Wyoming Books

Having grown up in Wyoming, it's refreshing to see such a wonderful story using Wyoming as a backdrop. Ms. Ryan's characters are alive and real in their struggles to overcome grief. Her characterization of the mountains and its terrain really made me feel as if I were home again. I also enjoyed the dynamics between Annie and her grandfather. Their struggle to reconnect to one another in spite of the loss they shared is heartwarming and extremely touching. I hope that Ms. Ryan will go on to write more books of this caliber.

This is a beautifully written, moving novel about teenage Annie's search for answers after her brother's accidental death. Ryan's writing is fluid and poetic, her characters are engaging and real-to-life and the descriptions of the Wyoming wilderness are fantastic. I highly recommend this novel to both teenagers and adults.

This touching and page-turning story contains beautiful descriptions of its locations in Jackson, Wyoming. Annie was someone I, when I was a shy, searching-for-answers teenager girl myself, would have like to have been friends with - she's realistic, quirky, and wins you over. I love the complexity of the characters (especially Marcus), and the lovely flashbacks to scenes with Cody. Very enjoyable!

I couldn't put this book down. The characters are all compelling and very complex, you believe in them and in the story. And the descriptions of the natural beauty of the mountains make you feel like you are there. The relationships between Annie and her grandfather and all the other people around her are finely tuned and beautifully developed. This is a very honest, believable story of how different people deal with and, eventually, begin to recover from a devastating loss.

I read Shadow Falls in just a few sittings. Annie's conflicted emotions regarding her brother's death are refreshingly honest, painful and realistic.
Poetic setting descriptions put me right into those Teton mountains, into Jackson, into that stretch of Wyoming, which happens to be one of my favorite places in the world.
If you've ever wondered if it's truly possible to see a difficult family member in a new light (her grandpa), if you're curious about the dangers of rock and ice climbing, if you love adventure stories that also exercise your mind, this is your book.

Wyoming may be the "Cowboy State", but this is not stereotypical cowboy fare. "A Taste of Wyoming" sparkles with eye-appealing sophistication. Pam Sinclair has compiled a real Wyoming treasure with a compilation of Wyoming history and regional cuisine. The book showcases Pam's meticulous research and dedication. Every recipe is a "must try". Paulette phlipot's photography is beautifully done and adds to the overall impact of this delightful cookbook.

There are a tremendous selection of different and delicious recipes from appitizers to dessert and everything in between the two. The photographs are fantistic and make you want to give each of the recipes a try. This is a cookbook not to be missed.

This ia a beautiful book. The photographs alone are worth the purchase. Pam's recipes and the comments included from other Wyoming writers make A TASTE OF WYOMING a keeper. It is so lovely, I jot the recipes down before using them, so I don't have to take the book into my often messy and always busy kitchen.

Bought two, one as a gift, and was worth the money. Great recipies, beautiful book, and very interesting!

As a cook who regularly tries variation of recipes and love to try new recipes, this cookbook is a must have in the kitchen. The book gives a wide variety of meals for everyone. It is so very nice to be able to prepare a meal from a top rated Chef. The Venison Stew is truely incredible as well as Scalloped Sweet Potatoes. Every recipe I've tried has been a big hit with my family. I can't wait for the next cookbook from Ms. Sinclair.

Viet Nam veteran Matt Reed returns home after two years of service. In his absence his father heavily mortgaged the family ranch for money to pay medical bills for his terminally ill wife, Matt's mother. After his father tragically took his own life, Matt was faced with paying the $ 100,000 mortgage in six months to avoid foreclosure.

"Absaroka" describes the area of Wyoming bordering the Reed ranch and the land of the Crow Indians. The interaction of the townspeople, the ranchers, and the Crow make up the back drop for this contemporary Western drama.

The plot has many surprise twists which include intrigue, romance, environmental issues, post traumatic stress syndrome, Indian rights, and relational issues. Bochmann has developed genuine, believable characters. Some are corrupt and unprincipled. Others are feisty, heroes and heroines that create empathy, dislike, admiration, or warmth.

