South Dakota Books

I found this book to be very helpful with pictures and building concepts easy to understand by the layman. The chapters are well layed out on each step of the building process and gives a lot of good tips both in dealing with the building code requirements and common sense ideas to building a straw bale house. While the houses in this book are architectually simple, a rectangle shape, the ideas can be use in more complex designs.

This was really a good book and I would recommend it very much.

I first became aware of straw base houses when I visited friends who had built one high in the Colorado rockies. In spite of the bad winters in that location, they reported that they very rarely used any heating beyond opening the drapes on the south facing windows. I don't know what the R-value of a bale of straw might be, but it is high.

They also reported that in the few years they had lived there they had had virtually no maintenance. I had imagined little cracks in the exterior covering and furry little critters living in the walls. But they reported that nothing like this had occurred.

This book is put out by the Red Feather Development Group. They are a non-profit group chartered to provide low cost but efficient housing on indian reservations. They have been developing straw bale contruction for houses over many years, many buildings.

This handbook is not exactly a complete primer on building a straw bale house, to me it is an idea book. There's not much here, for instance on plumbing, heating, wiring and so on. Fair enough, those things are much the same for any house, and well understood by architects and contractors. What this book does is talk about building the house itself, the wall structure, supporting the roof, the things that are unique to building with Straw Bales. There are lots of pictures, illustrating lots of points that you wouldn't think of unless you had been there and done that.

Highly recommended!

This book gives an over view of the process to build a home using straw bale construction that is used by the Red Feather Development Group. Modeled after Habitat for Humanity they help tribal members living on Indian reservations achieve home ownership. The book takes you through the building process with many photos and diagrams. There is also pictures and discriptions of straw bale homes that are still lived in after 80 years, showing that sustainable housing is not a passing fad.

Frankly, I like this book, despite my 2-star rating of it. It has some excellent information in it as well as excellent photos, and it is well laid out. However, it is intended for very specific and limited uses, which are not really disclosed in the product description. So, read on to learn what I had to discover about its limitations through trial and error:

This is NOT a book on the theory and history of straw bale construction. It spends very little, if any, time outlining the different styles of bale construction, nor the variety of techniques and details that have been tried over the years, nor the many factors - environmental, structural, practical - affecting a particular construction project that might make the builder choose one technique or detail over another. If you are a new owner/builder at the conceptual stage, trying to decide if a bale house is right for you, or how exactly to build the bale house that is best for you, this is NOT the book you want.

This book focuses on one philosophy of design only. It is a guide, not on how to build a bale house, but on how to build one specific bale house. What I find troubling is that it does not even explain, in most cases, why the methods being described were chosen. If you already know a good deal about bale construction, you will quickly read between the lines to see why the authors consider their chosen techniques most suitable for their situation - I did, and quickly determined that little in the book was applicable to my own situation. Ok, fair enough. But, if you do not already understand the basics of straw bale architecture, I can easily imagine the reader following this book down what might well be the wrong path for his or her own project and, at best, wasting a lot of time in the design stage considering inappropriate techniques. At worst, the reader could end up making some very poor and costly choices without realizing why they are poor.

So, what is this book good for? It presents a straight-forward, step-by-step guide to project planning for a particular type of builder attempting a particular type of project. It does not present enough technical details or drawings to be a comprehensive construction manual (what book does?), so it will not take the place of preparing blueprints or having them prepared for you. But, it is nonetheless an excellent place to start IF AND ONLY IF you are...

1) ...Poor, or otherwise interested in building a small, simple, budget-oriented house for a single family. Don't get me wrong: the house this book describes is perfectly sound, perfectly livable, and should last longer than most conventional houses, but it is definitely "no-frills." Frankly, all Americans should be focusing on more modest, economical, and sustainable housing, regardless of income level. Be that as it may, if you are wanting something bigger - multiple stories, luxury oriented, more architecturally unique - you will not find it here.

2) ...Part of a large community or very large family interested in helping you build this house quickly through a massive and intensive volunteer effort. If your access to volunteer resources is more modest and your construction schedule, therefore, more relaxed, you could well run into serious problems trying to follow the path laid out in this book. If you plan on hiring only professionals to build your house for you, well, you probably shouldn't build a bale house in the first place, but at the least you will need to find different books.

