Montana Books

After a horrendous child custody case where my wife and I were both accused of abusing my step-children, this book was a God send! We both learned so much that is helping us finally win this war. Brenda Scott's book should be read by every single parent in this country, especially by those who homeschool.

As a person who was falsely accused of neglect this book was shockingly accurate to what I thought and experienced during my traumatic experiences with CPS. The children who are REALLY abused do need CPS services and should get them. The falsely accused families who are abused by CPS also need some support and services. The damage that a fasle accusation from CPS leaves behind is also abuse. Many are quick to judge and believe that CPS can do no wrong. I USED to be one of those people. Now being a victim of the system I no longer believe that. CPS is not always right and is a lot of the time WRONG! God Bless our families!

Wow!! This book is an accurate description of what happens many times in the Family court system. I wish I would have had the insight to read this book years ago. Dr. L. McNeese in his book, "How to be strong, when falsely accused" ( www.lmcneese.com) describes a similar story as discussed in this book. He also give tips on how to deal with such an intrusive system. I feel that this book along with Dr. L. McNeese's book is a must read for any one who is dealing with Child protection agents and the family court system.

I would recommend this book to ALL parents. It is a shame and a total travesty that in a so called "Free County" innocent people are being put through something like this! They should be re-named "CDS" (short for CHILD DESTRUCTION SERVICES)... I, for one am outraged!

If you have children this book may save your family. This book may change the way you deal with your family doctor, your child's school, and who you allow into your home. No, I am not paranoid, but there are too many cases documented here of individual rights being trampled, due process ignored, and families destroyed by bureaucracies that are not concerned with what is just. You may also be left with a cynical view of our adversarial legal system -family services workers assert that 'a declaration of innocence is a sign of guilt'. Let's just bind their hands and throw them in the river -you know the rest.

Left unanswered is the secondary question of how family services organizations became dominated by so many wrong-headed people, and how our tax money came to fund them. Are they really so deluded that they think they are doing good, or is there a New World political agenda driving them? Why do prosecutors go along with them? Why do police departments make arrests based on little or no evidence? There are a few good people in these organizations but I am afraid they have been intimidated into silence. Fixing this problem will take politicians willing to fight the tide of it-takes-a-village political correctness. How did it ever get this bad?

I will never tire of reading about mothers and daughters. When I was 10, my own mother had a breakdown and was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. In the years that followed, my father - a medical scientist with many connections - my mother, and many others in the family, wove a fascinating yet tortured life for my siblings and me. There was always something sinister behind the blatant reality of my mother's tragic intermittent psychosis. That something sinister was in part the times in which we lived, times not far removed from the times Sexton and Linda Gray Sexton lived.

I like to think we live in more enlightened times now, but am not sure of that perception.

Linda Gray Sexton's account of life with her mother was by turns refreshing, brutally honest, uplifting and depressing. Yet it needed to be told.

I have never been a great fan of Anne Sexton, the poet. But after reading the memoir written by her daughter, I doubt that I would cherish the words the poet wrung from the souls of her young.

To grow up in a household where genius resides is a terrible burden. I find it amazing that Sexton's daughters, especially Linda, survived at all. It is a book painted with a palette of despair, but never mean-spirited. It was, after all, a story begging to be told:"...I would bring her back to life, but to do so would require that I give up my life to her; to do so would require an act of cannibalism on her part, to reverse this process that every other mother and daughter engage in- the mother-daughter dance, birth and death..."

Linda Gray Sexton saves the most painful revelation until last, and it becomes the defining action I will most associate with Anne Sexton. This poet, this mother, unable to attain her own epiphany, extends the cycle of emotional violence into another generation, and the betrayed becomes the betrayer. Linda Gray Sexton did what she could, finally said "no more". This is by no means an indictment of the daughter. Rather, I applaud her choice for life and freedom, for her own future, for her own children.

I actually read this book while it was in production -- I was on the proofreading team for the publisher's typesetter -- and the entire team was enthralled by this book. Work is work, and usually we would would deal with the task at hand, but on breaks and over lunch, many of us working on this book would have mini-sessions about the author, her mother, the context of the relationship. We all felt very personally attached and protective of this book because we were working with the manuscript, which had handwritten notes between the author and her editor in the margins. It wasn't simply a narrative, we were keenly aware of the humanity behind the words. However, that awareness was truly heightened by the sensitive and thoughtful writing. Of course, my reading experience is unique to my situation, but I urge all readers to give this book some time. It's worth the investment.

