Wyoming Books

Bought this book for a recent trip from Boulder, CO to Yellowstone. Thought I would want to find something to look at along the way. There is nothing there.

Ok, almost nothing. There was a nice Thai restaurant in Rawlins, which we found by driving around in Rawlins, but that is pretty much it between the entrance to Grand Teton park and the Colorado border.

The Grand Tetons, Jackson, and Yellowstone are great. The red rock vistas are pretty. But there is nothing worth seeing on the way.

So, if you are visiting those parks in the west, get some books on those, but don't bother with this.

This book is filled with lots of information that will be useful to our many visitors.

This book has all the information you could possibly need if you were travelling to Wyoming and my husband is thrilled we bought it. The maps inside are great, but since we prefer the larger ones, we will get them for free from the Wyoming visitor's bureau. If you're travelling to Wyoming, this is a definite must have and a one-stop source for all your information and travel needs.

I shall be visiting Wyoming later this year, and this book (and its accompanying website) has proved to be invaluable in planning my trip. Everything you'll ever need to know about the state is here - maps, accommodation, restaurants, shopping and much more. I particularly like the detailed histories of the various Wyoming towns that are included - not something that you'll find in the usual guide books.
I'd definitely recommend this book to anybody planning to visit Wyoming, and even if you're not planning a visit but are just interested in the state it is still well worth reading.

This book does have a lot of information. I was hoping to find out what each town was like today, not back in the 1800's. I was interested in finding out what each town offered as far as shopping, schools, hospitals, etc... Instead it is more of a history lesson.

In Western Swing, Sandlin revisits Kelly Palomino, the main character of his "Sex and Sunsets." Although Kelly now goes by the name of Loren (KP being a pen name of Loren, now a full-time author) he retains many of the same hyper-romantic, if misguidely so, character traits.

This time, the story shifts between Loren's viewpoint and that of his wife, Lana Sue. Both are charmingly dysfunctional and find themselves in situations that provide for melodrama and warped comedy. Once again, the main strengths lie in Sandlin's distinct voice and offbeat humor. The casual way his characters talk about everything from violence to insanity to statutory rape might be off-putting to some readers, but to me at least, it all seems pretty harmless and awfully funny in Sandlin's capable hands.

On the whole, this isn't quite on par with Sandlin's best work, its far from his weakest. It will be a hit with fans of Sandlin's other work or anybody with a taste for offbeat literature.

I'm giving this one four stars, which is hard to do for a Sandlin book. But I think it's less to do with the writing than the fact that I've met these characters already in the second and third parts of the GroVont trilogy and like them better. Still, Western Swing is an excellent gateway drug to the rest of Tim Sandlin's collection. Sandling continues his theme of whispy men who need saving via strong women with commitment problems. If I had editorial power over this work, my only suggestion would be to kill the epilogue or at least revise it. After the dramatic mood swing from funny to depressing to ludicrous, it just didn't fit, that is unless you are the type who likes those "where are they now" moments at the end of Animal House and Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

i have never felt so in touch with a book as i did with this one. i laughed & cried--especially when the end came and i had to put it down. there is so much depth in sandlin's characters, it's almost hard to see it if you aren't looking in the right place. i love this author, i have to go out & read his other stuff if it's as good as this!

After reading the Gro Vont trilogy I needed another Sandlin fix. While not on par with Skipped Parts or Sorrow Floats, this book is still more entertaining and worthwhile than most. Its characters are idiosyncratic and at its best, this book creates scenes that rank with the best of Sandlin's tragically comic tales. Probably not the best book to be introduced to Sandlin with, but it is worth a read from those that are familiar with and enjoy his other work.

I couldn't frickin' believe anyone gave this book less than 4 stars! Well, the humor is a tad dry, but this has to be Sandlin's best. This book is like that girlfriend you love just because she's a basketcase, you know? You'll love all the characters.

The first thing you notice about this book is the beautiful photographs by Michael H. Frances. May you take a single photograph in your visit that is as gorgeous as any of these!