3) ...West of the Mississippi and building in a very dry environment. All throughout this book you will find details - 3 string bales, metal rebar inserted into the bales, moderately sized roof overhangs, cement-based plaster with ground-to-ceiling stucco mesh - that are either unique to the West or generally appropriate to a desert or prairie climate. For builders in other areas, most of this book likely does not apply to you.

4) ...Interested in a load-bearing straw bale design. See my note on rebar, cement plaster, and stucco mesh above. There is also much in the book on full structural window and door bucks as well as building a roof-bearing-assembly top plate. Of course, there is nothing wrong with load-bearing bale walls, but in many parts of the country they are no longer the most widely-accepted design solution.

This book is one of the best books ever written. It is very easy to read and there are many illustrations to help understand. I really enjoyed this book then I'm planning to give a present to my nephew. If you think you are a biker, Hiram's book is a must. Thanks.

This book is one of the best books ever written. It is very easy to read and there are many illustrations to help understand. I really enjoyed this book then I'm planning to give a present to my nephew. If you think you are a biker, Hiram's book is a must. Thanks.

This is an awesome book that is well written and an excellent guidebook for the outdoorsman. The photographs are outstanding. The trail maps are very helpful.

I used this book as well as the Falcon Press "Hiking South Dakota's Black Hills country", by the Gildarts, on a recent trip to the Black Hills, Badlands, Bear Lodge Mtns & the Devils Tower.
Both books were useful, but I'd give the edge to this one:
1) Hiram Rogers' book includes photocopies of topographic maps. Reproduction quality isn't high, but is frequently sufficient for the purpose. The Geldart's book has only handdrawn schematic maps.
2) "Exploring the Black Hills & Badlands" has more material. As you can see from the info provided by Amazon, there are more pages, but this understates how much further Rogers goes. Descriptions of particular trails are a bit more detailed, usually, and there is more historical and natural history material given in most cases. You will find more material, especially, on the Badlands (eg. a section on off-trail travel in the Sage Creek Wilderness).
The Geldarts do touch on locales and details not mentioned in Hiram Rogers' book, so those planning to spend any appreciable time in the area might want to get both.
I see that there appear to be restrictions in availability through Amazon as I type this. If you aren't comfortable dealing with secondary dealers, I would note that I saw new copies of Rogers' book in the bookstores at Wind Cave National Park and elsewhere. Try the websites for WCNP, the Badlands NP or Custer State Park.

This book focuses mainly on hiking trails, so if that's your thing this is the book for you. It would benefit greatly if each trail entry was _clearly_ listed with it's approved uses. The index also needs a section under each activity, that way you can look up 'mountain biking' and find references to every trail they review where biking is allowed. Some of the reviews of the trails are questionable ... the trail from French Creek Horse Camp to Iron Creek is not ridable at all for mountain bikers, in my opinion, not even close, yet it's listed as 'an exciting mountain bike ride through the park's remote northern end'. I have no idea what they were thinking. Like I said, probably a better book for hikers than bikers, but still a good resource just to give you a hint as to what's available in the area and get you started. If biking is your thing, stick to the trails listed as having cross country ski access as well as for biking and you'll get some nice single track love.

The short version is that this was like reading a novelization of a bad Lifetime movie (which is a redundant statement, anyway). The good news is that you can skip entire chapters and not lose track of the story.

I really like her books, Since I am also Sioux I can relate to most of what she has written. She's VERY good.

This book is wonderful! You should read it if you love romance, or horses, or strong deep men who are generally silent but make an exception for the woman they love.

The dialogue is great! It reminds me of Humphrey Bogart & Lauren Bacall, and also of the Gilmore Girls. It's really fast and you have to pay attention to stay on top of it.

My copy of this book contained the first few pp of Eagle's next book, "Mystic Horseman." I'm already hooked!

I loved the characters, the story, everything. I couldn't put it down. A great read!

Thank goodness, Kathleen has gotten her voice back. She is simply wonderful when she writes about kind and giving Lakota Cowboys, and the lucky ladies who are loved by them. Both tiny Lauren and Nick are strong yet vulnerable believable people, ones that you want to cheer for. This is definitely an keeper.

Whenever an urbanite goes to the country (as in Bitch Unleashed) or rural folk head to the city (as in Crocodile Dundee) the situation is ripe for fantasies to be punctured in unexpected ways. In the case of "Bitch Unleashed" preconceptions aren't just punctured, they explode in the most hilarious ways imaginable. In this book, the nuances of goin' country are way beyond mere fiction, you can tell the author has experience with the weird world she depicts so engagingly. Ms Kelsey's descriptions of dreams being brought down to Earth made me laugh more while reading this book than I have in years. I appreciate how the author finds humor in her on misconceptions as well as the antics of the natives of Bison Flats. Highly recommended!