Although I expected the story to end well, the final chapter came to a dramatic surprise ending that exceeded any expectations I had. Joan Bochmann is rich in imagination, a gifted communicator, and dedicated to impact her readers with an important and timely message.

I found "Absaroka" absorbing, fast paced, and uplifting. Another Raven Publishing triumph.

Review by William Phenn for Reader Views (05/06)

A Western writer with a modern twist, that's how I would describe Joan Bochmann.
She was raised in the high Yampa River valley in Colorado. Her love of horses brought out by her father, while her mother instilled in her the value of literature. These factors are what make up this compelling novel called "Absaroka."

"Absaroka" is a moving story of a Vietnam Vet and his struggle to regain his normal life after the war. Matt Reed is a veteran of the Vietnam era who comes home to find his mother has died, his father old and ailing, and his home about to be taken away by unscrupulous people and his town on the verge of extinction.

Matt hooks up with a few of his friends from diverse backgrounds to battle the forces that are threatening Matt and his town. They encounter many obstacles at every turn in their valiant effort to save the town and Matt's home. Though the story is modern day, the struggles are as old as the days of the Wild West. Cowboys, Indians, a Damsel, and a Villain make "Absaroka" a compelling read.

"Absaroka" is not like any western I have read to date. It is modern, exciting and was a pleasure to read. Joan has presented this story in a way that has earned it my very high approval. If you enjoy westerns and all the wonderful things that comprise a good western, you will enjoy "Absaroka." I give it an A.

The moment I began reading this book I couldn't put it down. I found ABSAROKA captivating. The walk through this book evoked a multitude of emotions. Matt weathered the intense grief over the loss of his mother during his stint in Vietnam, and the tragic loss of his father shortly after his return. The experiences of Vietnam and his return home brought a shadow of shame and lack of respect displayed by society. Fear was another emotion felt over the shocking realization that the family ranch was close to being claimed by a ruthless banker, and more pronounced, his fear of failure as a man.

During Matt's struggle to find a way to reclaim the family ranch, he faced death by an Indian tribe. However, the more compelling focus was with each perceived failure or roadblock Matt faced. He was forced to come face to face with the nightmares of his past and rely on the foundation of integrity and self-worth he had grown to value with each passing day to meet the challenges he faced. His tenacity combined with the support and love of his friends allowed him to sucessfully retain the family ranch in a unique way, and more importantly the true value of personal identity, dignity and love.

This book is definitely a keeper in my library!

This book is an excellent choice for any reader. It moves quickly and precisely from beginning until the end. The protaginist is a true-to-life man who deals with the hardships of life in Wyoming after the Vietnam War. I found myself entranced by the story and the setting. Matt Reed is truly a character for the ages. I was constantly taken back to the 1800's through a modern day hero. This a book for anyone who has ever struggled against the gravest of odds in there life and dreams to come up a winner. Do yourself a favor and buy this book and two for two friends it will pay you back ten fold. As for myself I hope the author continues the epic saga with another novel. I wait anxiously...

What an absolutely wonderful book this is, it was a delightful reading pleasure from beginning to end. Set in Wyoming, we meet Matt Reed as he is returning from Vietnam. He desperately needs the peace and security his families ranch will bring to him, but soon that is shattered and Matt is left with another war to fight.
Jake, Matt's father dies shortly after his return and Matt learns that their beloved ranch has been mortgaged and the deed is held by none other than Matt's arch rival from years ago, Paul Pringle. Why is it so important for Paul to own Matt's ranch? Is it just revenge against Matt or is there a more sinister plot beneath it all? You'll be surprised.
Now Matt has six months to come up with $100,000.00 plus in order to save his homestead. The odds of winning this war are totally stacked against him. However, miracle do happen I am happy to say.

