Montana Books

I thoroughly enjoyed this trilogy! It brought me back to the places I was familiar with when I lived in Montana.

Very well written book. Gave the reader a feel for the hardships, joys, and life of an immigrant. Beautifully describes the Montana scenery.
Book easily held the interest of the reader. In fact I had a hard time putting the book down. I would highly recommend this book to any age person who has a nominal interest in the life of our forefathers. Reading it, I could just feel the excitement and the beauty as well as the pain of life in the 1890's.

One reader compared Doig to Larry McMurtry...hmmm, maybe, but I think not. Dancing at the Rascal Fair is my first Doig novel, but not my last. I will be reading his other work, for sure. D at the RF is so well written, I am bonded to these fictional characters as if they were real. Am thinking of them, long after I've finished the last page. If you enjoy reading about land, early settlers, hardships and love - you'll enjoy this one.

What a beautiful book, yet tragic. As usual the writing is simply wonderful. If you love literature, this is a must. The story chronicles the migration of a couple of Scottish families to Montana and the trials and tribulations that they experience. The book is masterful. A must read.

a fantastic family saga of life on the montana prairie back in the day. everything one could want in a historical novel: realistic, interesting characters, a strong sense of narrative, and a grand presentation of a place in time. this is the 1st book i have read by this author, i now greatly anticipate reading more of his work. my highest recommendations.

I love this book. It has a lot of good advice and metaphors for living. When life gets me down, and I feel lost, I often reread this book to help me through. I originally got this book as a hardback as a gift. I lent it to someone who never returned it and had to repurchase it. Unfortunately, I could only find this paperback version. Although not a religious book, this is a good complement to the Bible for advice on life.

I've looked for this book for years and finally found it. It was sent promply and in perfect shape. Good job, guys!

This is a great book. The book really isn't about sailing. It's about life. The writing is outstanding. To all the fools who reviewed this book as a sailing instruction guide really missed the point. Too bad because there are few very poignant lessons in the text. It's not a book for caveman though. It's probably read better by either men who have some sensitivity or romanticism. I highly recommend this book.

I'm a rower, so this book may have fallen into my hands by mistake. But I enjoy sailing one-man boats, too. There are some sweet stories in this book. I didn't hate it or anything. But the overall emotional effect seemed contrived or prepackaged. I don't object to the hokeyness--I LIKE hokey!--but very chapter is a pat lesson from sailing that maps perfectly to life. Give me a break. The effect is charming at first, but eventually it's cloying and a little silly.

Contra one of the blurbs on the cover, I suspect one's enjoyment of this little book will be inversely related to one's familiarity with sailing. The less you know the more you may like it. (This is not borne out by a quick scan of the reviews, but only a small percentage of readers write reviews. I suspect a microscopic percentage write negative ones.) There's a rowing book that comes to mind here: MIND OVER WATER. It just didn't seem that deep to me. It didn't seem as if the guy really knew that much about rowing.

Books like this create a nice illusion of emotional depth, in my opinion. There's a market for that, which is fine by me. Bad breath is better than no breath at all.

My favorite quotation . . . "For the truth is that I already know as much about my fate as I need to know. The day will come when I will die. So the only matter of consequence before me is what I will do with my allotted time. I can remain on shore, paralyzed with fear, or I can raise my sails and dip and soar in the breeze." This is much more than a book about sailing. Bode's words ring of honesty and truth. This book inspired me to "raise my sails" back in 1997 and they are still up today.

I felt the hero was no 'hero' at all. He was abusive and controlling - even to the point where he didn't want her having keys to the car so that she couldn't leave.

This is the kind of guy that women should run from. Sure, in the end he was all sweet and loving. But what happens the next time he gets angry?

I was horrified that a character like him could be the 'hero' in a romance. A character like Duncan would be more suited to a murder mystery.

I really liked this book. The characters were interesting, believable and funny at times. The story was entertaining. Plenty of romance, and steamy scenes that you would expect from Howard.

I loved the characters. I had a hard time putting down the book. Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: about five. Setting: current day ranch in Montana. Copyright: 1990. Genre: contemporary romance.

I loved this book and it's definitely a keeper. Not a long story but soooooooo worthy your time.