Storey's Basic Country Skills: A Practical Guide to Self-RelianceDown Country RoadsBarnyard in Your Backyard: A Beginner's Guide to Raising Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Rabbits, Goats, Sheep, and CowsStorey's Guide to Raising Chickens: Care / Feeding / FacilitiesLittle Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great DepressionI Am America (And So Can You!)The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible

This book is coffee-shooting-out-the-nose funny! No need to leave your Park Ave sky rise to tear up with laughter. The stories in each individually wrapped chapter are told with such relatable, descriptive comedy you'll feel Kelsey's pain no matter what your lifestyle. So many humor books only elicit mild giggles; I found it a pure pleasure to read a humor book that tossed me into fits of outright roaring laughter. This is the second book I've read by Kelsey and I'll watch for more in the future!

Bitch Unleashed: The Harsh Realities Of Goin' Country is an hilarious statement describing certain universal truths involved in a move from city to country. Author Nola Kelsey satirically presents the raw realities contradicting the misperceptions of so many anticipating an urban change of pace and mentality. Bitch Unleashed is a practical guide and strongly recommended for anyone dreaming of moving to the country -- and women thinking relief from the pressures of city life will easily and reasonably be found in the "ease" of the life in the farmland.

Nola L. Kelsey has some very interesting insights into country life. I admit that I wanted to read this book just because of the title - there are times I feel like a bitch unleashed myself and felt I could relate. Unbeknownst to me, this book made my day as I laughed through the pages.

Kelsey tells it like it is, or at least as it happened to her. No one is immune to her wicked wit or is safe from the telling of just how stupid the people of Bison Flat appear. From tales of everyday life, to stories of bat infestation, this is definitely a book that entertains. Ok, so maybe it shouldn't be entertaining to laugh at other people's idiotic remarks or escapades, but I must be blessed with the same warped sense of humor that Nola Kelsey embraces.

Bitch Unleashed focuses on the normal everyday events that take place in country settings that most city dwellers would find unusual. Events such as bats finding hiding places in your closet or stove; bulls charging as you use the outhouse; goat mischief; chicken coop mishaps, etc. The recounting of these tails is short and to the point, even if that point is with a very dry humor.

One of my favorites was the story of Old Floyd - what a riot! I only wished Kelsey had delved into that story more and given us more Old Floyd fodder. We were given a glimpse of his character as she tells of how he pulled the wool over her eyes when selling her his house. Yes, Old Floyd could have had an entire book dedicated to him!

Another favorite was the country linguistics. Oh my! Definitions of "pert near", and "a doin's" was absolutely priceless when used in context. I laughed until I cried!

But what Nola Kelsey does best is relate a story and toss in a bit of humor along the way. The part about prairie dogs being responsible for a finger in a fast-food chain's chili was priceless! And I could envision tourists feeding buffalo Oreo cookies!

On the downside, there are numerous editing errors, including spelling and grammar mistakes, along with word choice slips (such as "residence" instead of "residents"). If the editing had been done properly, this book would have been "pert near" perfect!

Bitch Unleashed is a fast read with short chapters and not much cerebral impact. What you get is a quick chuckle followed by a burst of gaffawing. And the ending... well the CRAP list is amazing (Currently Recognized As Pissed). Even though unnecessary (we guessed who'd make that list) it was a fun reminder as to the characters depicted in this book.

If you have a sense of humor and don't mind strong language at times, then this book will be very entertaining. For those straight-laced people who prefer a normal sense of humor, you may want to find a different book depicting country life.

Harsh, but very funny! Don't move out of the city without reading Bitch Unleashed! At first I thought the author was being a bit to rough on her townsfolk. By the time I finished reading she had laughed at herself more than any of them. This book is honest. I tried moving my family to the country once. Unlike the writer I did not make very long. Kelsey nails the real reasons why.

Nola Kelsey's recounts of small town life, dealing with country animals (wild and pets) and trying to make it after life in the city are tragically accurate and extremely hysterical. It is nice to see a humor writer who does not think life and books all have to revolve around family and diapers. Her advice on removing bats in your home alone is worth the cost of the book, even if it only happens to you once. The laughter is just a bonus.

