South Dakota Books

This book was absolutely amazing! Everything we wanted to do and everything we didn't know we wanted to do was EASY TO FIND. I spent a bit of time marking the attractions we wanted to see and the routes we wanted to take and NOT ONCE did we get lost. I recommend the trip. However, I recommend it more with this book as a travel companion. For our next trip we plan on touring the South East, don't think I haven't looked to the Insiders' Guide books to help. Have a great time!

We took a South Dakota vacation and found this book to be great reading in our preparation and planning. It covers everything from lodging to attractions to activities to history and on and on.

This book, in combination with "Exploring the Black Hills and Badlands: A Guide for..." helped us have a better vacation than I ever expected.

This is a GREAT book if you are visiting this area. It gives all sorts of information to make your trip more complete. It also gives background information and little insiders tips here and there. The only thing I would look elsewhere for is accomodations. It has good camping and B&B info but not nearly enough hotel and resort listings but you can get that anywhere. This book is worth it just for the INFORMATION included.

My family just got back from South Dakota, where we used this book. I can't begin to tell you how far this book falls short. Want info. on hiking the Badlands? Forget it. Want to know about activities and food in Rapid City? You're pretty much out of luck.

The book's organization is atrocious. Restaurants in one place, lodging in another, attractions in another. So when you pull into a place, you have to flip all over the book just to figure things out.

Basics are missing. For example, say you want to know the best things to do in the Black Hills--it's very difficult to excavate from this book. Instead you learn about real estate, shopping, and many unneeded details. Hikes in the Black Hills? Forget it? How to tackle Wind Cave National Park? Little help.

After travelling around the world with opinionated and helpful Lonely Planet guides, I am sorely disappointed with this book. This book is definately better than nothing, but look elsewhere for help with your trip to beautiful South Dakota.

We bought this book only because the Moon Handbook was unavailable. We hoped to use this as a vacation planner. The book appears to have lots of information, but for us, interested in tent camping and hiking, with some in-town activities, the information was largely irrelevant. Things worth dwelling on--such as Spearfish Canyon--are mentioned with much less emphasis than the exhaustive coverage of shopping facilities, for example. The text is incessantly cheery and reads like a school newsletter. We would have preferred the intelligent critical evaluation that makes the Moon books such great reading--and such great resources.

An ideal book for those intending to visit South Dakota. As well as giving places to visit and stay it provides an interesting insight into the history of the state. A few more photographs would be even better.

I am planning to visit South Dakota this summer and since I manage to turn everything I do into an educational project I have been reading up and writing chambers of commerce for information. This book is written in the neutral public relations politically correct style of a guidebook. (Heaven forbid we ever say anything critical about the Indians or why we're still paying $1.5 billion a year for Indian health care.)In fact I believe the author has a PR background. He conveys a lot of information but he could have made the book much more interesting. For example, the story of the trapper Hugh Glass is one of the best stories ever. Glass was mauled by a grizzly and left for dead by his companions. He vowed revenge on those who left him and literally crawls back to civilization to kill the men who left him. However, the author here really does not get into the revenge theme. I had to get that from a Chamber publication. The pictures in the book are great and I would rate the pictures five stars. However, there just aren't that many books about South Dakota. So if you are going to South Dakota it probably is worth picking up. For an interesting book about the entire Great Plains which includes South Dakota read Great Plains by Ian Frazier, which is a five star book.

At first , I didn't think this book was of much help in planning my trip but the more I read it, the more great information I found. I would advise you to read it like a novel and not just skim through it looking for specific information.

Those factoids and stats you're going to bore your friends with when you get home ... you can find them here. What I didn't find was answers to questions, such as: Where are good places to camp? What do I do to enjoy my trip to the reservation, or a powwow? Where are the best places to eat in Hot Springs? That is, things I wanted to know to enjoy the trip.

In this book, Gump compares the British conquest of the Zulu to the United State's conquest of the Sioux and finds suprising similarities. The book is extremely well written and one of the most engaging history books which I have ever read. While I do not know much about Zulu history, I am a student of Native American history and his analysis of Sioux history seems sound to me. The comparison of the Sioux and Zulu history presents the American conquest of the Sioux in a new and interesting light that helps widen the readers understanding of the conflict.

I absolutely love history and foreign relations, but this book is written in the most boring style possible. Horrible, I wouldn't recommend it. He has some great points, but you are better off reading the book reviews to get his argument.