Wilkinson provides a few pages of information about each of the charismatic megafauna in the parks: bison, wolves, elk, cougars, lynxes, and so on. These "chapters" are easily accessible and written at about a middle-school level. The book as a whole is very kid-friendly, though it wasn't necessarily written that way.

The book has very good advice for how, where, and when to spot mammals in these parks. The section on each animal concludes with "where to find bighorn sheep" (or whatever). We've successfully spotted most of these animals, initially relying on the advice here, though we now have a few secrets of our own.

Our favorite charismatic megafauna are bears, wolves, and cougars. We haven't spotted a cougar yet, and we haven't read as much about them. We do have a Wolf Freak in the household, though.

I found the book to be very helpful. Especially paired with "Scenic Driving in Yellowstone & Grand Teton". Other than the cats, we where able to get out early and find the wolves, grizzly, moose etc.

A great resource in identifying what you see in the parks. The pictures allow you to see what these animals look like unlike some books where there is just a drawing.

After buying many books like this I would suggest checking them out of the library for the length of your visit. We did not see the animals in this guide to back up the information and the locations but found it good for basic information about the animals and their habitats etc.

The animal descriptions are very brief and basic. This book might be good for someone with little knowledge of wildlife but doesnt go into much detail on any animal. It also spends too much time on animals that it even states are rarely found in Yellowstone(ie Lynx) and says almost nothing about more common, although less exciting animals(various bird and small mammals).

When I saw that Gerry Spence had a book of his favorite photographs of Wyoming that he made, I thought, "man this is gonna be great. It's Wyoming, which is a place like no other, and it's Gerry Spence, a man like no other."

I have to give him respect, he has talent in photography. It looks like he's studied Ansel Adams quite a bit and he has similar equipment. You do have to sit out in the elements quite a long while to get a good shot, which bespeaks his endurance and willingness to do the best job he can when it's his name behind it. That's pretty seldom nowdays, which I respect. He has an eye for the right shot as well, which says he's a man of the outdoors who has practiced a lot.

I thought his poetry sounded too much like what you'd say in a final argument at a jury trial. That works incredibly well - a fellow attorney, I wish I were as fluid with words and spoken imagery as he is - but as "poetry" it's out of place here I think, because you can still feel the litigious "feel" of what the poetry is. Nature doesn't know plaintiff and defendant, even if the defendants are S.O.B.'s as they usually are.

There are also too many of the same types of images. He'll have a great image here or there - there's a picture of a colony of quaking-aspen that's just great, but there are many other pictures of the same sort of subject matter, trees crest in snow under a sunny winter sky.

It's Gerry Spence here. Pure and simple - with some strengths that you wouldn't have thought he had, but with some choices that I wouldn't've made myself which take away from the effect that he's trying to present to you, the reader who's not from Wyoming and hasn't experienced what he's experienced in his life. I can see what the effect is that he's aiming at but it's too personalized to the guy that took the pictures and wrote the text. That's how I'd say it. He has some moments of greatness in it though - that's why I give it 3 stars. It wasn't what I'd have thought it would have been at all, but then again, that doesn't mean that it wouldn't be somebody else's thing completely.

I received this book today. I sat down and looked at the pictures as I read the poems. I found it to be a wonderful book. The pictures told a story. I found the poems to be very good. Gerry Spence has a voice that one could never tire of hearing. It shows the landscape of Wyoming, not the tourist traps. This a long way from the home that Gerry Spence and his lovely wife Imaging occupy in Jackson Hole. Good job Gerry, if one did not know you were such a celebrity, it would never be guessed by looking at the wonderful black and white pictures with the story telling poems.

Gerry Spence is a man of many talents, photography, however, may not be his strongest. The photographs are much better than your average snapshot, but not quite as impressive as they should be to have been published. All in all, the images are a bit of a dissapointment if one wants to appreciate fine art photography.