I didn't know what to expect when I picked up all three of Lori Armstrong's books in the Julie Collins series. I don't read a lot of mystery, and I now realize that I've been missing out. How can I not root for such a passionate, flawed heroine? Wonderful writing, excellent characterization and a rich plot make this series a keeper.

This book has a fantastic cover, which is what drew me to it initially. I like to read horror predominantly, and so I grabbed it. It turns out that this book is a mystery and that the author lives in my home town. The story itself is set in the Black Hills area as well. This is Armstrong's first novel, and is exceptional in that context. She stays true to area geography, landmarks and history. For instance, the series of mysterious deaths among homeless Native Americans used as back story really happened, and the biker organization known as the Bandidos really do ride here. Armstrong's characters are realistic, everyday people you can easily visualize. The heroine is one you can sympathize with and root for, with one or two exceptions where she gets a little "boy crazy" (she's attracted to at least three different men in the course of the book.) There are also moments of extreme violence which help keep the book interesting (for a horror fan like me). Lots of plot twists and revelations to keep you turning pages, although the chapters don't necessarily end with cliffhangers, so there are moments you may be tempted to put the book down for a while. Overall, I am glad I purshased this book.

Julie has been haunted by death. First her mother dies in a car accident, and than her half brother is murdered. The crime goes unsolved and Julie thinks it's due to the fact that her brother was half Lakota. Still reeling from her lose, Julie takes a job in the Bear Butte County Sheriff's department hoping that maybe, just maybe she will get a little peace. She couldn't be more wrong when a new murder turns up and it turns out the young victim is a sixteen year old white girl. Now everyone is interested in solving the murder. At the same time she finds out that her best friend and local PI Kevin has been on the case investigating the last two weeks of Samantha's life. He asks for Julie's help and she reluctantly gives it since this case hits just a little too close to home. Still before she knows it she and Kevin are getting closer and closer to a killer, and the killer is starting to get nervous. People connected to Samantha are starting to turn up dead. Is Kevin or Julie the next to fall victim to a murder that will stop at nothing to protect his secret?

I was blown away by this mystery. I started and finished this book in one sitting. The murder mystery kept me guessing until the very end and the characters were wonderfully developed. I loved Julie and Kevin not only was their relationship fun, but it was different. I loved their dynamics. I would love to see Ms. Armstrong expand on their relationship in another story. They are a great investigating duo! Ms. Armstrong took great care and effort in creating her world so the reader will feel truly drawn into what's happening. Julie is a very complex character and she made me laugh, and cry. Or should I say I laughed and cried with her. I highly, highly recommend Ms. Armstrong's debut read. She provides plenty of edge of your seat reading.

BLOOD TIES is Lori Armstrong's debut mystery and I liked it overall. This novel was recently nominated for a Shamus award (for best PI book), so I thought it was worth a read. This is the first novel in a series, with the second book coming out later this year.

The 34-year old heroine of BLOOD TIES, Julie Collins, works for Bear Butte County Sheriff's Office. She works there in the hopes of finding the person who killed her half-brother Ben Stalking Elk (all of this is explained as background). Over the last five years five Native Americans like Ben have been murdered, but another body of a 16-year old girl has been discovered. Julie teams up with her friend, private detective Kevin Wells, to find out the girl's killer. Along the way, she uncovers a lot more than she bargains for.

The main plot of this book is just okay. This is a standard serial killer mystery, where the identity of the killer isn't revealed until the end. There are a lot of characters in this novel, and it was hard for me to keep track of all the different names and relationships. Next time, I hope Armstrong does a better job of streamlining the plot.

The real attraction of BLOOD TIES is the characterization. The main character, Julie Collins, is a very likable person, and I found myself rooting for her. Julie is no angel -- she likes to swear, drink, smoke, and get laid. But she is a very compassionate person at heart, and it's hard not to fall in love with her crusading spirit.

Armstrong is a good writer. There is a subplot in this novel involving a neglected child that was just heartbreaking to read. She also does a good job of describing the day-to-day life in Sioux City, South Dakota, a small city that I would probably never get to know if it wasn't for this novel. Be warned though -- this book has a fair amount of graphic violence, sex, and profanity. Not the type of book to give to your grandmother (at least mine, anyway).