A form plans in Matt's mind, a form filled with wild horses, the help of a Indian named Joe Little Hawk, a family friend named Hank and a woman who will be more than a friend to Matt, Jill King. You are in for a treat as this story unfolds.
This book is extremely well written, keeps your attention, has characters that wrap around your heart and a storyline that resembles the great movie, "Rocky." I had to smile as I put the book down, sometimes the good do win.
Don't miss this one. Highly recommended.
Shirley Johnson
Senior Reviewer
MidWest Book Review

an electric dazzle of color light all infuse these poems, a terrific joy to read. it's on my nighht stand right now... a true talent!

This volume contains poems and prose-poems that are autobiographical (I assume), biographic and mythical. In the biographical series of interned Japanese, the poets' confidence that the story itself is sufficient creates very effective poems - simple language, well chosen details - and a person is drawn. In the mythic poems she uses more "poetic" language and imagery while retaining a highly effective simplicity. In the biographic poems, the segment that includes prose poems, there is a different sensibility, one drawn from hunting, from social isolation as the child of a war bride - a bride who married the enemy.

The most impressive feature of this volume is the confidence of the poet - the trusting of her skill, the power of story, the power of words. While much of the message of the poetry regards the policy of internment, the destruction of Hiroshima/Nagasaki, racial prejudice, childhood embarrassment of parents that are "other" etc., there is no trace of the diadactic in the poems. The poems simply sing.

Beyond Heart Mountain is a wonderful book. The poems are beautifully written, the voices are quite distinctive, and many of the poems are very moving. I highly recommend this volume of poetry!

A large passion guides these poems from the first line to the last. From tragedy to simple pleasures, an entire range of human emotions is chronicled in this unique collection of poems. Beyond Heart Mountain is a moving experience; a great addition to your library and life.

There is much to be said about poetry with language so finely chiseled it cuts through the page. Roripaugh's words are a feast for the senses. Myth, history, culture, and memory are but a few of the rich ingredients in this dazzling book of poems. Definitely one of the best books of poetry I've read this year.

In A Doctor's Life: Unique Stories, Dr. William Close draws upon his many years of practice to present the reader with invaluable insights into compassionate care giving in today's high-tech world of medicine. A medical memoir sharing cameos drawn from fifty years as a practicing physician and surgeon in New York's "Hell's Kitchen", sixteen years in Africa's brutal and chaotic Congo, and as a country doctor in rural Wyoming, these vignettes and observations include a broad spectrum of patients and notable characters ranging from African leaders to oil field roustabouts, casualties of civil war in the Congo to older people in rural Wyoming reaching the end of their lives at home. A Doctor's Life is highly recommended reading as both an autobiography and as a persuasive testament that compassion and courtesy are as important as scientific excellent when working for the benefit of patients and the advancement of the medical profession.

An elephant in the maternity ward? A carpenter's brace and bit to drill a hole in the cranium? The "Urine Man" at the Presbyterian Home for Women? Oh, and much more! Here is the story of a doctor who, using the most primitive of equipment, performed a host of procedures in this African outback so far removed from high tech medicine as most of us know it today. From the often violent, always political machinations of civil authorities in the African Congo to the quiet complacency of a small Wyoming community . . . from the hectic internship in New York to the broad expanse of the western plains . . . it's all there. A Doctor's Life is the embodiment of the tragic, the hilarious, the truly compassionate. This is a trilogy in one book: New York, Africa, Wyoming -- an exciting, wonderfully human account of Dr. William Close and his keen insight into, not just the world of medicine, but the human condition -- witty, inspiring and stunningly true to life.

My main complaint with "A Doctor's Life: Unique Stories" is that I wish there was more. In this book Dr. Close shares many unique and moving stories from his medical practice in New York, Congo/Zaire, and Wyoming. His stories from his time in Africa are especially interesting to me. In the pre-independence Belgian Congo he worked first as a hospital surgeon in Kinshasa, then in independent Zaire, as President Mobutu's personal physician. From his perspective as a physician he sees the end of colonialism in central Africa, and the beginning of the chaos of independent Zaire. One very touching story is that of his domestic security guard, an elderly veteran of WWII, whose wish is for a doctor to see his dying wife, just so he can tell his grandchildren that she was seen by a doctor before she died. The chapters about Mobutu depict a man very different than is typically seen in print; apparently even dictators have their good side. This book is recommended to anyone who is interested in medicine or Africa. [Note: most of this book is the same as the out-of-print "A Doctor's Story"; the newer version has two new chapters and photographs.]

