Montana Books

This book was a better read than I thought it would be. It was a bit more "doctor-speak" in places than I would have liked, but overall was easier to read than I originally thought. This book helped me to understand the ins and outs of medications I am on personally, and gave me a different perspective on others as well. Overall, a good read for the layperson who wants to know more about medications out on the market for psychiatric conditions.

This is a great read, written by Samuel Barondes, who's a top notch researcher, doctor, and science writer. It covers the history of major psychiatric drug discoveries in a concise manner, while also including a lot of interesting detail. Here are a few of the other specific topics. It includes some interesting case studies. It describes the history of mother's little helper pills. It draws the distinction between drugs with immediate effects, such as Valium, and drugs with delayed effects, such as Prozac. And it discusses some very interesting recent happenings in the field of drug discovery. The author states near the end that it may be beneficial to "free psychopharmacology from its fixation on neurotransmission", and that doing so "may open up new ways of treating patients". In the previous two statements Barondes doesn't at all mean that we should give up on using psychiatric drugs to treat mental illness, but rather that new drugs should not focus on altering neurotransmission and instead should affect other brain mechanisms. He thinks that doing so may improve psychiatric drug treatment. Overall, this is an outstanding book that is both thought provoking and extremely well written. Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in psychopharmacology or mental health in general. Author of Adjust Your Brain: A Practical Theory for Maximizing Mental Health.

This book leads the reader through both the pharmacology and the history of a whole host of drugs that are used to treat disorders such as anxiety, depression, and Alzheimer's. He also addresses some of the early studies that were conducted to try to elucidate the effects of these drugs on different patient populations---the stuff about ADHD/ADD is fascinating. The author's style is clear and concise and he did a very good job of taking difficult subject matter and distilling the bits out that are of most interest to the layperson. Perhaps the most amazing point that the author makes is that most of the drug classes were originally found as accidents!

This third book of their Justice Series opens with returning character, television reporter, Kat Kowicki as she takes on a powerful U.S. Senator and loses. Not only does she receive a job demotion as a punishment, but she's also moved from her choice Washington, D.C. slot to a less sought after Chicago gig. It's in Chicago, that she receives never before publicly seen evidence of John F. Kennedy's assassination from a retired Chicago police detective. Though he'd brought the evidence to the FBI's attention in the past, nothing had come of it.


Even though Kat's reputation hangs in the balance as someone who might fall prey to a far-fetched conspiracy theory, Kat's curiosity wins out and she investigates the new information with her usual zeal. Her search leads her to the exclusive web site www.CamelotConnection.com, a data brokerage firm founded by retired CIA Assistant Director, Philip Harding. She soon learns that these brokers are collecting private information on everybody, including herself, and selling the information to anyone with a credit card. When Kat becomes a target herself, she calls on two Federal Agents to help her expose the secrets of the Camelot Connection.


The plot, a big one by any standards, takes you to several locations including Caracas, Kazakhstan, and Washington D.C. and is a story that only someone with first hand experience inside the Federal government could portray as realistically as was done in The Camelot Conspiracy. I found the dialogue to be genuine and the characters very fitting for the plot. I would have liked to see more dialogue, so I could have witnessed more interaction between these characters. This would have helped me connect more with people who live in a world that I can only imagine.

Having read the Munson's earlier "Justice Series" titles ("Facing Justice" and "Confirming Justice") I already knew that they bring a realism to their novels that only a former Federal prosecutor and former Federal undercover agent team could write. I also knew that the Munson's write in a family friendly way so I don't need to be embarrassed to recommend their books. What I wasn't prepared for was a a new theory (very realistic) to the JFK assassination as the basis for one of the three plot lines.

As in the other "Justice Series" novels, "The Camelot Conspiracy" features many familiar characters (including Special agents Eva Montanna and Griff Topping) and focusses on the brash reporter, Kat Kowicki who finds herself in the middle of a multi-layered international conspiracy.

Page by page the Munson's draw us in with the many twists and turns only the best novelists can weave.