Overall, this book was a fun read and I look forward to the next in the series. Armstrong certainly has talent, and I hope she makes the jump to a larger publisher in the near future.

this book is one that will keep you in suspense. i read it in two days just because i had to know what would happen next! great storyline. i can't wait for the next book. way to go lori, two thumbs up!!!!

I came across this book at Powell's books and am so pleasantly surprised. I can't believe I never heard of it in the press or through word of mouth, considering how many subjects/topics it covers that I happened to be interested in, and how amazingly well written it is. The story centers around women in the Victorian Western, who are living in hard times and who struggle in various ways. So many subjects that I am interested in and have a passion for are in this book such as native American sprituality, lesbian romance, western living, farm-life, Victorian-era, female/minority empowerment, and the plot is full with various mysteries involving murder and other dangers. This book is amazingly well written, so beautiful that I actually have memorized a few lines here and there that I have been quoting to my friends. A haunting story rich with strong female characters, and a dark, spiritual, nostalgic, passionate, intensely female mood to it. I was sad as I neared the end of the novel because I've been enjoying it so much. It isn't often that I come across a book that is both literary and a page turner, What a treat!
I truly hope this author writes more, because I will buy anything she writes.

This book was so well written I felt I was discovering who the culprit was along with the writer. I love the way the words wove together and couldn't wait to find out what happened next. On the same note I didn't want the book to end because I wanted the words to go on. The characters were real and the mystery was exciting. I highlty recommend this book and look forward to many more from this author.

I can't wait for her next walk into fiction. It's one of those books that will always stay with you to recommend to others. Wonderful testimonial to the strength of women and how they unite in the face of adversity!

I read this book without having read any reviews, thus I went into it without any pre-conceived ideas. It then became a pleasant surprise to have the story reveal itself to me. I found it to be thoughtfully written and with a lyrical feel. I highly recommend it.

A recent Lambda Book Report has a long and thoughtful review, which I thought was spot-on. A good book, and fills the need to see sexual identity handled well in a realistic way in an historical setting.

Here is a man who is secure in being what he is, a medicine man of his tribe. Not emotionally wounded. Grounded in his beliefs and willing to take a chance of the flame-haired woman who had taken a chance to save a child, his niece.

Being a man, Black Wolf would have thoughts about the woman he is trying to heal but he did practice restraint in not following up on any of them.

Deer Woman was a nineteen year old maid who [would you say lusted after Wolf] was determined to be Black Wolf's wife. Now she was a twit.

Tall Crane would have liked to court Serena. They all were fascinated by her flame-colored hair. Even the children.

Black Wolf lost his oldest sister, Redwing to the miner's attack - his sisters, Evening Star and Little Swallow were spared as Serena attacked the miners with a blinding fury. She would not let them kill a child.

The healing of Serena took many, many months and finally settled in when Wolf asked her to look after his little niece, Dawn Sky.
The wonderful interchange between Cante Tinza [Serena] and those who took her into their hearts and all the little history that was explained to us opened up our minds to the Lakota way of life. Which should bring about a growth in our understanding of another way of life. [in which the ignoble white man interfered with]

For those who feel a kinship with the Native American will thoroughly enjoy this story - remember it is still just a story that is remarkably well done for the subject matter. And I will still vote for the innocent virgin [who has a bit of backbone] over the loose females [ugh!] that seem to people the stories nowadays.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED -- Definitely a keeper -- PS - they do have a family.

I was a little taken aback that the hero felt this instantaneous attraction to the heroine...an attraction that, in the first chapter, while he's treating her burned breasts, has him wondering if her breasts are "as soft as they looked". Excuse me? You're a medicine man; SHE's injured, horribly maimed by a rapist, and you're wondering if her injured breasts are SOFT?

That REALLY threw me.

This book is very violent. All the men in this story, aside from Black Wolf (and frankly, given his thoughts about the pain-ridden, unconscious heroine, I wondered about him too) are one-dimensional animals; really, animals. The Lakota people, on the other hand, are practically saints. Except for the jealous Lakota maiden who can't stand the fact that the white heroine becomes the beloved of the hero.

Yet still, there is something very readable about the book. I can (almost) understand why some readers might give it five stars, even if I can't. There are some genuinely well-written parts, such as the heroine's adoption into the Lakota, retrieving her self-respect and her happy life with Wolf. But overall, the book is weakened by its one-dimensional supporting characters, and its forays in what I'd call subpar, just plain lazy romance writing into what could have been a very realistic tale.