I read long ago the biography of Anne Sexton by Diane Middlebrook, and was very impressed by the tormented life of the poet. I also happened to read one of the novels written by her daughter, Linda Gray Sexton, "Points of Light", which I did not like all that much. So I had (I thought) an idea of who Linda was, both through the biography and her novel.

I was wrong. Searching for Mercy Street is truly what the subtitle claims: "A journey back to my mother". It gets so personal it is embarrassing at times. Linda goes into a lot of detail as to why she revealed things that you would never want anybody outside of your family to know, and it makes sense, and yet it doesn't. I have never read a better account of life with another person. It is not 100% chronological, but it is rich in detail and clarity. I read it with the anticipation I have sometimes when reading a very interesting novel.

Long time ago a friend said: "Your parents are probably the only people that you may love even if you don't like them". I have thought about that comment quite a bit over the years. Linda was conflicted over the relationship she had with her mother. There was the void of not having had a mom in the general sense of the term, not so much a June Cleaver, but more someone who takes care of you, looks after you, helps you, loves you. There was the abuse. And mingled with everything else, there was the unconditional love. The complexities of mental illness are true and clear and never better represented than in this story. I have to wonder: how much of Anne's behavior was pure selfishness, and how much was her disease?

I had to cry at some of the stuff, because you know the pain was real and strong, and there was no prettifying any of the horrible things that went on at that household. And at the same time I had to smile at certain things, like the tenderness in the relationship between Linda and her father. It was heartwarming, among all the raw pain.

The choice of photos complemented the writing perfectly. I loved reading this memoir, pain and sordid details and all.

"My mother died of depression. She took her life to end her pain." --Linda Gray Sexton

Living with Anne Sexton must have been like living in hell--and her daughter, Linda Gray Sexton, leaves absolutely nothing out of this book. She allows every dirty secret to emerge like a sort of bitterness filling the air.

Such as Anne's body lying on top of her-- "She's very heavy...I want to scream-get off, get off, get off!"--Linda Gray Sexton

Without Linda G. Sexton's honesty, "Mercy Street" would have been just another Mommy Dearest, but this was not. This book was about therapy, change, and forgiveness: this book was about new beginnings.

"Without knowing it, mother passes out to me her powers of observation. She shows me how to watch, how to see, how to record what transpires in the world around me. This is how I inherit her greatest gift..."--Linda Gray Sexton

"Searching for Mercy Street" was about rising above an environment which could have easily turned one into the same monsters you coexisted with--

But Linda Gray does not only show the reader the monster, the molester, the mentally ill, Anne Sexton-- she shows us the victim, the darkly depressed poet-- who without writing, would have killed herself long ago; she shows us a mother who did the best she could,even while walking through the dark.

Linda Gray Sexton finally arrives whole--In a world for her that was once motherless--

Now, after years of searching, she has found the mother within, and Anne Sexton herself,with all her imperfections, lives within that person too.

It was an entertaining read, funny in a rambling way -- like your uncle who tells funny stories about at the dinner table, and you remember none of it the next day. Aside from the fact that this guy works at Glacier in the summers, there is almost nothing in the book that makes this about rangers and/or National Parks -- the connection is just a hook.

Met Pat Hagan this summer while hiking in Glacier Park. Found him to be a very Home Grown Montana boy. I've lived in Montana for 37 years and felt I've know him the whole time. Felt the pride he has for Montana on our hikes. The same pride my husband and I share. Read his book and found it very funny and had a few choked up emotions when I read the last chapter. Reminded me of the 27 years I've hunted in Montana and had the same experiences.

Ranger Hagan delivers to the reader a glimpse of life as a National Park Ranger. Choosing a light hearted,satirical approach, his stories are sure to entertain.

Two Medicine Ranger, Pat Hagan's book "Seasonal Disorder - Ranger Tales from Glacier National Park" is absolutely fabulously fantastic!!!!! A "MUST READ"!!!!! You will laugh out loud!!! Anyone who knows Pat, or has met him, or has taken one of his Ranger-led hikes knows what a great sense of humor this man has and what a fabulous story-teller he is! And in contrast to the other chapters that will make you laugh out loud, his last chapter, "The Season's End" is a very poignant and eloquent capturing of what Glacier means to him.....and I would venture to say, most who have been there. I'm not embarrassed to say I had a few tears running down my face as I finished this last chapter....Glacier is so special - and Hagan nails it!