Please disregard the 2 of 5 rating from the sleep deprived person from North Carolina. This 5 out of 5 work of comparative history will keep you turning the pages. It may actually disturb your sleep with its effective demolition of the historiography of American exceptionalism when it comes to imperialism towards indigenous peoples.

More importantly, this is NOT a narrative about the Sioux or the Zulu as "victims." Although many scholars have noted the impact of Western imperial expansion on indigenous peoples throughout the world, it is only recently that historians have begun to employ the ill-defined and problematic methodology of comparative history to understand the similarities and differences of these diverse colonial encounters.

Gump's book integrates two major themes. One theme is that indigenous societies and cultures are dynamic. This means that they are characterized by intentional action and change. Whether the forces of change are internal or external, indigenous societies are not static.

The second theme is that societies and cultures are components of particular times and actual places. There is a dynamic interrelationship between attitudes, values, beliefs, behaviors and the specific circumstances of historic events. Examining two of these 19th century interrelationships provides us with an understanding of the dynamism of indigenous peoples' cultural adaptation and resilience. The Sioux and the Zulu were as involved in the historical process of change over time as any other people. In spite of their economic and cultural marginalization, adjusting to these circumstances did not necessarily diminish their cultural values.

For a good introduction to the comparative frontier history of the United States and South Africa see Leonard Thompson and Howard Lamar's chapter, "Comparative Frontier History" in their book, The Frontier in History: North America and South Africa Compared, (Yale University Press, 1981), 3-13.

For a comparative study in race relations consult George M. Frederickson's book, White Supremacy: A Comparative Study in American and South African History,(Oxford University Press, 1981).

I was put to sleep three times by this book. Those poor natives. They just can't get no justice. This book does provide a new look at what an injustice western civilation has done to native people.

This book is about a girl named Christine who finds a mysterious cave of wonderous objects. Her brother is extremly ill in this magical story.This story takes place in the dust-bowl times.What Christine finds in this significant cave is unbelieveible and amazing. This Book is the best I've ever read in my entire life. I reccomend this book to every body in the world!!! I absolutely LOVE this book!!! It's the bomb!!! -Jillian

My family read The Great Turkey Walk by this same author and enjoyed it immensely, we were intrigued therefore by this book but were greatly disappointed. If you think the preserving of natural resources is more important than the welfare of human beings, then you will greatly appreciate this book. However, if you, like us, feel that creation although to be respected is also for the physical benefit of humans for survival, you will be greatly disappointed with this book. Not only is the main character's beginning of menstruation dealt with in the book, but she also speaks with defiance to her father who is trying to help their family survive the dust bowl years and it is portrayed as appropriate.

This is one of my daughter's and my favorite books. It tells the story of an adolescent girl coming of age during the dust bowl. While her family prepares to leave their homestead if rain doesn't come within the week, the girl and her brother discover and explore a cave which contains valuable geodes. They must decide whether to reveal the existence of the cave to their father, or to keep it secret in order to preserve it from the same destruction that the surrounding woods have met at the hands of desperate settlers. This book is an excellent read aloud book for advanced 6 year olds and up, or an excellent read for 9+ year olds. Be forewarned, though, that there are several pages that deal with the onset of menstration.

I've encountered several inaccuracies in the second edition of this book. We recently hiked Lost Cabin-Harney Peak Loop and we were expecting to hike the listed distance of 8.6 miles but the actual distance is at least 12 miles and our GPS logged 14 miles. In addition, this hike's trail contact phone number for the Black Hills National Forest Supervisor's Office is incorrect as is the phone number for the Black Hills National Forest Visitor's Center in the appendix. Of the three hikes we have done we have found inaccurate information on all of them. The directions for Crow peak did not give adequate directions from the Interstate 90 exit, for Bear Butte the book lacked current fee information. Many of the hikes do not have their elevation gain listed. This book offers a nice overall listing of hikes in different areas of the Black Hills however the book's inaccuracies and lack of useful features such as an index, hike elevation profiles, and detailed maps that include all the features mentioned in the text make it, in my opinion, less useful than I would have expected.

I live in the Black Hills and use this guide extensively. Itis well written and trails are accurately described. If you purchaseone hiking book for SD....make sure it is this one!...

Good hiking reference if you're new to the BH and hiking in general. I've found the ratings to be more for beginners or folks without a lot of hiking skill (ie. a moderate trail listed as strenuous). Good to get you oriented to the area.