If you aspire to be a physician--not just any physician, but a good one--these memoirs should be required reading. I first read these stories in manuscript form as a medical student, and they became the template for my professional life. As Doc told me in my last year of medical school: "Let med school teach you the science of medicine; I'll show you the art." And he did, through his life and through these very stories. For as physicians, we are trained to guard our professional boundaries, to not get involved in the lives of patients, and to equate curing with healing. Dr. Close's encounters, chronicled in this very readable first-person account, prove that's not always the best medicine. In "Tata Felix," he exposes with candor, warmth, and humility the foibles of his own humanity and demonstrates how powerful (and often overlooked)a simple act de presence can be. In his Wyoming anecdotes, he convincingly shows that while knowledge without compassion may cure, it doesn't always heal. The stories are well-written, the real-life characters vivid in your mind's eye, and you feel like you are there with him in Africa and in Big Piney. Most of the stories leave you with the distinct impression that here was one of those sublime moments in life when you learned something profound about what it really means to be a doctor. This book is, in essence, an impassioned plea to physicians everywhere to not assume the mantle of medicine lightly nor haughtily, but to wear it in humility and reverence, even perhaps with awe, remembering that they are called not to be served, but to serve.

"A Doctor's Life; Unique Stories" is a gripping, funny and touching real life depiction of the odyssey of Dr. William T. Close, with a description of his career as a surgeon and physician in New York, Africa and a small Wyoming town called Big Piney. His experiences speak humbly of an individual who is a humanitarian and a practical idealist, who exhibits a deep commitment to his fellow human beings, regardless of their circumstance.

But there's more! This book goes well beyond a collection of stories about a remarkable man's life. The messages illustrated in the descriptions of the patients Dr. Close encounters refocus attention on the human side of medicine. Dr. Close effectively reminds individuals working in the medical field that it is the patient whose health crisis brings the medical team together with the multiple goals of understanding the pathophysiology of disease, the delivery of optimal expert treatment and compassionate care. The patient, Dr. Close teaches us, is more than a disease, more than `a case to be plugged into a treatment protocol'.

This respect for human life is evident in the stories of his practice of rural medicine in Big Piney, Wyoming. Dr. Close describes spending the time necessary for good care and seeing many patients in their homes, especially at the end of their lives.

The messages in this book will inspire many who practice nursing and medicine to approach the care of their patients with expertise and compassion, for the sake of the patient, and for the optimum experience as a healer. Potential patients will yearn for the kind of patient/doctor relationship that Dr. Close's patients enjoy.

"A Doctor's Life; Unique Stories" is a celebration of an approach to life and fellow humans that is dedicated, passionate and honorable. Everyone who reads this book will be inspired and entertained.

Per previous reviews, the book is a great read with a great message about friendship. As a parent of a child with Asperger's I would like to offer one caution: this book is a great one to offer those who may be seeking to better understand a child with Asperger's, but would not be a great fit for the Asperger's child himself. Since the book is written from the neuro-typical viewpoint, Jackson comes off as pretty weird--loved, but weird.

Also, disclosure of Jackson's syndrome comes off as somewhat "hush hush." This is, I believe, because the author does an excellent job of depicting the societal dilemma of disclosure in the world of schools and teachers. To disclose is to explicitly state the Syndrome that describes the child's unique personality. It is not generally considered ethical for teachers to decide to disclose; young children with this syndrome may not have the adequate judgment to disclose (hence Jackson's parent's rule that he not do so); and parents' distance from those to whom the information would be most valuable--e.g. friendly schoolmate, Tyler--often prevents them from disclosing even if they would want to do so.