Thank you,Gerry,for the wonderful experience of experiencing the wonders of Wyoming. Spending the time listening to you read your poems while following the words in the book and bringing it to life with your personal photographs;is a real pleasure.
It's been said, that someone once asked Picasso how long it took him to paint one of his pictures. His reply was that it took about 40 years. With that thought in mind,it can surely be said that it took Gerry Spence at least 40 years, but more likely closer to a lifetime of 70 years to gain the love and feeling of his country to write this wonderful book.
I have read a few of his books,but none convey the feel of his surroundings and country as well as this book does.
I am not a particular fan of recorded books;but in this case ,the combination of photographs,written words to follow,while we listen to Gerry's impassioned reading is simply stunning.
The photograph of the girl sitting in the window of a long abandoned log cabin is accompanied with this short,haunting poem;

They Have Gone

They have gone,
And here we are,
Flying on the wings of history.

captures the days of the pioneers who settled the land.

Then we see the two photographs on pages 82 and 83.An abandoned cabin at close range and then at a distance across water.One can feel how glad to see his cabin at a distance,the owner must have been, when it came into view; and then how glad he was to finally reach its door.It takes the soul of an artist ,first to see this scene and then capture it with his camera.The reader is left with wondering what stories this cabin could tell.

Gerry captures this land with this poem;

It's over
This is the last roundup.
We have abandoned the long prairies
And the endless,rolling mountains,
We have abandoned this blessed realm
To the antelope,the prairie dogs
And a new horde of interlopers
Who chop the land
Into mournful pieces
For investment bankers
Who hanker to become
Real cowboys on twenty acres.

Thank you,Gerry,for sharing this landscape,people and quickly disappearing way of life with us.

For this right-wing gun-nut, Gerry Spence is one of my favorite lefties. I used to enjoy his MSNBC program, hearing his crystal clear and caustic barbs, his populist message and his most learned opinions on legal cases circulating at the time. Most importantly, he was one of the few on the left who saw the massacre of the Branch Davidians at Waco for the brutal and horrific slaughter at the hands of Janet Reno that it was.

That is what the world needs most: Honest men and women, who don't flinch from the truth when the truth happens to gore oxen on their side of their political fence. Like the land from which he hails, Gerry Spence brims over with the pioneer spirit: Rough and rugged, independent and erudite, full of common sense and plain decency, he is a man more at home in the 19th than the 20th century (never mind the weak and effete "metrosexual" wussies of this 21st century).

One could call this book "The Memoirs of the Last Real Man." Though his photography is traditionalist, somewhat akin to the formalistic work of Ansel Adams, the vision is singularly Spence's. A labor of love, a visual celebrating of the artist's solitary homeland, one can sense that where most men see only barren badlands, Spence sees splendrous vistas, touched by the hand of the Creator.

Although his photographs are bold, they are yet quiet and bare the soul of a man who's quite comfortable in his own skin. They are simple, yet powerful, documents of a land upon which man is but a temporal, fleeting presence. The permanance of the land is the only constant.

Thus are his most interesting landscapes not one's purely of nature, but of the fragile hand of man before the inevitability of nature's supremacy: Abandoned dwellings, out-of-business gas stations, empty granaries are but shadows of their former bustling selves. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

His portraits do not overlook this truth; the few humans portrayed in this text are part and parcel of the land -- a cowboy, a mountaineer, a modern-day Annie Oakley, a Shoshoni Indian. These are not people who are enslaved by the claustrophobic office cubicle.

Thus does Spence write in the poem "The People Are the Landscape":

The people are the landscape,
The woman on the county grader
Plowing out the last of last winter's snow
The wild crying Shoshoni dancing,
His days not done
The shepherd by his wagon
Lost in a landscape of bleeting,
Old faces furrowed in the sun.
Their faces are the landscape,
Their faces, the land,
Hard and honest,
With no pretensions in the morning.

Absent is the didactic, pedantic hectoring of the man-hating environmentalists; Spence understands intuitively the American Indian conception that man is part of the Earth, and that before he returns to the Earth, that his place is properly living in harmony with the Earth, for the Earth is his grandmother.

This book, though by a celebrity attorney, is the furthest thing from the vapid and glitzy world of celebrity. It is the work of a man alone, relating through his eyes and mind how nature and man have moved him. In awe, to tears, with laughter.

This is a great reference for medical transcriptionists and anyone in the medical field. It quickly informs me of the drugs I need reference to in my field.