If you are looking for great mystery and suspense, "The Camelot Conspiracy" delivers. Tired of foul language with no purpose, here is a book that does not stoop to that level. Good writing does not need to feature explicit sex, violence and language. Here is a book you can recommend to anyone who enjoys great suspense.

AND, WOW again!!! My third book by the Munson's who I am so greatful to for their writing style and first hand knowledge of what goes into their books. Unlike some people who tell everything that is in a book, I will just say how it kept me "IN" the book and heart rate up!! Christmas day I took a few breaks, with an excuse to "rest up" but was really reading this book... In my reviews of their first two in the Justice series I have written of their background for being able to bring such a current and focused story into reality. In this book, terrorism is "front and center" with all it's possiblities, and running against the clock. I am so glad to see some of the same characters, which had my mind racing again, wondering who was "really" the bad guy, or good. Sad when it ended. I ordered for other family members who love their work. I don't call it just a legal thriller, because there is sooo much more to it. The undercover work, the trickery... I really don't know of another author with such creds that is out there. This is "stuff" happening NOW!! You can be 16 or 80 and read their book's. I am SO waiting for their next book.

As a Montanan cowgirl myself, I found Chip of the Flying U truthful and entertaining. The characters are real and the story is innocent. B.M. Bower knew the characters she created and it shows.

This book is just a cute little book definately from a time gone by. Easier read than a Lamour, but still a pretty solid western, even by today's standards.

This is a terrific escape book, one that deserves a "10" rating for its entertainment value. The characters are appealing, the language is incredibly clean by today's standards, and there is much laugh-aloud humor. "Chip of the Flying U" is tremendous fun!

Hannah Ropes was a feminist of her day. Yet she believed a wounded soldier needed a motherly woman's touch. These letters are a great gift and the editing job on the book is superb. Ropes worked herself to death in Union hospitals in Washington D.C. The Union lost a good nurse and history lost a terrific writer. (In fact Ropes was a writer before the war.) She battled anyone who got in the way of good health care including going all the way to and old friend, the Secretary of War to roust out a thief in the hospital system. She poignantly describes the wounded wrecks who passed her way and the efforts made by those who cared are poignantly described as well. Ropes writing abilities were great. They are aided markedly by the brief biography of her which serves as introduction to the book. Through it, we come to know the iron will of the woman which was so beneficial to her as a nurse but which she herself down-played. For any who value "first person history" this book is a gem!

A young woman treads the hallways of the Union hospital with a mission to serve the young men that are fighting in the bloodiest war seen on this fair land of ours. While her son is out fighting the battle, her battle is at the hospital attempting to provide better care for the soldiers.

Excellent content, I just wasn't too crazy about the format that it was wrote in.

Hannah Ropes kept a diary for only one year during the time she served as a nurse in the Civil War. She actually supervised Louisa Mae Alcott and was responsible for many of the reforms in the hospital where she worked. She was a well-spoken woman who was also not afraid to stand up to her male supervisors. She cared very much for, "her boys" as she called the patients she worked over day and night. She is one of those women who has not been given credit and has not been well-known until recently. Her untimely death ended a daring career as a feminist and take-charge Civil War Nurse. This is fascinating and inspirational reading.

As the previous reviewer notes, the 1995 edition is most useful. Unless you buy used from Amazon, you WILL get the 1995 edition. It contains many crucial updates and additions.

Route descriptions are surprisingly detailed for a guidebook. Most important peaks have multiple routes described. Seeing as how there is effectively zero route information on the internet, you're stuck with it. Luckily, the book is very good!

Be sure you get the 1995 revised edition of this book. I received the original 1984 edition, and it is heavy on text and light on route maps and photos. Many of the peaks and routes have no supporting photos. I suspect the 1995 revision has corrected this. Climbing guidebooks need to be visual.