I would recommend this book to school personnel and to children and families who have friends with Asperger's Syndrome, but would turn to other resources for a good read for your young Aspie.

Tyler has always been nonplussed by his classmate, Jackson. From the time the boys were in kindergarten, they were classmates and also attended speech class together. Tyler stuttered during the early grades and Jackson had a tendency to be very literal in his interpretation of what people said.

Although the boys were never friends in the intimate sense, Tyler would go to bat for Jackson and defend him when other kids picked on him. A kind girl in their class genuinely cared about Jackson and insisted that Tyler keep standing by him.

By the time the boys are in 6th grade, Tyler is nominated by his class to present Jackson with a class gift. He does not want to do this; reverts to stuttering (only this time it is deliberate) to get out of making a speech for Jackson and generally looks for a way out.

Memories of Jackson's behavior in class during their early grades hound Tyler; he realizes that Jackson bears a strong behavioral resemblance to his 6-year-old cousin, Drew. Drew has Asperger's Syndrome, a neurobiological condition that is the spectrum partner of autism. As he mulls this over, he realizes that Jackson has Asperger's Syndrome. He confronts his classmate, armed with this new insight and Jackson gives him a clinical definition of the term.

Tyler realizes that Asperger's is not a death knell to a full life; Jackson fortunately has been included in the full school program at all times.

This is a truly heartwarming book that presents a very realistic character with Asperger's Syndrome and is a wonderful story about acceptance and inclusion. Definitely a must have!

Be sure to read Marc Littman's masterpiece, EDDIE AND ME ON THE SCRAP HEAP as a companion book to this one. You will be very glad that you did.

This book is a delightful read and holds your attention from beginning to end. It is told from a childs viewpoint of trying to understand other children who are not like themselves and how parents and teachers can be there to help. I have forwarded it to my daughter in college who is majoring in elementary education. Thanks, Joan

This witty story is a lighthearted and so very understanding
of a Asperger Syndrome boy and his friends. It is a fast-paced
and lucid insight of the difficulties Jackson faces in the
world of school children.

Jackson is described by his fellow classmate Tyler throughout
the reading with sometimes unusual...sometimes misunder-
stood...sometimes humorous incidents made by Jackson which
confuse him and the other classmates.

Jackson Whole Wyoming is a wonderful source for parents
and teachers to delve into the feelings of the child with
Asperger Syndrome, as well as his classmates and friends.

I thoroughly enjoyed Joan Clarks' keenly sensitive book
and have learned of a topic of which I knew very little.

I really got a kick out of reading "Jackson Whole." The book gives a funny, yet relevant look into the world of Jackson, a student identified with Asperger's syndrome. The story line moves quickly as one episode after another unfolds revealing Jackson's personality, thought process and unconventional actions. A fun and insightful read.

This is a great book for all people, especially those who haven't had everything in life given to them on a silver platter. This book, with its uplifting and motivational stories from Rulon's life, inspires the reader to find the positive in life, and work hard to acheive your goals-no matter how difficult. Although this book is written in the framework of olympic wrestling, it's universal themes will appeal to any reader.

This is a must read for the wrestling fan. If his story wasn't real it would be almost as if it was written for TV. It is very informing for people who already know Rulon, and for those who don't you get to hear the real story behind Americas greatest Greco Roman wrestler ever. It is a great book to give young athletes to show them anything is possible.

This book was great, it showed anyone who read this book that if you put your mind to it, and work hard you can do any that you set your mind to. This book taught me to never give up on any of the challenges that lie ahead of me. I was also able to connect to this book with the wrestling standpoint, i wrestle Freestyle which is different then Greco-Roman, but its another Olympic style of wrestling. Rulon Garnder is my favorite athlete, not because he won the Olympic Gold, but because he work harder then anyone else who made it to the 2000 and 2004 Olympics, with injury and everything, he never gave up on anything he did. When he was stranded in the woods of Wyoming, the "middle of nowhere" as he said, he never gave up, waited patiently for someone to rescuse him.