Pat Hagan is an imaginative and hilarious writer. I experienced everything from extreme laughter at his retelling of events to amazement at the experience he has had in Glacier to a deep sense of appreciation for this place that he loves so much. I would recommend this book because it touched chords from my childhood, uncomfortable adolescence and now, as I become an adult and look for a place like Glacier that captures my heart. Seasonal Disorder is a wonderful book and I would recommend it to any and everyone.

Sophia has worked hard to make the family estate (won by her father in a gambling match) into a home to be treasured by all. It is the last thing she has to remember her mother by. But, when her father goes to town to sell her late mother's diamonds he instead loses the deed to the house and property. Now what is Sophia to do? Well she hatches a plan to do what she must to keep her family home, even if it means undoing all the hard work she has put in. If that doesn't work then she will play cards for the one thing that she has left, her virtue. While she wouldn't mind a few kisses with Lord Dougal she doesn't want to lose everything.

Then suddenly when she spends time with the man she finds that her thoughts become cloudy and seem to stay on him. Not that Lord Dougal is having anything easier. He is amused that she is one of the few people who will stand up to him. Even when it makes him angry, and when he gets angry everyone knows the skies open up and the wind howls, not to mention the pesky lightning.

But when all is said and done, and the games come to an end, will they both end up losing? If they don't listen to their hearts will it matter who has the estate?

To Catch A Highlander was a laugh out loud funny tale from the first page to the last. I thoroughly loved how Ms. Hawkins used her imagination to come up with ways that Sophia could make the wonderful home appear to be a "dump". I was also intrigued to see that in Sophia there was a heroine that would not be taken advantage of, and is strong in her convictions, whether it is to keep her house, or to kiss Lord Dougal. The added whimsy of the curse that plagues the MacLean clan made me laugh and think what I would do if every time I got angry it started to storm. To Catch A Highlander is not your normal historical romance with Dukes, Viscounts and balls with women planning whom to dance with next; it is a fast paced fun look at gambling and personal convictions. I was thoroughly entertained by To Catch A Highlander and think you need to make sure you pick it up and plan on enjoying this read. I look forward to the next Scottish Highland Romance offering by Ms. Hawkins, as they are always a breath of fresh air.

Tanya
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I haven't read Karen Hawkins before but I love historial romance novels. I didn't enjoy this one to much.

This book is a wonderful read. The story is about a lady who's father just lost everything, including their house in a card game and Sophia is determined to win it back. Dougal MacLean is the unfortunate man who won the house from Sophia's father and carries the MacLean family curse. MacLean believes he is the master of all he surveys and Sophia could not care less. She means to get her house back no matter what. And the game is on. Thunder roars and lighting crashes as the two of them get together to play cards. There is so much heat in each hand of cards I couldn't put the book down. I want to know where to learn to play like that. Great book. I would recommended it over and over again.

I will only post one review as they would all be the same for this author
one word covers it all "OUTSTANDING"and i did purchase all the ones i had not read

This was a great book. I haven't read the others in the series but it didn't matter. The characters were interesting and the book focused on their relationship without getting too distracted by secondary stories. The love scenes were hot and it made me want to go out today and buy the other books. I look forward to reading other titles by this author.
There was a bit of humor in it, yah there could have been more, but enough to keep the story light and endearing.

This was a great book! My boss liked it so much he ordered one for each of our main managers and had them read it. Excellent job!

Too many non-remarkable examples and most of them adapted and a little forced to what he's trying to explain.
I don't like when the author uses himself in many examples. Should be more humble.
With all your respect Mr. Mckain but I got bored reading your book. Nothing interesting, too simple.

Scott McKain showed us how All Business is Show Business in his previous book. Now, after much research and months of work with a variety of organizations nationwide, he brings us insight into What Customers Really Want. This is the core of what drives purchases. When you learn what is wanted, selling is almost automatic! Follow this easy to read guide to find the abundant sales that are waiting for you.

Scott McKain can help your business increase customer loyalty and profitability. In his first book, All Business Is Show Business, he showed us how to "WOW" customers by creating compelling customer experiences.

In his newest book, What the Customer Really Wants, he shows us how to create true value for our products and services by seeing things through the eyes of our customers so we can give them what they need and want, not just what we want to offer them. This is targeted marketing at its finest.