This is the first book I read by Lindsay McKenna and I have to admit that it is the best Native American historical romance that I've read so far. She left all the sterotypes that seem to attach themselves to these types of books at the door. I really felt like Wolf was a Native American instead of a white man in a Native American body. I liked that she made Wolf the gentleman that Serena/Brave Heart needed after being raped. Like I said before, she writes these types of books well, unlike some writers who shouldn't write these types of books at all. I think my favorite part about the book was the fact that instead of Wolf being this warrior type "I am the man, no one is better than me, I have such a big ego...", he was a medicine man who was not only a good father, but husband as well.

I have read this book at least five times and will read it more in the furture. I am a lover of indian novels and this is a must read! This is the first story I've read where the hero and heroine relationship does not begin with the heroine being a virgin. Which in any other novel would have condemn the story to destruction from the beginning. But in this novel it was a necessity and therefore gave vibrant life to both main characters and their actions. I have read many indian historical novels in my time, too many to count. Many of them have come close to outdoing this one, but none have succeeded.

Serena Rogan has only known pain from men and white society. An immigrant from Ireland, where she starved in the streets after her parents died, she was sold to Blackjack Kingston, a cruel miner who chained her to a bed, raped her for four months, horribly scarred her, and then left her to die in the South Dakota wilderness. Serena, alone in the wilderness, hears a group of Lakota women being raped and comes to their rescue, saving the life of at least one Lakota child with the group, but sustains injuries herself. The Lakota, thankful for her help, take her back to their village, and she is placed in the tent of Black Wolf, the tribe's medicine man.

Black Wolf, intune with the spirit world as the medicine man of his Lakota tribe, instantly names Serena "Cante Tinza," or Brave Heart. He can see that her heart is brave, but she has been mistreated for so long, would she ever learn to trust a man and grow to love him? He's determined to be gentle and show her the way love is supposed to be, but there are so many obstacles to their love - Serena's distrust of men, a jealous Lakota maiden, Blackjack Kingston, to name a few - will their tender love be allowed to bloom, or will it be crushed before it has a chance to heal both of them?

I was in awe of the historical detail of this book - the author's knowledge of Lakota customs, from the mundane to the sacred, is absolutely incredible! For the historical detail alone, the book earns at least 5 stars, but interwoven with the history is such a tender love story, tears were brought to my eyes several times over.

Cante Tinza (Serena) is such a wonderful heroine, and Black Wolf is the perfect hero. Neither are the typical stereotypes found in many historical romance novels. Black Wolf is not an arrogant jerk, but is a healer, a lover, someone who treats women with respect and kindness. Cante Tinza (Serena) is not the starry-eyed virgin who is repulsed by prejudice against Native Americans. It's quite easy to see how love develops between them and sustains them through it all.

This book was absolutely amazing and incredible, easily one of my favorite historical romance novels ever! I am definitely placing this book on my keeper shelf, and I imagine that I will read the book several more times in the future, just to immerse myself in such a tender love story between two absolutely wonderful characters.

This is really a question insteadof a review. I have a copy of Boots and Saddles written by Elizabeth B. Custer. The copyright is 1885, by Harper & Brothers. The first page has a note wrote on it "To my friend Richard Dec 25th 1890 then a signature of the giver M L Malis ? Would you know anything about this particular book?

This is the first of three books George Armstrong Custer's widow Elizabeth Bacon Custer (EBC hereafter) wrote about her life with the General. It begins with Custer and the 7th being assigned to North Dakota, and ends with the expedition which led to the Battle of the Little Bighorn. EBC is a good writer within the limitations of the "style" of 1880s-1890s nonfiction. One has to allow for the fact that for her, G. A. Custer was the tallest, strongest, smartest, wittiest, bravest and most omnicompetent man alive. [It's worth pointing out that she often also describes all the troopers riding with Custer as "physically perfect, absolutely splendid specimens of manhood in its prime."] Also following the style of the period, EBC almost entirely omits the names of those she writes about. But otherwise her word-portrait of the life of an officer's wife in the utter desolation of the frontier forts during the Plains Indian Wars is effective, vivid and often moving.

There are so many good stories here I don't want to spoil any by hinting at them. The most famous is EBC's account of "Old Nash," a Mexican laundress who earned several small fortunes with her expert sewing and tailoring, was much sought-after as a marriage partner despite her dark complexion and broad shoulders, and who turned out to be the best midwife around... despite....