This was the best book i have ever read, not just because of the wrestling, but because of the lessons it teaches the reader.

The book arrived on shelves 10 or 12 days ago to little or no fanfare, and mores the pity. It is an inspiring story of an improbable hero and the many, MANY tests and challenges he has faced both on and off the wrestling mat. It is also the story of an unassuming, everyday kinda guy who faced adversity in many forms and always came out on top because of his belief in the idea that you never stop trying until you win. For any self-respecting wrestler or wrestling fan, this is a must-have. For the rest of the world, well, the writing style and prose pose no particular threat to Messer Hemingway or Faulkner's standing in the literary world, but that's part of what makes it such a fun and interesting read. It is a great story and great read. Go buy it. A few more Rulon Gardner's and the world would be a much better place.

"Never Stop Pushing" is the autobiography of Rulon Gardner, who staged one of the biggest-ever upsets in Olympic history by defeating the long-standing Russian world champion Alexander Karelin in the 2000 Sydney Games Greco-Roman heavyweight wrestling final.

Gardner's story shocked and surprised me since his gold-medal achievement makes up only part of the book. Instead, as Gardner himself states, the most remarkable time of his life was, ironically, his near-fatal accident whilst snow-mobiling near his Wyoming home. The moment-by-moment depiction of his struggle to survive a freezing cold night while waiting to be rescued forms the centerpiece of the narrative. The description of his ordeal is interspersed with details of his wrestling career and is recounted in full later on in the book.

Gardner also describes his childhood, which is something quite apart from the normal experience of most modern-day Americans. Brought up as the youngest of a large Mormon farming family, he spent long periods alone laying irrigation pipes and milking cows and lived quite an isolated life. At school he looked forward to meeting kids his own age but instead his learning disability set him apart and he made few friends.

His struggles to go to college and get a degree, like his brothers and sisters, form another substantial part of the book. You end up rooting for him to succeed.

Rulon comes across as an immensely likeable, soft-hearted guy. A few of his experiences struck a chord with me and I shuddered slightly as I recognised myself a little in the text. I particularly enjoyed his honesty - he describes crying on the way to an out-of-state wrestling meet after his coach tells him off for being late. I can't imagine many celebrities being that truthful.

NSP is by turns sad, joyful, entertaining and exciting. You get to learn about the politics of sport and how hard it can be for minority sports athletes to pursue their dreams. I would have liked a little more detail at times, for example, Gardner tells us he has bought a house in Colorado and you think, When? Why? but overall this is a remarkably well structured and pacy autobiography.

As an afterthought, I'm reminded of something Vince Lombardi said,

"It is time for us all to stand and cheer for the doer, the achiever - the one who recognises the challenges and does something about it."

I guess you could say that this book shows that Rulon Gardner is a supreme "doer" and a true champion of sport.

I thought this book would be about what you can tell about people from what kind of truck they drive. But it turned out to be a very good reference on historic Western garb.

As an Old West Re-enactor for 5 years, I have taken a particular interest in costuming. There are few resources that accurately dispell the many questions and myths that come into play about the cowboy gear in the Old West. I refer to this book often when researching particular subjects such as hats and boots. As a seamstress, the diagrams and details are invaluable in recreating costumes for my husband and fellow actors.

I loved this book. A comprehensive guide to real working cowboys' -- not in the movies or on TV; on the open range of Wyoming, in the old days -- clothing and equipment. Hundreds of black and white photos and drawings; illustrations from historic catalogs; schematics of tack; diary entries and contemporary descriptions; history and the reasons behind the specific gear of the cowboys (and girls) of the Northern Plains from 1870 to just until the Great Depression. The authors are historians and give us the names of, and the stories behind, the people and the great stuff; Levi's of course, but how about 'Rodeo Booger Reds'? -- a would-be competitor. Underwear -- you can imagine how important Union Suits were before central heating. (They could be ordered in white, grey, ecru, light blue, and, finally, in 1909: pink.) Shirts, jackets, leather goods and fabrics. Horse gear. There's even a chapter on Camp Equipment; now you can build a chuck wagon. Loads of well-captioned photos, many portraits; you're 'there.' Best of all, the tone is enthusiatically academic rather than 'nostalgic.' This is the real thing -- a scholarly, well-organized and well-written book about a vanished world.