I expected this book to be of the same quality as Miller's biography of Laura "Becoming Laura Ingalls Wilder," which is a first rate work. Unfortunately, this book is substantially inferior in every way.

This book purports to be a history of De Smet as it was when Laura grew up, but is instead a hodge podge of essays ranging from Charles Pierce's theories to the paintings of Harvey Dunn. So instead of learning about De Smet, we have the privilege of learning how educated and erudite the author is. Instead of learning about the town and its characters, we are regaled with the author's theories of how the plow broke the plains.

Occasionally there are nuggets of new information about De Smet, and about some of the characters who appear in Laura's book or were known to her when she lived there. But these nuggets tend to be heavily wrapped in Miller's academic jargon and theories. Evidently, there is not much to be said about any small town, even De Smet, so you have to talk about others things that you conveniently already happen to know: "Place and Community (and De Smet)," "Freedom and Control (and De Smet)," "Fact and Interpretation (and De Smet)," and so on and on.

"Dreary" and "boring" are adjectives Miller uses more than once to describe life on the prairie: those same adjectives apply in spades to this book. It is very difficult to get through, so buy it and read it only if you're into self flagellation.

I think this book is very interesting and very informative. I am a huge LIW fan and I think that any fan of her books would definately enjoy this biography on her life.

I also believe that anyone who doesn't believe that she really exsited should also read this book as well.

This book looks at various historical aspects of the world Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote about, and focuses especially on one of her books, Little Town on the Prairie, and on the town of De Smet, SD. I found it very interesting finding out more about the town that was the focus of Wilder's later books. This book is done as a series of essays, and at times repeats information from one essay to the next. However, it is well written and obviously very well researched, and adult fans of Wilder who want to find out more about her and more especially the larger world and time she lived in will enjoy this book.

Slow pace, plot is as shambling, rambling and dull as the detective in the story. A really tall man gets killed, otherwise not much happens until the detective finds out who did it by accident.

"The Man who was Taller than God" is a good mystery, this one involving Carl investigating the death of the extremely tall insurance salesman, womanizer and con-man Felton Edwards. Soon, Carl finds himself attracted to a fairly young woman who is taking care of her young orphaned nephew, and running into problems with the local lawman, who is sweet on the woman. Another suspictious death follows and Carl tries to find the missing undertaker who may be a killer. The end is a bit of a surprise as Carl finds the murderer was a resident of Hope.

I thought this book was very good. It takes a really good book to get me past the first chapter, and this one kept me interested throughout the whole story. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes a good mystery!

Of South Dakota railroads, among a myriad of short line and narrow gauge railways that blossomed and died along with the mining boom in the Black Hills in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were three whose names were nationally prominent: the Burlington, the Chicago & Northwestern, and the Milwaukee. I knew little about the last of the three other than the stories of a few old-timers who remembered having ridden in Milwaukee coaches across the plains and prairies of the state. Then I came upon Rick Mills' THE MILWAUKEE ROAD IN DAKOTA.

Mills' book amazes me. Now I know where the names of a plethora of South Dakota towns originated. In fact, I now know why those towns came to exist at all. A surprisingly large number were creations of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad, whose officers, directors and daughters live on in place names across the state. The Milwaukee never quite reached Spearfish, the town in far western South Dakota I currently call home. That achievement was reserved for the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad. Nonetheless, the Milwaukee came close, reaching Rapid City on the eastern approach to the Black Hills in 1907 and lasting there until 1980. The Milwaukee itself was gone from the state only two years later, its track either abandoned or operated by other railroads.

Mills refers to his book as a thumbnail sketch of the Milwaukee in the Dakotas, and that is a great plus in my estimation. The explanatory narrative is sufficiently sparse to give the reader a clear view of the railroad's entry, expansion and finally demise in South Dakota. It is not bogged down in the minutiae of route miles built monthly, deathly boring details of the road's financial accounts, or irrelevant page-stretching statistics. The resulting text is clear, crisp and easily digested. Best of all, it is interspersed with numerous excellent historical photographs of the Milwaukee's locomotives, snow plows, rolling stock, and depots across the state. To my happy surprise, quite a few of these photographs are reproduced in color, too.

THE MILWAUKEE ROAD IN DAKOTA has given me a much better understanding of and appreciation for the impact that this railroad had on the state, an impact that continues today and will last long into the future in the existence, location and naming of many communities across South Dakota. While educating, the book also entertained with its copious photographic coverage of the railroad. My sole complaint is that the book could use several more maps scattered throughout to help the reader who may not be on familiar terms with the geography of South Dakota to better grasp the location of the many towns and rail routes discussed.