A few of the many things that impressed me with EBC's powers of observations--- When the great chiefs and warriors of the plains came to visit Custer, she noted that they (contrary to modern stereotype) were physically almost completely undeveloped, with geek-like pipestem arms... and she understood the reason: that males among the Plains indians did essentially no physical labor whatsoever. Another fine passage involves the relationship between Custer and his favorite indian scout, the famous Bloody Knife. According to EBC Bloody Knife was relentlessly sarcastic concerning the skills and abilities of white men, and Custer in particular. When on a hunting expedition with Custer, Bloody Knife would keep up a running narrative of belitting remarks concerning Custer's unfamiliarity with and incompetence with firearms. As soon as Custer got off a good shot, Bloody Knife would fall silent and express his admiration with a brief smile, which Custer obviously treasured far more than many sentences of insincere and overdone flattery. It reminds me a bit of a comment supposedly made by Wyatt Earp about his great friend Doc Holliday: "He can always make me laugh!"

There is no gossip about Custer's notoriously poor relations with many of the other officers and men of the 7th Cavalry. EBC defends this by saying that Custer deliberately did not tell her of feuds and enemies, because he wanted her as hostess to treat all members of the 7th with equal courtesy. However, this excuse is contradicted within the book by extracts from letters written to her by Custer, which refer to feuds and enemies in ways that would have made no sense if EBC were not fully informed,

Recommended for anyone curious about the life of Cavalry officers, troopers and their families on the "rim of empire" in the 1870s.

There are so few well written and personally lived books about the people of the northern great plains, but this is one of them. Mrs. Custer gives intimate details of life in the cavalry and the Dakotas of a time now gone.
She tells of blizzards, heat, insects, dangers and people in a most readable way that draws the reader in. This is a special book that speaks to the plainsman's heart.

Althought the opinions of Custer and life with the calvary are viewed through (very) rosy glasses, Mrs. G.A. Custer is a witty and prolific writer. She also gives little-known insight into everyday happenings in life on the prairie and how women survived the journey. Particularly interesting are the dynamics of relationships between women when living literally in the middle of nowhere, surviving the harshest of climates, with few friends, the same friends, for extended times. Also interesting is the relationship between people of color and the white soldiers. Custer is an enigma, and readers should read this book but also others ("Son of the Morning Star" is the best thus far) to get a glimpse at the man. Libby Custer falls into poetic verse at times, but this can be refreshing - there are not many writings of women in these times available.

Letters From the Enemy is a wonderful love story with deep truths hidden in the story itself. At first I wasn't so hot about her feeling something for the local guy when her fiance was in Europe fighting the Great War, but as I got to know the fiance better I started cheering for her relationship with the same guy I originally didn't want her to be with. My emotions were pulled into this story and the "dark moment" looked so bleak it just about killed me. Their bond was intense and very romantic and the gift he gave her was...priceless! If not for the fact that I paused for over a year before finishing this book, I'd have given it five stars. Terrific story!

Letters to the Enemy is another example of why Susan May Warren is one of my favorite authors! This is a deep and thoughtful love story of a young woman during WWI. Her beau is fighting the Germans in Europe, and she writes to him faithfully as she prepares to become a pastor's wife. Then she meets Henry, a German living in her community. She struggles with her desire to befriend Henry because of his nationality as well as her engaged status, but when the community mistreats Henry, she can't stand for it! Then, she agrees to teach Henry to read. But will her kindness become a betrayal of her country and her fiancée? This is a very thoughtful and well-written novel that thoroughly entertains.

This is a sweet love story by Susan May Warren. She is one of the best authors I've ever come across. Her characters are always authentic. Thanks for keeping it real Susan.

Susan May Warren never fails to delight the reader with a good story told with skill and finesse

Although I grew up in the city and have had no exposure to ranchers, I read this on a recommendation from a fellow nature/animal lover. The author describes her daily life with crisp and matter-of-fact - yet warm and insightful - prose that is difficult to put down. I agree with the previous poster in that I, too, read through the glossary at the end just because I didn't want the book to finish. By the end, I felt that I knew the author, her family and friends well enough to want to know what's happened to them since. This book made me think about what the future holds for the author and the dwindling number of privately-owned ranches and farms that continue to persevere in the face of Corporate America.