I was told that Saunders was the better book, but love the layout of Dorlans the most. I find it easy to use.

This book is very helpful in my work as a medical transcriptionist. The Therapeutic Category Index is especially helpful.

I would certainly recommend this item because of its 2006 updated information; however, if you are accustomed to the prior versions of QuickLook, be prepared for it to be a lot different. There is a delay before the program opens. When you search for a medication name, the result shows at the very bottom of the search result field instead of at the top where prior versions show and where it would be most logical, and the appendix tab is 'hidden' in the filter dropdown which overall makes this a more time-consuming process. It does have the same great features, but it's different and more cumbersome to use.

I hate this book!!!

I'm a medical transcriptionist of 12 years. I've tried this book OVER and OVER and OVER again through the years at the urgings of other MTs. Sorry, I just can't stand it. I really have tried to make friends with it.

For use as a transcriptionist, it's cumbersome at best. Don't bother looking up a brand name drug; it takes a cross reference and fumbling through flimsy, thin pages to get you to the proper generic name. (unless, of course, my education and decade of experience is so lacking and I'm actually expected to have the knowledge of a pharmacy tech so I can use my reference book!) Then you have to weed through paragraphs, or sometimes a page, of information to get to what an MT needs: (1) Confirm this drug that you barely understood a sloppy doctor dictate actually IS for the condition he's talking about. (2) Confirm the dosage you just heard mumbled by said mushmouth. (3) Confirm any funky capitalization that big pharm has decided they need to use to pep up the name of the newest pill on the market.

And, frankly, I worry about an MT who has to rely on a book like this. You should know the common meds and their common dosages already. Yes, even a newbie. That's what training is for.

The only reason I even gave it two stars is for snazzy appendices, including a Therapeutic Category Index, which is lacking in the book I prefer (see below).

Sorry, but I'm quite busy enough with transcribing; I don't need to slow myself down any further by wading through a book which is as inefficient as the Yellow Pages.

I tried AGAIN (!) with the 2007 copy. Forget it. I'd send it back if I hadn't spilled something on it. If you are an MT and you think this will speed up your day, do yourself a favor and order it on trial from the manufacturer; you can send it back that way after 30 days. (sorry Amazon!)

Or... do what I'm about to do right now. Buy the Saunders Pharmaceutical Word Book. But, you say, it's missing a drug already for 2007? Google it and write it in the margins. You're STILL saving yourself time.

The way the books of this series work is that they took a guide for new rangers in Yosemite with the 100 or so most frequently asked questions, and wrote their own answers for each park. So in each book the questions are very similar but the answers might be very different.

It's a great format because it makes for easy reading beforehand, but it's also quick as a reference when you're there because they're arranged in an intelligent order. There's also a huge reference section at the end with lists, copies of permit forms, and so forth. So the thing to do is read the FAQ before you leave but bring the book and refer to it once you're there.

I've only been to Yellowstone once and had no idea where to stay, or which hotels were near which sites and so forth. This book really cleared it up for me and we had a great time.

I was very disappointed in this book, especially since all the reviews were highly favorable when I ordered it. The only redeeming value of this book was that adding it to my order had put me over the order total required to qualify for a $5 discount. I would have sent it back but the refund would not have been worth the bother.

The book is primarily in question and answer format. Most of the answers range in length between one paragraph and a couple of pages. This isn't too bad when using the book for reference but it does not make for great readability.

My biggest complaint is that the book claims to be "an insider's guide" but it provides limited guidance. For example, there are ten pages of outfitters listed. But for the most part the only guidance to them is the category the outfitter is listed under. There is no information on what the differences among the outfitters are as far as what they offer or the quality of their services. A couple of outfitters are mentioned in a general description of guide services, but again there are no reasons given for why you would want to select one of them.

Another example of this lack of guidance is the description of the lodging available in the park. The descriptions are very limited and would not be enough to make an informed decision on where to stay.

I later purchased "Yellowstone - Grand Teton Handbook" by Don Pitcher (Moon Handbooks). I found this book to be much more helpful. Instead of giving a long list of outfitters, Pitcher provides descriptions and opinions about some of the outfitters. He also provides a much better description of what the different lodging options are like. These two examples are representative of the general difference between these books. As an added bonus, "Yellowstone - Grand Teton Handbook" also provides much more information about the Grand Tetons and other areas around Yellowstone.