Additionally, Scott McKain's books are a very enjoyable read!

Our training company has presented 2-day programs on customer service for 25 years--so I'm very familiar with most of the books out there on this subject. McKain's book stands out for three key reasons: 1) The slant or focus of the book is fresh--it focuses on customer experience, not customer service (read that "customer processing." 2) It has a helpful, extensive Executive Summary at the end of each chapter. Not your typical 2-paragraph ending, but a 3-page summary with the guts of the chapters netted out for a quick skim. 3) The "Bridge Building" section at the end of each chapter contains a long list of actionable items--perfect for developing training modules and saying to your customer service or call center manager: "Go thou and do likewise." In short, it's an engaging, impressive book.

Rick Bass lives in the Yaak Valley of northwest Montana. He wasn't born there, but he came to love the place and has made it his home. The people of the valley make a small, isolated community, with only weak versions of the infrastructure most Americans expect such as roads, telephone service, and shopping opportunities.

This book is a collection of essays, as short as one page long, talking about the Yaak. They are presented in no particular order that I could determine, but that's OK - - Bass doesn't really write essays, he writes poems that look like essays.

The chapters provide lyrical accounts of his love of the valley, daily life there, political activism on its behalf, and the friendships he has in the valley. There are encounters with grizzly bears and politicians, the deaths and illnesses of friends, adventures with a fishing guide, and the pleasures of waiting for the mail.

I find it difficult to describe the book further. Like the Yaak, it is, and it is good that it is.

I do alot of reading of Conservation related issues and I like the fresh and crisp approach Rick Bass used in waking up the frontier spirit that is in all Americans. Paul Schultz

I bought this book after visiting the Yaak. and loved the wonderful prose and the enormous feeling of the wilderness.

I loved the book, and recommend it highly -- it really focuses on the valuable resources we have but often don't appreciate.

I first came across Rick Bass in the very readable collection "Big Sky Reader." His essay there about accompanying a friend on a fishing trip with several out-of-state fishermen was an enjoyable glimpse into the lives of folks in the thinly populated woods of the far northwestern corner of Montana. It's a self-sufficient kind of life, where people make do with few amenities in exchange for the beauty and solitude of the mountains and the isolation that comes with many months of snow and cold.

That essay, "This Savage Land," appears in this collection of the author's nonfiction. However, instead of the self-effacing, quiet humor of that essay, the rest of this book is a poignant account of an apparently doomed effort to preserve the Yaak River valley as a wilderness and bring a stop to the clear-cut logging that has been steadily turning it into a vast area of devastation. Chapters describing the author's letter-writing campaigns and his trip to Washington DC to make his case before Montana's congressmen alternate with descriptions of walks on the mountains, sighting bears and other wildlife, discoursing on the delicately interrelated flora and fauna, and admiring what is left of the old growth forests. There's also a chapter on the experience of the winter months and another on a summer of fires in the mountains and the role that fire plays in the regeneration and preservation of forests.

Through it all are the themes of loss and the ruinous harm of the logging industry, which he believes is not simply destroying a wilderness area but removing a critical link connecting regions where grizzlies, wolves, and other forms of wilderness wildlife still survive. When that connection is gone, he believes that these creatures will quickly die out. Meanwhile, the poet in him believes that something also dies within humankind when the wilderness is gone, and he reminds us that once it's gone it will be gone forever.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in the mountainous West, nature writing, and the lives of people in sparsely populated and isolated areas. It's also a book for those whose hearts respond to the call of the wild and who are concerned by the destruction of national forests by the heedless economics of the logging industry and its strangle-hold in government and other seats of power.

Rick Bass has written a plea that is at times elegant and at other times shrill. The best writing in the book are the stories of long-time valley residents (both human and animal) trying to exist in a habitat that is shrinking in the hands of indifferent government and corporate stewards. Every 30-40 pages there is the ripe whiff of the holier-than-thou that usually occurs when a gifted writer transplants himself to the West and somehow comes to believe he is the only one who can truly interpret its significance. But this is possibly a quibble based on the prejudices in my head as a longtime Wyoming rancher. In any case, it's good to know that each member of the Congressional delegation received a copy of this book, although it's doubtful that Conrad Burns or Craig Thomas ever cracked the thing.