This is about a strong man (the typical Alpha male indeed) who is in need of a wife and finds one by placing an ad. He was scarred by a nasty divorce that left him broke and absolutely disillusioned by the matrimony itself but he wants a family and heirs for his ranch. And there she comes, a lovely city girl who will help him look at life with new eyes. Although Reese is abusive at times, you can't deny that he cared for Madelyn very much and since the very beginning, although he wouldn't admit it and not even to himself. The part where she risks hypothermia was very romantic and I loved how she proved all through the story that she was a good wife, in spite of his initial doubts.

I do recommend this book because it has it all: a sexy hero, a very sweet and determined heroine and a solid plot that's very engaging and fast paced. The steamy bits add a great deal, too! ;)

This book is a hard book to find, but I'm glad I did! This is vintage Howard. Possesive alpha male, entertaining, hot, quick little story. If you are a fan of Linda Howard, check it out. If you aren't a fan of her yet, check it out- you won't be dissapointed! She's an esquisite story teller. You are guaranteed alpha male to the max, hotness, and a damn good story. What I especially liked about the story was that the heroine stood up for herself without being an annoying pain in the a**. The book I have was a Sillohette published in 1990, and it's OLD, that's the cover I have. Oh, and I just have to mention that even though it's written in 1990, it's not too dated for a contemporary. The story of Madelyn's brother is told in Loving Evangeline, which I'll eventually check out. I'm slowly working... no savoring... my way through all of her books.

You'd never guess from meeting him that his book is selling in Urban Outfitters all over the country. Davy is a rockstar, and The Lone Surfer is completely mesmerizing. It takes you from a cornfield to a border town, from a prisoner's cell to grandma's condo in Florida, all with a perfect combination of comedy and irony. I finished the book a week ago and continue to feel that kind of connection and identification that unsatisfyingly makes me wonder how his fictional characters are now. More please!

It's a good collection of stories. He writes in a voice that fills a room.

A decent but not terribly impressive or memorable werk; I think there is a spark of talent buried in there and I hope it matures. This little collection has a few fleeting moments of brilliance but overall doesn't linger with much substance. For every passage that suggests depth and insight, there are two on each side that feel vapid -- heavy on the style, like he's searching for his voice and spends too much time imitating others.

Anyone who has heard or seen Rothbart as part of This American Life or in his appearances for his magazine "Found" knows that his voice and demeanor are inviting and unassuming, perfect for narrating the kind of stories he likes to tell - those that revolve around the everyday and mundane. One of the stories from this collection, "How I Got Here," takes the form of a found essay - an inmate's response to a writing assignment. This story probably comes closest to achieving what Rothbart's more familiar work does, but some of the other pieces here fall a little short of the mark.

There is definitely promise in this collection, and Rothbart has a fantastic eye for the great moments of the everyday, but unless you allow yourself to "hear" him read these, you might find them a little disappointing.

I loved this book, my only complaint was that there was not any more chapters. I bought this book after hearing the author on NPR several times. He is adorable, clever and so beyond entertaining and all of that comes out in this book. I highly recommend this book. Not only I am buying copies for my friends now but I am looking forward to and hoping for more books from him.

I listened to, rather than read this book and it was so good that I rushed out and bought I listened to, rather than read this book and it was so good that I rushed out and bought TheMiernik Dossier,(the first of the Paul Christopher series) and have plans to read each and every book in the series. What intrigued me was yet another JFK assassination theory (I'm not a conspiracy theory nut, but I am interested).

When Christopher hears that JFK has been assassinated in Dallas, he immediately knows who did it and why. At a time when Lee Harvey Oswald was considered both the mastermind and crazed lone gunman of Kennedy's assassination, nobody higher up wants to even consider the alternatives. But Christopher knows, and embarks on a journey filled with danger and intrigue to prove it, even if only to himself.

Tears of Autumn is an intelligent read, and doesn't insult anyone's intelligence. The assassination plot is quite plausible, without being in your face about it, and the author's fine writing makes you believe that these events could have happened in the way he posits.

The characters are very believable; the action is nonstop, and the writing is incredible. If you are at all interested in the JFK assassination, or in Vietnam, or if you just want a quality read, then I can definitely and most highly recommend this book.

The Tears of Autumn recreates the feeling of the uncertainty that the US felt about its role and purpose in international affairs in the 60s. Did the US need to strive for humanitarian values or accommodate itself to Realpolitik?