Don't let the cover fool you. This book is great. Lots of details. Great recommendations on hotels to stay outside the park when the inside ones are book. My niece and I had a blast reading it as we went. We even ran into a bear jam, you'll have to read the book to find out what that is all about. If your looking for a book to simplfy your life and make this trip the best. Buy it! Don't let the cartoons fool you this book has all the details in great form for all. Buy it before you leave so you know where your going. THE BEST, ENJOY.

This book helped me plan the trip, and served as a great guide once we arrived in Yellowstone.

We just returned from a three-week cross-country trip, with a four day stop in Yellowstone. This book was o.k. to read before the trip to familiarize yourself with the park, but was useless as a reference guide once we were there. We basically gave up on it and used our Frommers Guide to the Western National Parks. The index is incomplete, the maps are cartoonish and difficult to read, and some of the explanations in the question-answer format with"ranger Norm" made me feel as if they were questioning my intelligence. My husband and I both couldn't believe they showcase this book prominently in the Yellowstone visitor's Centers!

I've used other Falcon guides in Montana, and was very impressed. I admit I haven't fished in Yellowstone yet, and from the other reviews it looks like it's pretty useful.

But from just a reading standpoint, it's not very good. The pictures are terrible, and I don't think there's a picture of a fish in the entire book, if you can believe that. Also, there needs to be an overall map of some kind, so you can figure out where in the park the little maps are. Even if the big map was split into quadrants spread out over several pages it would help alot. Check out "Fishing the Beartooths" - now that's a great book.

Just my two cents worth.

Recently, I managed to get the hay baled, unload several cow-calf pairs at the sale barn, and endure a screaming diatribe from one of my neighbors who was desiring to cut a road across the corner of my property for ill-defined reasons involving an elk hunting camp. When I demurred, spittle flew out of his mouth and he became quite agitated. For a moment, I thought I might have to get the Mossberg. In the end, he promised to make things so hot for me with our County Board that I would think the devil himself was after me. Against this backdrop, I decided it was a sovereign time to go fishing in Yellowstone.

I have mixed opinions about the worth and accuracy of some Falcon Guides, but not this one. Armed with this guide, I wended my way through the bunkers of industrial tourism that blight our otherwise wondrous first national park, dodging the hatch of RVs and uncurious flabbos that choke the roads in high season. I settled first on a stretch of the Lewis River, which Merriwether Lewis never actually saw. It fished about the way the author said it would, and his descriptions were accurate and clear.

Of course, anyone can write a roadside fishing guide but what about the pristine streams and creeks accessible only by foot or horse? I shouldered my pack and hiked twenty miles into the backcountry in search of some of the original strain of cutthroat. Again, his descriptions of Wolverine Creek and the upper Snake were clear and easy to follow. I used various atttractor patterns recommended by the author and some that weren't. Each produced an equal and abundant share of fish. I finished my week with a couple of nights on Pebble Creek in the NE corner of the park, fishing the undercut banks and big pools in the manner the author suggests. The cutthroat were plentiful, surprisingly sizeable, and not too selective. As a bonus, I saw a wolf pack cruising across the valley as I made my way down the stream bank.

The short sections on ethics are a pleasure to read. Use barbless hooks at all times and don't poach another angler's water if he's clearly fishing a stretch you covet. Get out of bed earlier next time. The author occasionally gives short shrift to some of the more difficult trails in the Park, but if you want to get away from your fellow sportsmen and enjoy Yellowstone the way Colter did, take such damnings with a grain of salt. Overall, his impressions of the park's waters and their fishability mirror my own over the last 15 years or so. Also, he is not kidding when he estimates the number of fisherman who crowd popular sections of river, such as Slough Creek and the Yellowstone near Hayden Valley. Leave these waters in high season for the Zebco crowd and plan on fishing them in the off-season.

