the best she can. But when the court turns its back on her, she has to choose to keep fighting or to give up.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat. I could not seem to turn the pages fast enough.

I felt the characters emotions and felt as though I was there with them. This very good book brings a brighter prospective of domestic violence to our eyes.

Armchair Interviews says: Powerful story of domestic violence no one really wants to read--but this author's writing made you want to turn the pages rapidly.

Queen of the Legal Tender Saloon is a refreshing, insightful look not just at modern life in Montana, but at life and love, personal growth and a woman making it on her own in the world of cowboy lore. Author Eileen Clake writes as powerfully as Pam Houston, with insight and strength wrapped around lifelike characters that have the same wants and needs, strengths and weaknesses found in all of us, yet tempered by the world of the modern cowboy. You can't help but to get hooked on the prose, captured by the plot. It's the perfect companion with which to curl up by the fireplace on a long winter weekend.

What a wonderful idea: Montana through the eyes of a dental assistant. The Big Sky State is, after all, comprised far more of civil servants and teachers and CNA's and truck drivers than the cowboys and far-sighted writers that we tend to idolize. Thank goodness for a well-spoken author who looks at Montana's foibles through the eyes of a believable character. Thank goodness, too, for a fine portrait of a Montana town and valley. And bravo for the cover artwork. What a relief to find a bold artistic cover statement--as opposed to another look-alike muted dust jacket!

The book started moving by the time I got to the trial. The cover however, leaves something to be desired. I mean I know all the old bla bla about not judging a book by the cover, and that stands true here. Make it past the sad attempt at a cover and find a great story hidden inside. -If that is, you can deal with that "uppity, sage-brush and beat-up truck Montana stuff. Why do all of those Montana writers get off on that stuff?? ;>

An intimate portrayal of a young woman's pilgrimage to small town rustic Montana. Ms. Clarke captures the essence of this close knit community with endearing characters in search of good times amidst their struggles. A lively story with true grit, heart and soul.

The writings of Michael Dirda are a wonderful gift to anyone who loves books and literature. "Readings" is a collection of his columns from the Washington Post's "Book World" section. The contents are as varied as a well-stocked library. His learning, his wit and his breadth of his interests make this book equally inviting.

Within these covers you'll find an appreciation of P.G. Wodehouse, an excursion into the literary world of New Orleans, the story of his guest membership in New York's Yale Club (and its wonderfully inviting library), a discussion of Japanese literature, ruminations on turning 50, the pleasures of book-shopping...and I haven't begun to exhaust the variety. Read this volume and understand why Francine Prose calls Dirda "a cultural treasure" and why Annie Proulx say he may "be as close to the ideal critic as we are likely to get."

One cautionary word to readers of Dirda's delightful memoir published last year, "An Open Book": as he notes there, he adapted some of the autobiographical pieces from this book for that memoir. But the overall amount of overlap is small. And a second cautionary note to all: be warned that you "must read" list is likely to grow even longer once you've immersed yourself in Dirda's enthusiasms. If you cherish fine writing in its many forms, you should love this book.--William C. Hall

I read this in parallel with two other books of pieces by literary critics: Joseph Epstein's "In a Cardboard Belt" and Maureen Corrigan's "Leave me Alone, I'm Reading". Of the three, Dirda's book is hands-down my favorite. (Epstein's essays were kind of mean-spirited and Corrigan's book, though good, is nowhere near as funny as this one.)

There are so many terrific pieces in this collection. In no particular order, ten of the forty-six that really tickled my fancy:

Weekend with Wodehouse. (the biannual convention of the P.G. Wodehouse society)
Mr Wright. (tribute to his high-school English teacher)
Commencement Advice.
Four Novels and a Memoir. (a devastating sendup of several bestselling genres)
Bookish Fantasies.
Comedy Tonight. (a list of 100 amusing comic novels)
Sez Who? (Different experiences while browsing for books)
Excursion. (a weekend in New Orleans)
Talismans.
Vacation Reading.
Mememormee. (Why he's not a fan of memoirs)

There are another ten that could just as easily have made the list. What I enjoyed about Dirda's essays are his infectious enthusiasm for books and reading, which comes through in every piece, his wit and humor, as well as a certain generosity of spirit. EVen his brilliant takedown of the various bestseller genres is obviously done with affection.

This book has left me eager to seek out more of Dirda's work, as well as many of the books he mentions in these essays.

Recommended for all fans of books and reading.

Reading about how literature has shaped Michael Dirda's life is somewhat entertaining, I suppose. But reading the books he discusses is an incredible experience. If for no other reason, buy this book because it will turn you on to so, so many more. I never would have discovered Maugham's Ashenden, Wodehouse, Lawrence's trek across Arabia, Vidal's Washington, or Kipling's Kim. Treat Readings like a directory of great literature and follow Dirda.

A collection of his columns from the Washington Post's Book World, Dirda's book is a fun hodgepodge of short, readable essays on a variety of book-related topics. While many of them, as one would expect, are discussions of books themselves, Dirda also spins off into other areas, such as fond memories of a favorite English teacher, childhood trips to the library, the joy of book shopping, etc., which makes this collection more varied, more personal, and in the end more interesting than a simple "review" style collection. That's not to say the reviews aren't worth it--they are intelligent, concise, and witty and the sheer variety of books discussed in terms of style, tone, genre, enhances their interest. Dirda not only holds your interest, he piques it as well, so keep a pen handy as you read so you can jot down the titles of books you're going to want to pick up after Dirda finishes telling you about his experiences with them. One word of caution--if you've read his memoir An Open Book, some of these pieces will sound familiar as they have been incorporated with some changes in the memoir. If you haven't yet read the memoir, don't let that turn you off from doing so. It's certainly worth its own read, reworked and in a more full context the familiar columns won't seem as repetitive as you'd think, and if you want, you can always just skim through those sections.