McCarry writes very well, with smooth dialog that animates the action and characters. His portrayal of women, however, lacks depth.

I enthusiastically recommend this book.

The reviewer who called this book "dated" is wrong. The book was reissued precisely because 9/11 had made it suddenly relevant.

TEARS OF AUTUMN suggests that JKF was assassinated as "blowback" from Vietnam. JFK had okayed the assassination of Vietnam's president Diem, and Diem's family gave "payback" by assassinating JFK.

9/11 as "blowback" has been much in the news these past few years; the theory being that U.S. Mideast policy created Arab resentment against the U.S. GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul suggested as much.

TEARS OF AUTUMN analyzes, in a thoughtful manner, this theory of blowback. It's a very philosophical book, musing about history, politics, and human relations.

If you see this book as only about the JFK assassination, you'll miss the bigger picture. This book is about the nature of history, human affairs, and foreign relations. Its musings and insights are as relevant today as when it was published. And will probably remain relevant so long as human nature does not change.

Tears of Autumn offers an alternative explanation for the Kennedy assassination that may make sense but is unsupported by a shred plausible evidence, even in the book itself. Still everything proves to be exactly as Paul Christopher intuits, apparently on the strength of gut instinct alone. Far from being a realistic character, Paul Christopher is simply a more intellectual version of James Bond, a spy who never makes a prediction that doesn't come true, follows any blind leads or makes a single mistake. I saw nothing of the real life espionage work in this novel, just as series of increasing lucky, and decreasingly credible, guesses.

I first read this book in the mid-80s and again last week. It was wonderful then and has aged nicely. The book has it all. The well-sketched characters come alive on the page. The thrilling plot is complex but easy to follow (however, it does require careful reading). Since the main character's success depends on him navigating between western and Vietnamese cultures, the reader even gets a bit of an enjoyable cultural anthropology lesson! I strongly recommend this book for anyone who is looking for an intelligent espionage thriller.

It's so difficult to capture the spirit and beauty of the West, but this book does an outstanding job of doing so. Also loved the character development.

Fleeing an unhappy home life, young Boone Caudill heads west and meets up with Jim Deakins, an easy-going wanderer. In the company of seasoned trapper Dick Summers, they become mountain men, living a hard, cruel life that suits them because of their need for freedom and appreciation of nature's beauty. A.B. Guthrie, Jr. evokes the landscapes of the Old West so well that I could see them clearly as I read; he is equally skilled at evoking a sense of loss as we see this world disappearing before the pressure of the Westward Expansion.

But lest this description make the novel seem too romanticized, let me add that this is primarily the story of Boone's slide into savagery, a state in which he is unfit for human society. He emerges as a truly tragic figure, mourning his sins but prevented by his nature from acting in any other way.

Some of the terms in the book are not PC now, and a little hokey when he tries to write about "romance".
But I still remember how "un-Hollywood" Gutherie's writing was when I first read it in the 50,s. The film sort of sucks, Kirk Douglas was too old for the roll, but Arthur Lee Hunnicut the actor who tells the story just sounds like the salt of the earth, although I think he was trained on the east coast Then there is the black and white, the film crew goes on location in a great place and shoots in back & white.
If you go to upper Montana, along the Missouri, (where the tourists don't go), you'll find a little town with the original boat on display in the park. Read the book, then see the movie if you must.

If you like this kind of book you may be interested in "The Revenant" by Michael Punke, "based" on a true story.

I felt this novel could just as easily won the pulitzer.Guthrie has a way of knowing his characters deep down and portraying all that and more to the reader.

"...a heart beats wild in the Country..
and part of the wild, wild Country....am I.."

The story belongs to the mountain country and the early days of the fur trade - where men with many different reasons for leaving home left it anyway and made their way West, following instinct and the rivers. From the the Missouri that finds the Yellowstone and on through the caldera of the geysers where the birth of the Snake begins to wend it's way to the Tetons, it was the beaver that drew them, but it became something else that held them, something that is still there.

It's more than a gathering misfits, renegades and outlaws that make Guthrie's work such a splendid example of a novel based on history. It's a tale of wisdom born of necessity, where "nature favors no man" and a well-placed mistake may be the only one you get; and of surging youth and energy coming in behind it, everything unknown and everything larger than life. Primitive life, love, hate, friendship, jealousy mixing freely with no law to temper it, survival of each day being the only thing that mattered, and any thing that could be done during that day should be done, especially if it felt good.