Extensive and very detailed tour of fishing in the Park, organized by watershed and with detailed information re: seasons, popular flies and lures. This book is packed with useful information and does not waste the reader's time with flowery descriptions and sentimental musings. Directions to fishing waters are clear and concise. Thorough maps are included. Poor fishing areas are identified as such and may save the reader from fruitless efforts. Guide includes directions and descriptions of waters which may be fished from the roadside as well as those requiring a day-hike or multi-day pack trip to reach. Highly recommended for novice and expert angler alike.

The best book on access points and times to go inside and outside the park. It provides many useful hints on further exploring you might do as well. It is a perfect complement to Craig Matthews' Yellowstone Fly Fishing Guide, which focuses more on hatches and flies rather than specific access to each stream or river.

I had purchased this book and one other for my trip to Yellowstone. This was by far the best book, had all regulations and great information on where to fish in the area. I studied this book in anticipation of my trip, had always wanted to go to Yellowstone and fish. With the use of this book and its recommendations, I had the best day of fishing in my life, caught 40 trout in one day. All I can say is get the book read it and follow the recommendations and guide you wont be sorry. Jeff

One of the best books I've ever read. As a new resident of Wyoming(Jackson Hole), this book introduced me to the real Wyoming, lending a personal feel to the towns and people among the "vast emptiness". My drives through La Barge, Marbleton, Big Piney, Kemmerer and the like, will never be the same, enhanced by the understanding of the people that work and live in these towns. That being said, this is a book for those who have never set foot in Wyoming, for those who have never ventured from big city America. This book writes about the unsung heroes of our country.

The character development and dialogue will have the reader racing through pages while at the same time pausing frequently to postpone the end to some of the best reading since A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was published.

There is a Talmudic expression "He who destroys a life, destroys a world entire." Alexandra Fuller captured a "world" from beginning to end. By the end of it, and after it...you are set to wondering about every anonymous teenager you see working in a fast food joint - for that was one memory I had of Wyoming - but it might as well be anywhere these days . You wonder about the things they are going through (or will go through) and whether you would be in tears if you knew. The more you think about that, the more likely the answer is yes. Which brings up the second half of the saying, which concerns saving a world by saving a life. If you read this book, you will get to know Kaylee and Bill, Jake and Colton, and you will be the better for it. And you will be forced to wonder if Jake had an anxious premonition about his buddy the night of the accident. You will wonder about the timing of the sun dog and about other things that we don't much talk about. And after a while you wonder if UPL can afford handrails on their rigs or requirements that rigs should always have at least one experienced person around at all times. You wonder about the safety officer whose main concern while Colton lay dying was obtaining a blood test to exonerate the company(!). Lots of things to wonder about. If you don't want to be set to wondering, don't buy this book.

I read a few chapters and quit. I found it uninteresting. It now sits on my shelf.

I recently heard Alexandra speak at the Jackson Hole Writers Conference and she had me at hello. Her passion for finding and telling Colton's story was as essential as breathing, as drinking water. As she worked on the story, spending time away from her family to drive the wide open roads of Wyoming or to spend time on the oil patch, the sacrifice seemed worth it. For as she says, all there is and will ever be is the story teller and the story told. I was most touched by how much she lived the story. When spending hour after hour writing the story, she would occasionally tell her kids, "When you set the table tonight, set a place for Colton." Her compassion and care come across throughout the writing as she carefully weaves together the beauty and tragedy of Colton H. Bryant. She "gave away" the story during reading; and even when I knew the ending, I found the words and scenes and descriptions stacking themselves around me, creating a place of beauty and sorrow and rest. I spent 10 days in Wyoming, paddling, driving, attending a rodeo, falling in love with the vastness of land. Fuller's book gave me a story of people and place to help me come to know this place on an even deeper level.

Through her investigative reports of the effect of the oil industry on the western way of life, Alexandra Fuller stumbled across a story that grabbed a hold of her heart and pen. A generational oil patch worker didn't say enough about this simple Wyoming boy with a spirit for forgiveness and laughter who had but one wish: to be like his father. Fuller takes on the voice of Wyoming's brutal elements, endearing family and friends, and the soul of its society to present a gut-wrenching story that will haunt you after the final page has fallen flat between the covers. She delivers this story in prose alive with the harsh vastness of the wild Wyoming west and the loyalty of the souls who live it, work it and love it.