A friend shoved this book in front of me during research for a historical novel, and I found it fascinating! It is a comprehensive guide to the real garb and tack of real cowboys in a real frontier, not a Technicolored Hollywood wardrober's fantasy. I found it expertly written and illustrated, detailed and enormously helpful. This isn't the kind of amateur historical pap you see so often in this category, it's the Real McCoy. Anyone who wants or needs to know how cowboys and frontiersmen dressed needs to pick up "I See By Your Outfit."

This is the real MCoy. The authors appear to know their subect well and have done their homework. I thank you for that because this is my first read on the subject of real cowboy clothing and I wanted facts. The detail was very good and in some cases too good as in the section on horse bits. What cowboys acually wore and why is fascinating. Don't get me wrong I enjoy the Hollywood costumes but it's nice to know the real story and this is it.

Verna Davis was my friend when my family lived in Ten Sleep. She played piano at our Methodist Church and often accompanied our choir. Her autobiography was fascinating. What a life she has led! She is a strong, imaginative, cultured and independent woman who helped shape the West into the special place it is today.

Verna Davis' Trails in the Big Horn Mtns. were many. Particularly interesting as I now own the land where the gold mine cabin still rests, though the roof has fallen in. Her book answered many questions I always had about this mine, except for the amout of gold found! As a native of the TenSleep area, it was fun to read about people I know and the familiar landscapes that she so elequently describes. I'm glad she is back in Buffalo, opting over Texas winters! I hope she is still alive so she can know how much I enjoyed her book.

Verna Davis's account of growing up in Wyoming along with her many varied experiences are truly inspiring. How I would love to meet this woman! Her quiet strength, great humor and positive attitude are qualities we can all aspire to. Another great woman of the west!

This book is fantastic. Anyone will love this book. It is about a Wyoming woman. She is 96 years old. She tells about things like what it was like to hear the first plane fly over, and about studing the piano in Chicago. This is one marvoulus book!

Verna Davis tells of her life experiences, growing up in Wyoming. All too often, we take for granted many of modern day life's simple conveniences. Knowing that the automobile was invented at the turn of the twentieth century, it is easy to assume that it's use and popularity quickly spread across the country, when in fact it did not become a popular mode of transportation in northern Wyoming for some forty years. Mrs. Davis' account adds the next chapter to Johnson County, Wyoming's colorful history.

Jack Turner makes you feel like you're there in his world, a world everyone ought to know more about and care more about. Just reading his book feels like an adventure in itself.

Teewinot - A Year in the Teton Range. Jack Turner. Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Press. New York. 2000. 248pp.

Jack Turner is a mountaineering instructor and guide for Exum Mountain Guides, the oldest and most prestigious guide service in America. He has lived and climbed in the Tetons for over 40 years and so is uniquely qualified to write this book.

A philosophy professor by academic training, Turner has deeply contemplated the essential nature of the mountain landscapes of the Teton Range. Teewinot, named after the peak that looms above the Exum Guides' summer base and climbing school, is an ode to the mountains, streams, plants, animals and people that he loves. However, this book is far more than just an account of one of America's most beautiful mountain ranges or the remarkable climbers, rangers and biologists that know those mountain holds better than anyone ever will. It is also about achieving a tranquil and happy life by strengthening personal connections to the seasons, cycles and rhythms of the land.