I feel very comfortable in recommending Mills' book to all who have an interest in the history of the Dakotas as well as those who find American rail history fascinating. Of course, for those whose interest may lie specifically in The Milwaukee Road, this book is a must-have! It is a fast and interesting read, and the reader will find his appreciation for the settling and growth of the nation's 40th state greatly enhanced.

Rick Mills' book tells the story of the construction, heyday and decline of the Milwaukee Road Railroad in North and South Dakota. The text and photographs pay the ultimate tribute to the men and women who constructed the Milwaukee Road and built the Dakotas. Throughout the book, rare and unique photos document the building of "America's Resourceful Railroad". Especially interesting are the photos which document the passage of the last Milwaukee train across the northern main line. The book goes on to cover modern operations on the Milwaukee lines after the State of South Dakota purchased them to prevent abandonment.

The subject of this book is appealing to South and North Dakota rail fans, but just-doesn't-quite satisfy. It is a general overview of the history of the Milwaukee Road in these states, and contains a good number of pictures, but it falls flat. The focus is more on freight operations than the passenger trains. Most disappointing was the lack of coverage about the Aberdeen, South Dakota Milwaukee Road depot and operations. The Aberdeen facility was the largest depot in South Dakota, and the "Hub City" of the railroads in the Dakotas merits more than minimal coverage in a book about this subject. Couldn't the author have located more photographs from the Milwaukee Road Historical Association, the Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce, Dacotah Prairie Museum collection, or publicized with a news release or even advertised for the general public to submit historical photographs for this book? The text is OK, it's good that an author actually took interest in writing a book focusing on the Dakota operations, and the available photographs are interesting, but overall, the book is unsatisfying and a disappointment.

This true crime story is an awesome book. I would think that anyone would enjoy it, especially anyone from South Dakota who remembers hearing about this crime. The author has done a great job, and I am about half way through the book. The contents of the trial are very helpful in understanding what went on. I am finding it so interesting, each time I begin reading, I have a hard time putting the book down. I can't wait to find out each detail, and am anxious to read more from this author, will there be more books from them?

It's good that we all have different opinions. After reading "Lizzy's" review I had to defend the author, who
by the way, is PS Chilson, NOT Kay Bellinger. K B's name is not associated with the book at all. I hope that whoever added her name on this website gets it removed soon. This book grabbed me the second I saw the cover with the catchy title and when I started reading it, I found that I had an awful time putting it aside. Yes, I agree, the book has a lot of the trial in it, but the author reverts to other information during the trial that is very interesting and I learned some very helpful information. Slow read? Depends on the reader. If you want to speed read, I am sure that there are a lot of items of interest that you will miss, but what's the hurry? I had no problem with understanding what was going on and consider it an easy read. I would recommend this book to all true crime readers and even to others that just like to read a good story.

if you like lengthy trial transcript, you might beable to understand and enjoy a book like this one. A good crime book grabs me from page one and doesn't let me go until I've finished it. This one has little detail of the lives surrounding the circumstance, and reads very slow from start to finish.

Unlike the last reviewer I was excited to read the book. Unfortunately it was a big dissapointment. I was bored to tears while reading this poorly written remake of every Native American story ever written, with none of the originality. It is truly surprising to see the level of writing published today, this is horrible.

I was sceptical to read this book because it was assigned to me to read for one of my criminal justice courses. However, I was really absorbed in the story of the Native American Tribe, the Lakotas. The book is written from an "Americanized" point of view. It tells a story of the authors great grandmother and her life as a Lakota woman. There are many fun and interesting things that happen to the Turgle Lung Woman. She speaks of her courting rituals, battle rituals, labor divisions between men and women, children roles.
There are interesting stories about homosexuality, adultury, death, commitment to the tribe and war.
Definitely an interesting book that contains historical facts and the culture of the Lakota tribe.

A beautiful minds, loving words, about family, about a people, about a way of life. This story combined with the beauty in word of " Bead on an Anthill " Delphine's first book sets the mind and soul, for a journey into one's self.
In the female voice of the Lakota, live the life set in the beauty that is the Northern Plains, of this Turtle Island.
The writting style is such , to savor each word as if it could fill you with the images it creates.
This is what award winning writing should be about.........