I sojourned quickly through "The Legend of Colton H. Bryant," tugged along by a steady, poetic voice that drew me into this poignant story of an American boy who lived a short life as a grown man. This sheds light on big oil and our country's glutton thirst for more--at all cost.

This was a delightful book, which I thoroughly enjoyed. My husband is from Clan MacGregor, and I learned a lot about the MacGregor's, as well as about the highland cattle. I'm a member of Clan MacLeod, who also raised these beautiful animals. I live in the area where the book took place, and it was historically very accurate. I've been to many of the places she mentions. In fact, the Como Depot is still there, and is now a delightful restaurant.

Ms. Brown wrote wonderfully, with a Scottish accent, and I found myself reading aloud quite often, to get the sounds of the words and phrases. I can hardly wait for her next book, which she tells me maybe available in December!

I took a long time to get through this book. I lugged it about the country on my motorcycle tour of the US Heartland. I found the book to be a bit of roller coaster in its pace. It is well written, but the pace varies. Most of the action oriented writing clicks right along. The emotionally driven elements slowed things down. It is a woman's book. As with most women writers that I have read, there is a lack of authenticity when it comes to violence. The anthropomorphism about the horse, Bonniedoone, did not capture the wildness or genuine psychology of horses.

The characters were moderately well developed and the writing style was clear and clean. The Scottish brogue was enchanting. There were elements of the style of Frank Yerby that I found very appealing.

I look forward to more books by this author.

This is Chrysan Deng from China, I happened to know that my friend Corrine Brown wrote a book and I am very curious to know it, Mrs Corrine Brown gave me the website to download her books and I found it. I got a little about USA western transportation while I was in the colleague, I hope to know more if I read over this book

In this debut novel by Colorado writer and historian Corinne Joy Brown, the life of cattlemen in 1870's Colorado and Wyoming, formerly earned by nothing more and nothing less than sweat and blood-comes to face with big business-dealings with Scottish investors who conquer their worlds with prestige and money.
Margaret Dowling, the daughter of a Philadelphia bank president, finds herself in the middle of this venture when she weds a Scot investor, Kerr McKennon. Though this marriage is not one based on the true romantic natures one would expect, Maggie welcomes the opportunity to go west and start a new life, and develops an instant and everlasting fondness to the landscape and wildlife of the American West.
Maggie McKennon comes face to face with her destiny when her husband is killed, and rather than leave a country and lifestyle that she has come to love, she vows to take his place in the partnership he had formed with Hugh MacGregor and see his dream through. This challenge would be tremendous for any man who on a daily basis deals with the rugged and violent nature of their adversaries, but Maggie McKennon proves herself capable of surviving such a world that can be as ruthless as it is beautiful.
Corinne Joy Brown is a welcomed voice to Western literature, one that captures her readers with a clear, concise prose, and a compelling story reminiscent of the great historical author John Jakes. MacGregor's Lantern is a novel for all times, and Corinne Joy Brown a treasure to the new millennium. -Steven Law, ReadWest Online Magazine

My book club read this book and we were in general agreement that this was a very good read, especially realizing that it is the author's first novel. Being from Denver, I found myself being transported back in time to the 1880s making the trip from Denver to Como, Colo, where much of the action takes place. The historical research that went into producing the novel was accurate, yet it is a history of the west that most westerners aren't even aware of: How Scottish cattle barons became influential ranchers in Colorado and Wyoming.
The Scottish broage dialect was delightful, bringing another flair of authenticity to the novel. It's an Hisorical novel, a romance, a women's rights book (for which it must be read and recommended by Oprah) and a western adventure story all rolled into one. I highly recommend this book!

What a wonderful surprise this book is. Spence may be an "aw shucks" country lawyer on his T.V. appearances but "Of Murder And Madness" reveals him to be a deep thinker and a talented writer. Here, he parallels his own life with that of a murderer he defends. It is really most extraordinary. A good read and an informative discussion of the insanity defense. Luckily it's still in print. What a clever combination of legal thriller and autobiography. Read it. You really won't be sorry.