This guide covers most of the peaks in the park. Many of the mountains not covered here are at least mentioned and Edwards proclaims the apparent ease of these climbs. My experience agrees with this surmission. I have been on the mountains of the park with, and without the guide. When the guide was in possession, the climb was greatly simplified. Well done and a must for those interested in climbing mountains in Glacier National Park!

This is an excellent guide. A fun and exciting read filled with wonderful stories, images and local knowledge.

This book told me all I needed and wanted to know about Montana

I stumbled upon the Compass America series at a local book store and couldn't believe the quality compared to other travel books.

This particular selection was superb. The author is passionate about Montana and the photographs are some of the best. The combination was far supierior to anything else I've seen.

The information provided on areas of the state were vivid and provided a good desription of the differing sections of the state. Within each of these various sections were specific descriptions of towns and cities.

Of course, areas of interest to travelers were highlighted, but not in a generic "FYI" format. The descriptions and trip advice have an actual caring quality, as though its author really wants you to enjoy Montana.

Traveling to Montana? Then pick up the book and get ready to experience the grandeur of the world's most beautiful places.

Not going to Montana? That's fine too. This beautiful book will help you enjoy a get away of the mind.

This is almost the end of the line for Rex Stout and Nero Wolfe. By this time (1969) Stout has become an institution and, sadly, a little out of the mainstream. He'd resolved that his characters would never age, and they don't. However, the world around them has changed so much...

So it makes great sense for Rex to become Tex, and send Nero and Archie out to the wild, wild west. Things don't change here. Men are men, and women know their place.

It's a little similar to "Too Many Cooks," where Wolfe has to curb his irritations and be deferential to a host, whether or not he perceives himself to be a jewel resting on a cushion of hospitality. He's out west, and his pride does not allow him to show his discomfort.

Wolfe winding down...it's sad to see fewer witty and memorable lines, but always great to see Archie and Wolfe working as only they can...

A later Nero that holds up very well. For dialogue between Wolfe and Archie it is one of the best and could be the funniest of them all. I have reread it several times and it is always fun.

Despite the title, this story has (slightly) more to do with _The Father Hunt_ than with _Death of a Doxy_; the research compiled by Amy Denovo on Lily Rowan's father is now being turned into a book. One of Archie's fellow guests during his vacation at Lily's ranch in Montana (the Bar JR) is Wade Worthy, the biographer who's working on James Rowan.

However, the dude of the title was Philip Brodell, who had returned to the area after seducing Alma Greve the year before - Brodell was found dead from a shot in the back on a huckleberry-picking expedition. Alma's father Harvey is now in jail, charged with murder, but Lily and Archie are convinced he's innocent, since they've both known him for years (see "The Rodeo Murder" in _Three at Wolfe's Door_). Archie takes an unpaid leave of absence from Wolfe until the case is finished. Wolfe, of course, isn't prepared to have Archie gone for an open-ended length of time, so after pulling a few strings to find out exactly what the case against Harvey is, he appears unannounced at the Bar JR soon after receiving Archie's letter, and he and Archie get to work on the investigation.

It's cool to see Wolfe loosen up a little; as a guest in someone else's domain, he'd be violating his personal standards if he took his eccentricity too far. (Archie, after watching him a little, says it's obvious Wolfe promised himself not to complain about the food no matter what.) Archie, for his part, has made friends over years of vacation visits to Lily out here: to name two, Woody, who runs what he calls the Hall of Culture (the dance hall and cinema pieces of it support him) and can hold his own in dinner conversation with Wolfe, and Carol, the wife of the accused and an ex-rodeo performer herself, who doesn't have a bible in the house to swear on, so she uses a saddle she won at the height of her career.

Some other neat touches include, but are by no means limited to: the guests at the dude ranch where the victim was staying; checking up on the alibi of Brodell's would-be rival for Alma Greve's affections, involving a history teacher, some chickens, and a roofing company; and a hilarious little passage wherein Archie takes time out to discuss censoring one of the wranglers' commentary on Brodell, a deserving victim if ever there was one.