This book provides basic introductory information so that you can go out and purchase your rod, reel, lines, waders and all the other equipment. After you've made your purchases you get advise on casting techniques and locations to fish.

I agree with earlier reviews in most particulars, but it should be added that the book - published in 2003 - is a bit dated, a slight matter which relates to some equipment suggestions. For better or worse, close to a quarter of the book is related to catching fish other than trout and salmon - on flies. Still, for raw beginners, reading this book is a very good way to start.

I purchased this book right after I started fly fishing, and found it to be a gentle yet surprisingly complete "starter pack" for somebody wanting an introduction to the sport. Basics of almost all aspects of the sport are covered, along with important terminology and concepts. I would *highly* recommend this to a person considering getting involved with this wonderful and relaxing pastime.

I'm finally retiring back to the NW after many years. My brother, an expert fly fisherman by any criteria (fishes every trophy stream in the U.S. -- his bad day is < 25 fish 16" - 20" or none over 20+ inches w/ pictures to prove it), has talked me into fly fishing after 40 years. My professional pilot discipline drives me to a manual to get all basics and techniques deeply ingrained before taking stick or fly rod in hand. I looked at every book on AMAZON before buying this one and a couple others. I immediately fell in love with this book and have been through it several times. I was impressed with Chris Hansen's mastery of the subject and his ability to communicate its full range from thinking about fly fishing to cleaning your gear after an outing. I asked my brother (other fisherman literally stop fishing to watch him catch fish) to critique it to see if I'd been fooled. He thought the content was as well written and comprehensive as I did. He said it was all anyone needed to become a happy, successful fly fisherman (assuming they fish where the fish are!) to the intermediate level. We both considered the illustrations and pictures superb. It's perfect for me . . . I suspect for you too. Thanks to this book, I'm doing well on my local park lake and looking forward to my first real fishing in Montana next year. I'm ready with the right gear and basics learned. I'm confident and highly motivated . . . now show me the fish. I extend my special thanks to Chris Hansen. Buy this book and you won't be disappointed.

As a person who had never picked up a fly rod in his life, I purchased this book with the hopes that it covered fly fishing at a basic enough level that my appetite would be whetted to learn the sport. I was not disapointed - the book starts at the beginning with the selection of basic equipment, (rods, reels, gear), and progresses logically through fly casting techniques, reading the water, and selection of flies for different types of fish. There is generous use of color photos and diagrams and the chapters are well written and easy to follow. My one criticism is that the section on the selection of clothing, waders, and accessories seems to go a little overboard,(do I really need to go out and purchase a vest with 25 different storage pockets and a floating sleeve to store my flies in?), but that is tempered with the knowledge that as one's skill and passion for the sport evolves, the equipment that will enhance that experience is out there.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has a curiosity about fly fishing, and the committment to put what the book teaches into practice.

The Four Forges is the first in a series of four books. It is a very well written book with an intriguing storyline. Enter the world of Kerith and immerse yourself with its wonderful inhabitants from the ordinary folk to the ruling mighty.
Jenna Rhodes has created a rich and vibrant world and has done so with 25 years plus writing. It shows! After you finish this first book you will want to start on the second in the series, The Dark Ferryman which has been published recently.
Enter the world of Kerith, you will not regret it!

I saw this book for sale at a good price and decided to give it a try. It went into my pile of unread books (currently at 44 books) for many months before I got around to reading it. I was very pleasantly surprised! The book has fantastic characters, a tight plot, and more mystery and depth than I've read in any book in a long time. I'm really looking forward to seeing where this series is heading!

This is a strong start to what can be a good fantasy series. We'll have to see where the author goes from here with the characters.

I read fantasy books all the time, almost exclusively. I absolutely LOVED this book, and as other avid readers know, good books ARE hard to find. The Four Forges is refreshing! The story seems a bit complicated at first but once you get into the book it is hard to put down. The author creates wonderful and interesting characters. Some you love and some you hate. The plot is full of twists and turns and there isn't a dull moment. The author builds up each character but it's done in a way that keeps you reading. I felt like she didn't waste any words (like so many other authors do). To sum it up the book follows the lives of Sevryn (an orphaned elf who grows into a deadly fighter), Nutmeg and her family (a lovable bunch of "Dwellers"), Rivergrace (a shy elf with a mysterious past and mysterious powers), Daravan (a shadowy elf who has his own agenda), Quendius (the villain with powerfully deadly demon weapons), and the Queen of the Vaelinars (the elfs)...and that's only a few of the interesting characters. While reading this book you can also look forward to deadly assassins, rowdy brawls, an ominous Dark Ferryman, and lots of laughs. Conclusion: I LOVED The Four Forges by Jenna Rhodes, great book, great characters! I look forward to more books from this author!

a wonderful novel that effortlessly combines high fantasy plot tropes with a moving story about a simple family and their trails and tribulations when they beoome emmeshed in the plots and machinations of the high and mighty.