This book is about people living strenuous lives in an environment of extremes -- drought and prairie fires in summer and fierce cold and blizzards in the winter. And there seem to be no moderating seasons in between.

The author, a writer, poet and environmentalist, has returned in mid-life to the South Dakota ranch where she grew up. Here she lives with her husband, a Hodgkin's-survivor, helping her parents make a living by raising cattle. The year is 1987.

Forget the Cartwrights. This is a book about real ranch life -- the endless hard work, the human and financial cost, the losses and disappointments that become almost routine.

Only a stoic acceptance of forces far beyond one's control seems to keep these people facing one day after the next. There is also the redemptive power of work itself, whether fence mending, working cattle, or putting up food supplies for winter.

Add to this an appreciation for the beauty of one's surroundings. Hasselstrom often stops to record the stark pleasures of life observed on the plains -- carpets of wildflowers on the pasture slopes, migrations of birds, the appearance of deer and coyotes.

And there are the starker observations of weather. Each day's high and low temperatures are noted, and brief descriptions of cloud cover, the many varieties of snowfall, wind, rain, and the unrelenting sun and heat. There are sub-zero winter days with wind chills below -50, and one summer morning that dawns with a low of 90 degrees.

Although she denies feeling isolated (a highway passes by the ranch, and they are only miles from a small town), there is a sense of lives lived without much contact with other people. Horses, pets, and even wildlife provide the social environment. You understand the appreciation she articulates when her rural community gathers for the end-of-summer county fair.

And to know people is to know adversity and vulnerability -- there are frequent brushes with death. An uncle on a nearby ranch suffers a heart attack. The members of a family from another ranch are seriously injured in a car accident.

The author herself is trampled by her horse. Her husband undergoes tests for cancer and is hospitalized for surgery. Her husband's spirited teenage son, from a previous marriage, spends a few summer weeks with them and then is gone again, the house suddenly filled with an unwelcome quiet.

It is a compelling book that leaves you in wonder, with feelings welling up at the end that make you reluctant to part from these very real people whose daily lives you have come to know so intimately. Far from the farm I grew up on, I relived something of that demanding life as I read this book and was also helped to see it with new eyes.

As I approached the end I thought, "If I have to read about feeding cattle or fixing fences one more time, I'm going to scream!" But these are major elements in ranching and, and this is a diary of one year in a rancher's life, so they must be included.

Hasselstrom keeps a candid diary of a year in her life as a woman rancher and spares nothing from castrating steers and the dead pile to doctor visits and a fur-trader rendezvous re-enactment vacation.

This is a family ranch owned by her father who lives just down the hill, but by now he sees his daughter as an equal partner. During the winter, her father heads to Arizona. She and her husband wonder if they will have enough feed for the winter, they struggle through snow to feed the cattle, they worry about the cattle not on the home farm, and are saddened to see the toll that a winter takes. In spring, calving dominates their lives which is complicated when a late April snowstorm catches them without cattle feed. During the spring they mend fences, sort cattle, and watch coyotes play with mice.

However, her life is not all ranching. She is constantly writing about her struggle to maintain her writing work which flares and sputters but never completely stops. She also gives writing workshops and campaigns for environmental causes. Hasselstrom is also very open about her past, a failed marriage, her step-children, her decision not to have children, and her relationship with her husband. She allows us to follow the ebb and flow of her marital relationship from the claustrophobia of back to back snowstorms and the fears of a looming surgery, to planting the garden together and the anxiety she experiences when she can't help her husband outside.

Although it contains many crises, this is not a compilation of the best and worst of a ranch life, but the honest daily activities of a ranch year involving cattle, humans, and nature. This will strike a chord of authenticity for anyone who has ever cared for cattle.

Is there anything GOOD about ranching, except seeing baby grass erupt in the spring and hearing the birds? The ranchers I knew when I lived in SD (1987-90) didn't leave piles of afterbirth and dead calves lying around for weeks at a time, although they existed. I don't know where they were, but of all the time I spent on ranches, they were never apparent. And, none of the people I knew lived within 1/4 mile from a highway. Why would a rancher keep breeding a big Charolais bull to little Angus heifers if it's going to tear them apart to deliver, or deliver calves that have to be sawed in pieces to get them out? I grew up on a farm with cattle, but I must be missing something here.
I realize this was a diary, but it became very tedious reading what with doing basically the same thing day after day.