Turner speaks of the "gifts of returning" - certain routines observed year after year, season after season, which in time have become personal and meaningful rituals that uplift and reconnect him to the landscape each time they occur: the first circumambulation of the Cathedral Group every Spring; the first snowfall in Lupine Meadows, snow that will not melt until the following summer; battening down the guides' hut for the winter off-season; and the final hike around Jenny Lake each year.

Turner reminds us that such simple gifts are available to anyone who attunes one's self to one's surroundings and the people and places one loves.

In its major themes and conclusions, Teewinot is in a class with Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' lovely book, Cross Creek. The latter book is a loving testimonial of the joy Rawlings experienced during her long residence in the land between Orange and Lochloosa Lakes in North Central Florida in the 1930's and 40's. Like Teewinot, Cross Creek teaches that meaningful connections with a place are hard-won after patience and persistence and determination.

I recommend Teewinot to anyone who loves and contemplates landscapes and their meaning in our lives, and who believes that developing a sense of place and exploring one's inner landscapes go hand-in-hand in one's attempt to live a deliberate, meaningful life.

Turner's book is a look at a year in the life of a climbing guide in Grand Teton National Park. Turner, an Exum climbing guide, also relates to nature, wildlife, and the overall experience of the lifestyles of those who call the park home throughout the year. As I read the book, I felt like I had been transported to the park with Turner. His vivid descriptions and lively writing style make the book a must read for anyone interested in climbing, mountaineering, or this country's national parks.

In twelve chapters Jack Turner has compiled a representative year in the Tetons, an impressionistic collage of his twenty-two years as a mountain guide in the Grand Teton National Park. His account begins not on January 1, but on the first day of the month of May, the date that the roads in the park are officially opened.

The subtitle - Climbing and Contemplating the Teton Range - is a succinct, accurate description of this intriguing, thoughtful, poignant work. Jack Turner's evocative and meditative account has few peers. Perhaps, Primo Levi's remarkable biography, The Periodic Table, is an apt comparison.

I first climbed in the Tetons in the mid-1960s, about the time that Jack Turner was becoming familiar with these remarkable mountains. Nearly everyone that has climbed in the Tetons has imagined becoming a professional mountain guide. Few actually transform this dream into reality. Jack Turner, clearly the exception, has created a fascinating account of his career with Exum Mountain Guides.

Turner observes that the Exum guides have little in common save their love of the mountains and their shared life, a matrix of old friendships, alliances, feuds, arcane traditions, eccentric preferences, and mutual understandings. Some arrive in old, weathered pick-ups; others drive a Mercedes or Lexus. These friends generally part at summer's end, as guides, like most fauna in the Tetons, migrate annually to warmer climes.

I have read Teewinot at least twice. I now enjoy reading a chapter at random. Turner intertwines his personal philosophic observations with detailed, highly knowledgeable descriptions of the flora, fauna, geology, and weather that uniquely define the Teton Range. His accounts of difficult climbs are fascinating. Reading Teewinot is a rare pleasure.

This beautifully crafted narrative presents a month-by-month, May through April, description of a 58 year old mountain climbing guide's recollections and reflections on living and working Grand Teton National park. Teewinot is the nearest peak visible from the author's seasonal cabin in the park.

Each chapter is an essay about climbing, wildlife, plants, environmental management or personality profiles related to events that happened during that month. The book begins in May because that's when spring begins to overtake winter, covers the intense summer climbing season, describes autumn wildlife viewing treks to remote corners of the park and tells about winter ski treks. The lifestyle and habits of climbing guides, rangers and other professional outdoors people are profiled throughout.

One of the best aspects of the book is that while it's written by a technical climbing guide and has interesting stories about both guided and highly challenging climbs, the book goes beyond that to reflect the author's wide-ranging, eclectic interest and knowledge about everything related to the Tetons.

Highly recommended to anyone interested in mountaineering, national parks, wildlife and the contemporary American West. There are 11 unexceptional color photographs, two maps with sufficient detail to follow the ground covered in the essays, and a six-page bibliography of reference sources for the Tetons and other topics covered, although many books cited are probably available only in large reference libraries.