I loved this book. It gave a lot more details than the show and tried hard not to pass judgement on the individual families.

It was a hoot that the Brooks and the Clunes would not have anything to do with the petty, hyper-competitive Tennessee family after they got to know them. Even at the post-show get-together, they sat apart. The Tennessee wife, in particular, was much more focused on one-upping the other families than simply curious to see if she could cope with 1880's hardships. She was what my grandmother would have called a "pill."

One of the family members in the book made an interesting observation: he had hoped to get away from the frenetic busy-ness of modern day living, but instead found himself living just an 1880's version of freneticism, working nonstop.

Finally, the book left me feeling that only one person in each family was actually gung-ho about participating in Frontier House. The rest of the groups went along, but not as enthusiastically.

Personally, one day without diet pop, hormone replacement therapy, and microwave ovens, and I'd be ready to kiss suburbia and strip malls on the lips.

I would just like to say that I did not read the book, but watched the entire series on PBS...that said, it was one of the most interesting and thoughtful programs ever to air on PBS (besides Sesame Street, of course!)

Anyway, I found all three of the families portrayed had their own ways of dealing with life in the late 1800's. Personally, I could not have done it....just the little conveniences that we take for granted each day (running water, heat, toilet paper) were not on hand and they had to make due with the few amenities that they had...if the book is as good as the mini series (I am sure it will be even better) you will find it as insightful as I did...

I didn't think I could love anything more than watching the Frontier House series on PBS. I am pleased to report that I loved this book even more. I don't think it would be a great read for someone who hasn't seen the series, but for those of us who have and loved it this is a must have companion.

The book intertwines facts about and stories of real life settlers on the Frontier with the stories of the Frontier House families, the Clunes, the Brooks, and the Glenns. It gave more indepth information about the selection process these families went through to be chosen for the show, the training they received and some of the questionable behavior they displayed while on the frontier. My absolute favorite parts where where they catalouged all of the clothing Nate Brooks was given to survive the winter as well as what rations of food the Clunes were given to last them the first five weeks of the experiment until they could get to the general store. My only complaint is that I wish they would have included this kind of information on each and every one of the participants. It may seem like minutae to some, but I loved every minute I spent with this book and have to say it was my favorite Christmas present I recieved in 2002.

First of all, I'm not going to lie about why I loved this project. Simply put, I loved seeing how the working class Tennessee family made it without "whining", as did the black family, while the hot-shot California golden-boy executive and his family quickly degenerated into their natural state, namely, whining, lazy, starving, cheating, immoral, whisky-making, white trash. It just shows that without a "stacked-deck" such types cannot compete with real people.

This isn't a nostalgic look back at our own "mythic American roots." This shows the realities of hard-scrabble farming. I can tell that this show has a ring of truth, because my own father was born in a log cabin in Tennessee and plowed with mules. This book and the series jives with his stories and my childhood visits. The chief benefit here is the respect you develop for the people who still live like this (most Mexican families would have had very liitle difficulty doing the same thing- if anything it would have been a step up.)

Of course, I'd recommend this book, or the series, just for California boy saying he "thought it was going to be fun." I must have laughed for five full minutes. I guess he better stick to dude ranches in the future....

Oh yeah, the Indian college professor bringing by an elk to feed the poor, desperate homesteaders was a nice touch. Of course, if they would have murdered him afterward and stolen his land it would have been more accurate. That's how all that "free-land" for homesteading came into being in the first place. Hoka Hey....

I've watched the videos three times through now, in addition to digesting the web site and now the book. I recommend all three.

It was an interesting project, but no one media presents it completely. You have to watch the videos, read the book, and then the web site to get the most complete picture.

Many people seem to have misunderstood the project. The people there were supposed to be 21st century people put into 19th century Montana. They had to use period tools, materials, and methods (mostly) but they'd still be 21st century people doing it.