The reader follows Boone Claudill as he leaves home with no where to go after an altercation with his abusive father, but he knows he has an Uncle who went out West and hopes to eventually find him, although he has no idea of the vastness of the undertaking; fate leads him to fall in with another man who will befriend him throughout his life, until unreasoning tragedy comes between them. We see him grow through several stages; from a hesitant, clumsy and starved teen runaway to a green but budding and capable mountain man trying his wings; and on into a life with a Blackfoot Indian girl he saw as a beguiling child and never forgot; but we also see his adoration move from hesitant infatuation while he is unsure of her, but later, she is merely another piece of his property, like his gun. We see other things happen to him too, the ravages of a mindset coming on that allows suspicion and jealousy to overwhelm him.

It's diverse character insights give the reader a glimpse into the soul of another of Boone's mentors, Dick Summers - a weathered, seasoned beaver-seeker coming to grips with the knowledge that he is no longer a young man, and he can see the times changing up ahead of him; no way to turn it back - he is filled with sadness at the approach of something he never thought would happen - the end of life as he had known it. If he is to go home at all, it must be now. His agony as he reflects on his earthy freedom in the wilderness while making the hardest decision of his life in deciding to leave it behind, is one of the highlights of the human emotion that is it's theme throughout.

For me, it was storytelling at it's finest and most honest; the blending of the love affair between a beautiful, unspoiled wilderness and it's first people; a way of life and a land that supported that life intertwined as one.

I always enjoy the Chicken Soup for the soul books. This is great for a college student, who doesn't have a alot of time to read but enjoys some short real life stories.

As a current college student, I loved Chicken Soup for the College Soul. It captured the uncertainty, exciting, nervous, and thrilling feelings of college and bottled them into a fabulous book. I enjoyed the book because the stories were relatable. Even though I have never experienced many of the situations in the stories, having the stories written by real people made me feel like I could. It motivated me to not only cherish the four short year of my college experience, but to take the knowledge that I will obtain in and out of the classroom, and contribute to the world in positive ways.
Many of the stories tugged on my heartstrings and made me tear up. Other's had me laughing so hard my sister wanted me to read them to her. I also learned how my parents must have felt leaving me at my college while they went home. Of course I was homesick the first few days, but that's nothing compared to the feeling of letting go of a child. I gained so much appreciation for my parents after stories like these.
I recommend Chicken Soup for the College Soul for everyone- those about to go to college, those in college, and those who graduated college. It is an inspiring read- and it made me want to stay in college FOREVER! College is a time to meet new people, learning interesting things, and learn and come to terms with who you really are. It's great to have a book that captures these special moments.

All the Chicken Soup books are very sweet. I got this one and the one for teenage souls for my son. He liked reading the intimate stories about college, since he'll be there soon. But more personally meaningful was a copy of "Words to Live By: A Journal of Wisdomfor Someone You Love" that my wife and I filled out for him, with our own life lessons and experiences. It started some wonderful conversations. I highly recommend it too.

I enjoyed reading these heart-warming stories that touched my soul. They relate my own feelings of confusion, doubts, and excitement I had during my first college experience. I got this book for a gift from my mom, and having this book helped got through my first year. It is a perfect gift for any new college student.

This book prepared me for getting into Algonquin. Algonquin is a huge campus filled with thousands of students, and I was this small town girl going through a big change. I expected the workload to be intense, and that it was a lot different from high school. In college, no student needed discipline, but in high school you did. I was responsible enough to be treated like an adult. I was now entering into adulthood. Unfortunely, getting to school was always frustrating, because every day I travelled on the bus for a least an hour. I did not own a car and still don't. My home was far, far away. I missed my mom so much that I wanted to go home and drop all my courses. I needed her more than anyone or anything. The thing was I just needed give myself some time. I just couldn't give up on everything I worked for to get into college. I was slowly adapting new surroundings. Then I remembered one of the messages in the book that you should go for your dreams and never give up. I decided to continue with my studies, and get on with life - life's a journey. I'm learning new things every day.