I enjoyed Digging Dinosuars. John Horner's enthusiasm for the subject is easily apparent. The book is not overly technical, (although a basic understanding of geology/paleontology helps in fully understanding Horner's theories.) and has a very casual tone. The theories presented are full of clever and logical interpretations of the fossils found. While Horner also gives descriptions of things beyond factual support, he identifies which is imagination, and what is supported. The biggest flaw is the book's orginization. Horner seemed to be attempting to explain everything at once, changing topics for every paragraph. But beyond that, I enjoyed Digging Dinosaurs.

Digging Dinosaurs really gave a clear and interesting spin on the work that goes behind finding fossils. I loved it!

"Digging Dinosaurs" is far more than the continueing search for traces of these vanished beasts. It is a glimpse into the mind and lives of the people who have dedicated their lives to understanding this fascinating topic. Co-authored by Jack Horner, probably the most influential paleontologist alive today, the book reads at times more like a novel than a scholarly research. Fast paced, often humerous, this is a great read for anyone interested in our world's far ancient past.

This book is unbelievably detailed when it comes to trails to hike etc. However the book is fatally flawed (for me) in that it has absolutely *no* information about lodging! I am planning a trip to Montana with my three kids and I wanted to know about where to stay in Glacier Park, whether we should consider a ranch stay, and if there were once-in-a-lifetime experiences such as a dinosaur dig or a wagon train ride. Not one of these questions were answered by this book! However, once you are at Glacier I imagine the detailed information about trails and scenery (and a few stores etc) would be quite useful.

If you want to explore Montana, whether you have kids or not,
this is the book to use! There are places to go that are
easy to get to with good directions. The hiking trails are
easy enough for everyone and there are interesting museums
and cultural sites. You will definately find this helpful
and insightful!

Montana or beyond, this is a creative, intelligently written guidebook for both nature and natural lovers of cultural and historical resources. Clear, well written stories depict the landscapes in a manner that both entertains and directs children and adults to the wonders that Montana has to offer. Take a drive, book a flight, either way, this book is a delight!

Outstanding reference and, well written! All fly anglers should have this book as part of their library.

It is difficult to imagine a more splendid introduction to flyfishing in Big Sky country than this thick (472 pp.) 2005 publication in the Flyfisher's Guide To ... series. Like all writing in the flyfishing subculture, a fair amount of knowledge on the part of the reader is assumed, though Robbins is less guilty of talking over the heads of apprentices like this reviewer than most writers on his beloved avocation.

'Beloved' is a word carefully chosen, for Robbins' enthusiasm for the sport and for practicing it in his gorgeous state, comes through loud and clear. This is especially so when he can do so far from drift boat congestion and stomping waders, as a pair of comments and a section on flyfishing etiquette make clear.

After some perfunctory preliminaries, the book reaches its stride with a nice introduction to 'Angling Tactics', a particularly helpful word to semi-beginners like this reviewer who were trained on the relatively fast waters of the Big Horn River and then found himself making a solo adaptation of those skills to the still-ish blue of the unspeakably gorgeous Wade Lake. A couple of maps familiarizes the reader with the regions of the state that Montanans take for granted and will assume you know, then launches into a region-by-region survey of the trout waters in each.

You'll find here almost all the facts about a body of water that are stable enough to be written down. Then, for the things that change with the climate, the seasons, the hatches, and the Great Unknowns of flyfishing for trout, Robbins steers you to the fly shops that can give you the up-to-date skivvy on what's hatching, what's biting, who's bragging, and who's staying mum.

Two appendices are particularly helpful, one on the basic flies you'll need in order to fish Montana and another on the species that you might just find in your net.

This is a high-value, well-presented reference on fly fishing the Big Sky State. You may not find a better one.

Lots of good information to help you plan a flyfishing trip to Montana. Extensive coverage of the major drainages. Data is pretty current -- this book was just published in 2005. The maps are very detailed but many of the tributaries and small streams are not identified. Color photos would have been nice but would probably be cost-prohibitive.