The people chosen were an interesting study in human behavior. The Clunes came from the most radically different climate and background and frankly would have fared very badly in their first winter. I think in the long run they'd have probably ended up living in town and making out alright. Gordon Clune is a very entrepreneurial spirit. I also think he would have realized what that sort of pioneer life was doing to his family and taken them out of it.

The Glenns were the best prepared to survive a winter - providing they did not murder one another - and would probably have made it through to the next summer in the best condition. Karen Glenn was depicted as a most ungracious woman which is a real character fault, but it does not change the fact they would probably have survived the winter the best. Judge Winter would not have cared much about anything else. Mark Glenn came in as a step-dad into a ready made family which is a tough enough situation. Doing the Frontier House project on top of it seemed to have simply been too much for their relationship.

I really liked the Brooks, but a careful reading reveals that Nate and Rudy were somewhat of a ringer. Both had very applicable life experiences to surviving in such circumstances that the others families did not. They didn't have to make as much of an adjustment as the other families did, nor did they have children to consider and cope with. Kristen, on the other hand, had a background more similar to the other families and found the frontier life a hard road to travel.

It was too bad that the project ended only five months in. They were just beginning to really develop a community and that was a very important survival consideration. Much of the isolation and loneliness the women of the three families felt could have been alleviated somewhat as the families interacted with each other more as a community. A few more months and things might have looked much different. Providing the Clunes and Brooks managed to stay there through the winter.

Go to the web site and read the expert's reports as they are very revealing. Read the book too as it explains much as well.

.....Alan.

GIRAFFE OF MONTANA is a collection of four short stories featuring a group of mostly displaced animals. The book is primarily set in the state of Montana and introduces readers to Giraffe, the only one of his kind in the state, and his friends which include a family of opossum, a gorilla, a hippo, and a crocodile. Each story teaches important lessons about life and friendship, all in the course of brief but adventurous tales. In "Friends" Giraffe travels all the way to the Florida Zoo in hopes of helping both his lonely crocodile friend and an albino alligator who lacks self-confidence. The story not only relates the adventure, but it also emphasizes the importance of accepting one's uniqueness and accepting one another. The other stories are written in a similar fashion, each modeling positive morals and character traits.

GIRAFFE OF MONTANA introduces children to a wide range of animals while examining issues that are inherently human. William Bowman-Piper manages to do all this through stories that are humorous, entertaining and engaging. While this is a collection of short stories, younger readers may have a difficult time completing an entire story in one sitting because of their length. In my opinion however, this is the kind of book that begs to be read aloud and I believe it would be most enjoyed when shared between parent and child. It is sure to be so much fun, children will hardly realize they are learning.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Reviewed by Kim Peterson for Reader Views 6/06

Giraffe of Montana lives in a cave near his friends--beavers, kangaroos, raccoons, zebras, lions, opossums, an elephant, a crocodile and more. This out-of-the-ordinary assortment of animals dwell in a kingdom ruled by a king and queen and two princesses named Isabel. Volume one relates four short stories about these diverse animals that get along together despite their dramatic differences.

In the first story, "Friends," the animals help Giraffe prepare for a trip to Florida to invite Allison the albino alligator to move to Montana. Using his special talents, Billy the beaver builds a special railroad car to transport Allison back to their kingdom. Casper crocodile, who prides himself on his elegant tapered nose, learns to share his pond with the beautiful snub-nosed gator and both reptiles learn to accept the bodies they have.

In "Olympics" the animals tell Allison about Casper's success in the Montana Olympics. The newly-settled gator likes her new home and enjoys the thrilling tale of the race that rain nearly ruined.

In "Finding a Tree" the animals, led by Giraffe, hunt for a more spacious meeting place and the perfect tree for Christmas. Feeling a little crowded at their recent gatherings, the animals search until they find a place where they can celebrate the holiday together.

In "Christmas" the animals make the most of their time together because the winter weather usually limits their fellowship. They create a festive atmosphere as they decorate with lights and their own unique treasures. Again, the animals work together and use their differences to enhance their holiday and their friendships.

Despite the author "borrowing" characters like Kanga, Roo and Rudolph from other authors, "Giraffe of Montana" provides children with a likeable chapter book. Although the animals talk, Piper keeps them true to their real-life natures exposing children to the lifestyles of these unique animals, including their dwellings and eating habits. The book repeatedly emphasizes how differences can be accepted and treasured as well as the value of friendship. These great lessons for kids are delivered in story form without overt lectures or moralizing. Children will want to visit Montana again as well as access the related Web site at www.GiraffeofMontana.com.