A wonderful read. Jerry Spence has done it again

How Mr. Spence can be proud of getting a stone cold killer off is beyond me. Joe Esquibell wasn't insane at the time he shot his
wife in the head IN FRONT OF EIGHT WITNESSES ! Mr. Spence and the Doc at the hospital were just tired of the whole
case, it having dragged on for 7 yrs., and the Doc. finally agreed to say that in his opinion (his 3rd flip-flop) Joe was insane at the
time he pulled the trigger. It was a sham. It was a lie.

And then after Joe is freed he of course returns to his old violent abusive boozing lifestyle and gets himself killed. And of all things
Mr. Spence wants the killer of Joe punished even tho he knows it was in self defense, that Joe attacked the guy first.

As you can see I obviously missed whatever good point you all above got out of this book.

Joe Esquibell was a user, abuser, violently jealous, violent in general, boozer. He never worked a day in his life. He had 5
illegitimate kids by three women (one a 14 y/o) that we are told of (you know he had more) that he never supported in any way
shape or form. He was a killer. If there was anyone who deserved the gas chamber it was he. And as far as
insane or not, to me it makes no difference. You take a life...you pay with your own. What's the good in keeping an insane person alive anyway? Especially one who kills. I don't understand it...an insane person has no life. They are the LIVINGDEAD. I think it's cruel to keep them alive in those hospitals where you know damn well they are treated like sh!t.

And what kind of women and/or man has baby after baby after baby when they know they can not support them (they can't
even support themselves for chirst sake!)..., when they don't really want them nor care about them. That is SICK. That's abuse. It's a sin. Joe Esquibell's mother out to be shot. She and her sheepherder husband (alcoholic) are responsible for this whole bloody mess. But that in no way absolves Joe, as Mr. Spence seems to think. Gerry Spence ought to be ashamed.

It's an ugly story about stupid thoughtless trashy people and Mr. Spence attempt to parallel his own life to Joes is a stretch (mr. spence used condoms :o) )

Trial attorney Gerry Spence writes a fascinating tale about one of his trials in which he defends the American underdog. Spence describes a chivalrous undertaking on his part, feeling that a more intellectually advanced human being should become involved with the problems of the less advanced, the unfortunate and the meek. In his book Half Moon and Empty Stars, Spence writes a defense story about the fateful American Indians in modern times, and in Of Murder and Madness his subjects are Mexican Americans in Wyoming and their dire circumstances. As the defense lawyer in a murder case, he takes us behind the scenes unveiling the caprice of the "courthouse club" and the criminal shortcomings of the Welfare Department. He says an insane society produces "skitz" (schizophrenia sufferers). The story of psychotic Joe is interwoven with Spence's autobiography and philosophical outlooks. The battle in this trial is for the lost soul of the defendant, a noble cause for one determined trial attorney. Gerborg

Famous, flamboyant, but brilliant Wyoming attorney Gerry Spence tells the start-to-finish story of a murder trial he was involved in.

For years, this book was out-of-print; few libraries had copies. So, when I ran across this book in the 'true crime' section of a University bookstore, I was elated.

Once I began reading it, there was no stopping me. [Spence is THAT kind of writer. He doesn't bore you for ten pages. He puts the hook in you after a few pages].

The book is rather lengthy, but that's okay. All he has to say needs to be said...in order to understand the crime committed, the background info that LED to the crime, and the actual courtroom drama itself.

This book is a VERY good read for anyone undecided on the death penalty. [It might even confuse you more as to where you're at regarding the death penalty. But that's fine. It will give you something to think about for quite some time].

Yes. This book is a definite page turner. Once started, I doubt you'll be able to put it down. I know I couldn't.

Best part is: it's the type of 'true crime' that could happen in Anywhere, U.S.A. NOT like the Charles Manson "Helter Skelter" true-crime that is sensationalized.

I'd suggest this book to anyone interested in: 1) death penalty cases. Pro or con. 2) real life justice and our legal system.

This is not a book for the faint hearted. Be cautious.