These stories have given me love, hope, and encouragement. First year isn't always easy, you just have to hang in there. This book guided me through tough times. I learned to stand strong whenever trouble comes my way. I highly recommend to all college students.

As a college student myself , I really enjoyed reading this book over the summer. The stories made me laugh a little as well as tear up a little, after thinking about my first year of college, as I am a rising sophomore, and the stories were classic Chicken Soup-very fun !

The chapter "Letter to Mama" is a must read for anyone grappling with gay/lesbian issues. I am reading Saturday Night Crisis Lines by Robert Harrison which discusses these issues in detail and in real life circumstances on the crisis hotlines of a big city suicide and crisis center, an easy read but hard to put down once I started reading this book.

This is the second of Maupin's 'Tales of the City' books. It's like a soap opera, in that the book is a continuation into the trials and tribulations in the lives of the residents at 28 Barbary Lane.

This book delves into the American psyche of the late 1970's. Maupin does a great job of interweaving social issues into the characters' lives without getting preachy. For example, he has Michael's parents becoming anti-gay crusaders. I understand that Maupin became less subtle about his political agendas in later books, but in this one he does a good job of it.

Maupin does a masterful job in making all of the characters believable and sympathetic (with the exception of Beauchamp Day). They are all people that you and I know. The dialogue is a little snappier than most normal people can manage, but is still engaging and witty.

Then, there are the inevitable surprise twists that Maupin puts in that make these books such fun to read. I won't give any of them away, but they are good.

This is a fine second effort for Maupin.

More Tales of the City maintains the standard set in the first book as the coincidences become more bizarre and the characters reveal more of their secrets. Of the latter Anna Madrigal has some real shockers; but there is a shock of a different kind in store for the adorable Michael Tolliver; and yet another for the insufferable Beauchamp. But before that Mary Anne and the Michael go on a cruise together and neither returns empty handed. We meet some new characters and some of the old ones play a bigger part.
Very funny and entertaining, with some amateur sleuthing which involves several of the residents of 28 Barbary Lane keeping us guessing to the end, this is a most enjoyable read.

More Tales of the City beat Candace Bushnell's Sex and the City with its gaylit/chick lit twist on the menagerie of personalities at Barbery Lane. This sequel reveals more of the mysterious Mrs. Madrigal than ever with twists and turns only possible in San Francisco. You WILL laugh yourself to tears!

After I finished reading the first novel at a friend's insistence, I was so hooked by the end of it that I got the Omnibus of the first three novels and one of the final three novels so I can continue reading the saga of the residents of Barbary Lane.

The first half of this novel, I thought was better than the first novel, as I simply couldn't put the book down. I had to read "just one more" chapter, and since most chapters ran no more than three pages or so, one chapter turned into several chapters. The different story lines are interspersed, and I found that my curiosity switched from one to another as I read more. Some story lines didn't interest me (regarding DeeDee Halcyon Day and her mother), while others had me hooked (Mona Ramsey's vacation to a ranch in Nevada where she has an amazing coincidence that reveals a deeper connection between her and another character). I also enjoyed reading about Mary Ann Singleton and Michael Mouse Tolliver as they grow closer in friendship and take a cruise to Mexico together. On the cruise, they meet a man whom they don't know if he'd go for Mary Ann or Michael, and some of the wit apparent in the dialogue is laugh out loud funny. The plot moves towards a strange, and a bit far fetched, conclusion built around a mystery of one man's amnesia and the bits he remembers and some odd personality quirks. I didn't find their discovery to be realistic, but its not enough to take away from my enjoyment of the novel. Overall, I still like the first one better, but I'm really glad to see a continuation of these characters. The ending hints of things to come, so of course I plan to read the rest of the series in the next month or two. Like the first novel, the dialogue is simply amazing, full of wit, and laugh out loud funny. Armistead Maupin is a conversational genius and knows how to hook a reader. My only critique would be more time spent on descriptions, offering more details and observations. These novels read like a screenplay, but that's probably a big reason why this novel is so easy to read through. I can't wait to read what will happen next!

Stepping Off the Edge: Learning & Living Spiritual Practice
Buy this for Wallace Black Elk's picture on the cover--and for everything inside. Black Elk's state is written all over his face. The man's soul comes right through this book. My spiritual teacher, who was from India, told us to study masters who could impart the experience of God, not people who wrote about people who had experience. Black Elk fits the category of those who know.