A Witty and Interesting Piece of Children's Fiction



The colorful cover displaying the diverse human and animal characters that make up the four stories in "Giraffe of Montana" was the first indication that this was going to be an enjoyable book. Reading these stories reminded me of the stories read to my class in elementary school by visiting authors. It brought back warm memories that I eagerly shared with my 7 year old.



It is a difficult task to filter out the negative images and stories that inundate our children on a daily basis. I felt safe as I read Piper's stories and I felt that not only was I reading a fun selection of stories, but an educational selection as well. The first story was entitled "Friends." It was about Giraffe traveling to a zoo in Florida to "pick-up" Allison the alligator to keep his friend, a lonely crocodile, company. This story sets the pace for the book as we see that Giraffe is a loyal friend determined to keep his friends happy.



The remaining stories are equally warm and inviting with a lesson to be learned on each page. We are touched by many "lessons to live by" but there are three that stand out to most. The first being that it is possible for people, or animals - as the case may be - to live together in harmony regardless of their differences. The second lesson is that it is honorable and a reward within itself to do a good deed for others. The final lesson that I've learned from this book is that you can resolve any conflict in a peaceful manner when you take everyone's emotions and opinions into account before making a decision. You may take other lessons away after reading this book but the point is - it is a piece of fiction suitable for every audience and a colorful addition to your library.



"Giraffe of Montana" is a well written book penned by William Bowman Piper. He is a retired teacher of English Literature (he taught writing and 18th century literature in Houston, Texas at Rice University.) He is also a published poet and author of several books about English poetry and novels. (This information was taken from his exciting website named after his book.) This book is the first volume and I am certain that the continuation of the "Giraffe of Montana" series will be equally entertaining and educational.

Tyrone V. Banks

This is a charming tale with a strong narrative voice that reminds me of Rudyard Kipling's use of "O Best Beloved" in his Just So Stories. I remember that comfortable feeling as a child, the warmth and security I felt as the listener of such storytelling. I look forward to sharing this book with my own daughter as a read-aloud. Aspects of it seem particularly appealing to a child's perspective of the world. It provides contrast with some of the more heartbreaking children's fiction of recent acclaim as well. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.

English literature professor, William Bowman Piper, has penned a sweet-natured book, Giraffe of Montana, Vol.1. The book revolves around a Utopian fairy tale of an unlikely friendship between different animal species- a giraffe and a crocodile, a possum and a zebra, a hippo and a bear, etc. To make things even more interesting, they all gather together in the cold wilderness of Montana!

The clever narrative is divided into four chapters, wherein the feeling conveyed is that of the splendor of comradeship among all species, as well as the significance of getting along with everyone, notwithstanding our differences.

The first chapter introduces us to Giraffe living in a cave in a friendly kingdom and is friends with different kinds of animals. Giraffe is the important chief peacemaker for all of his buddies. One of his friends, the croc, is lonely, thus provoking Giraffe to travel to Florida in order to seek out a companion for him. Then there is Allison the alligator, who is self-conscious about her snub nose. When all the friends in Montana embrace her with "open arms", she forgets about her snub-nose and regains her self-confidence. The second chapter takes us back to the friends' "Olympics," where conflicts are resolved in a friendly way. In the third chapter, the friends argue as to where to hold Christmas and what kind of tree they will have. Of course, all of their differences are resolved. The fourth chapter brings us to the celebration of a very special Christmas in Montana.

One of the shortcomings of the book and one that prevents the book from becoming entirely engrossing and kid-friendly is the non-stop chatter between the friends. This tends to become a bit exhausting, and in addition, retaining the names of all the friends is a taxing exercise for anyone's memory, let alone children from 6 to 10.

The black and white illustrations and colored book cover by Bill Megenhardt enhance Giraffe in Montana. The cartoonish characters that are adorable and in synchronization with the text, as well as the vibrant colors result in a triumph of achievement and production. It is a harmonious concerto of peace among all species. Perhaps, we should all move to this peace loving place in the world, Montana. Are they still going to be friends in the forthcoming Vol. 2, or are they going to succumb to the real world's frenzy?

Lily Azerad-Goldman, Artist and book reviewer for bookpleasures