This book has a great volume of imformation in to the heart of the Lakota. Read twice, you get more out of it.

Well, it took quite a bit of courage to write this book at a time when there was so very much opposition to sharing the knowledge of Creator with us Waisichus (white eyed folks). In the way that only Wallace could speak...here in these pages he comes back to life as the Genius he truly was. He loved to tell people; "I am only a dumb Indian"...and then he'd laugh that laugh "Hee hee hee hee", knowing that he really had one up on all of us. If you read behind the lines, you'll learn something, really learn about Creator and the way things work on this Canka Luta Waste and behind that Canunpa. Enjoy this book....as this is one elder who has passed on and can never be replaced.

This book is a masterpiece of wisdom. It is a pattern for a way a life that can serve every human being upon their journey on this earth.

Being interested in the wonderful subject of Native American thought and "religion" (spirituality), and having enjoyed other books of this genre, I was a "shoo in" to purchase this book. The personal quality and warmth of Wallace Black Elk pervades each page. He writes in the same vein as "Black Elk Speaks" and "Fools Crow, Medicine Man" but with a more modern, present day approach and color. This book should awake understanding of both past and present conditions of life for Native Americans. It is written in a simple and sincere manner and I recommend it to anyone who would like to know more about Indian thought and spiritual practices.

Dirt bike racer is about a teenage boy who was scuba diving one day with his friend and decides to dive deeper than he usually does, and on his way down he catches something out of the corner of his eye. It was a dirt bike! And from then on the fun began.
The coolest part of the book was when he actually started riding the bike. I couldn't believe how fast he got used to it. Usually it would take you awhile to get used to a new dirt bike, especially if you have never ridden dirt bikes before. But hey, it's a book.
I would recommend this book because it's a great story for guys, like me, who don't like reading. This is a great book for somebody who is actually interested in dirt bike books. There is plenty of action and some comedy. The book has some illustrations, but my favorite one was of a list of the parts he needed for the bike, since it was in the water for so long. All in all it was the best book I have read this year.

This was a great book, I could hardly put it down. It was nothing less than amazing. The best part was...THE WHOLE BOOK!! It had a great story line. Fasinating. it was only 281 pages but thats not all, there a second book I haven't gotten to yet. I would like to read it sometime in the near future. All it takes is the ability to read and your off, into the book and you don't even notice. Matt Christopher is a great sports writter. The reason i like his books so much is because I love sports. It's true. the book really got alot out of me. i used to like dirt bikes but, one time, i was riding with my friend and i hit a ditch and i went for the air and then hit the ground, hard. It hurt alot (of course) but i stoped riding for a long time, even till this day I haven't gotten near a dirt bike. but now ill look into it and i might even have enough courage to start riding again. Maybe. Well overall it was a great book and I hope that you will be able to read this book and the next book to.

Dirt Bike Racer is about a young man whos name is Ron and one day Ron and his friend Tony went scuba diving underwater, Well ron happen to see a dirtbike underwater in the lake.So him and his buddy pulled it out from the lake and took a look at it. It was going to need some work done to it and he was going to need money.So then ron meets some blind old man named Mr.Perkins. Mr.Perkins gave ron a job so that he can fix up his dirt bike.
Do you want to know more.... Read the dirt bike racer by Matt Christopher. I encourage many people to read it.Its an exciting and thrilling book!

One of the books I read from the author Matt Christopher is called Dirt Bike Racer. The book began at Ron's house. One day he went scuba diving and he saw a dirt bike. Then two weeks later he went back to see if it was still there. Then Matt took it with him home and his dad helped him fix it.

In the middle of the story they heard something in Ron's garage. The neighbor saw it, too, and he called the cops. They were in the garage and they found screws on the floor from the dirt bike. The thief was going to steal parts of the dirt bike.

I like this story because I like to ride dirt bikes. You can go off ramps and to do flips and back flips. This author, Matt Christopher, seems to like sports just like me such as football, baseball and dirt biking. It was exciting for Ron to find a dirt bike in the ocean. If you read this book you would like
it as much as I did!

I enjoyed this book because the Author did a great job in writing it. It was hard for me to put the book down. I would recommend it to anyone who likes dirt bikes such as I do.