Wyoming Books

Looks like a must have. Very slow, not compelling, too easy to put aside for something better. Not his best book.

Okay, I will admit that I was born in Wyoming and know the area of this story quite well. That said, I really appreciated Trevanian's portrayal of this isolated town, so close to the site of the the famous Owen Wister's VIRGINIAN. As always, he tells a gripping tale. The characters are stereotypic yet unforgettable.

I loved Tevanian's "Shibumi," and as I have often found that a good author is worth following, I have tried two other of his books: "The Main," and this one. And sadly, I have been profoundly disappointed by both.

I have no idea what Trevanian's purpose was in writing this novel. Was he trying a deconstruction of the Western genre, a la Clint Eastwood's "Unforgiven?" Was he trying to make some strange point regarding the Western in general? What purpose did he possibly think he was serving by presenting us with all these unpleasant characters in a profoundly unpleasant situation? And then (sorry for the spoiler, folks) putting on a depressing ending to boot? I am utterly baffled.

I must add that I am further suspicious of Trevanian's motives; part of the way through this (very short) book, I began to suspect that he was sneering down his nose at all us American Western-lovers (I, by the way, am not a very big fan of Westerns [e.g., my favorite film "Western" is either "Little Big Man," or "The Shootist," neither of which can really be considered conventional westerns]--and I got a very strong impression that he was condescending to us to write a "literary" Western novel. Whatever the hell that is.)

In any even, I cannot recommend this book. The characters are unpleasant. The plot is unpleasant. The outcome is unpleasant. And the miasma of authorial sneering (for me) hung over the entire novel. I would give this one a firm miss.

I picked up this book because many years ago I read Shibumi and while I can't remember enough of that novel to write a review for it, I can remember that it was a very good action/adventure/thriller type novel. I have never been interested in the Western genre, but since I knew I liked the author here, I thought I'd give it a try.

The problem with reviewing this book is that I'm not familiar with Western's so I have nothing to compare it too. From my perspective, this book was all right, but not really my cup of tea. Is that because I don't like the genre or because it wasn't done as well as the normal Western? I have no idea. I will say I enjoyed the historical aspect of the book and I really liked reading the after word in which Trevanian tells what happened to the characters in real life after the adventure/tragedy that came into their lives.

I'd recommend this book to someone interested in Western's, even though it's not Trevanian's normal territory, it's a well written book (albeit a bit slow and laborious at times) and because the book is based on real events, it's historically interesting even though much of it is conjecture. I do think it would make a very good movie, if cast and adapted correctly, simply because the story is pretty straight forward, main action all happens in the course of just a few days, and the bad guy is evil enough and interesting enough to grab and hold interest.

I am not one for westerns, but Mr. Trevanian has outdone himself with this one! It grabs you from the beginning with a Hanibal Lecteresque character escaping from jail. You keep waiting for him to arrive at Twenty Mile.

Meanwhile in Twenty Mile we are introduced to the inhabitants of the town. All of them are basically "losers" that are trapped in a dying town, left over from the silver craze. Each is trapped because of personal problems. Along comes Matthew, a young man with a lot of energy and a gift for conning people, but in a nice way. Little by little Mathew wins the good graces of most of the townsfolk and we get to find out that maybe some of them really aren't "losers" after all.

Mr. Trevanian seems to be extremely talented multi-dimensional writer as the style of this book is so different from other works I have read (The Eiger Sanction and The Summer of Katya). But each book I have thoroughly enjoyed.

This book will convince you that insomnia isn't all that bad a thing.

Which is worse: a megalomaniac or someone pulling the strings who doesn't even know he's doing it? Lethem will have you scratching your head continuously as you try to figure out the meaning of this (pick a genre so long as "strange" is part of the description) book.

It seems the consensus of reviewers is that there is a weak ending. Add my vote to that tally. This is a weird book which is fine; but coupling it with a non-existent finish does a disservice to the reader.

This is a road story where the main character leaves his town in Wyoming to find his identity and answers to key questions that churn over & over in his mind. It all sounds straight ahead, simple, but there's been an apocalyptic event some indeterminate time ago that has changed the face of the USA; the town he's leaving is full of mutants; he leaves with one of them, a girl covered in fur; his dreams suggest that he's not who he thinks he is and others can see his dreams when they sleep nearby. The story hooked me early.

On their travels Chaos and the girl, Melinda, encounter widely different communities - aside from the mutant town, there's one encased in a green fog, another where government officials star in their own TV show and also police the community...all of which seem to be conjured by those in the community that have the ability to broadcast their dreams to the masses around them. Is Letham commenting on how people can be brainwashed and controlled by those with power? Some of the communities are cult-like, with inhabitants doing as they are told by their demi-god.

No-one seems clear on the nature of the "disaster" that led to this post-apocalyptic world or at what point in time it occurred. There is no shared reality on this point beyond acceptance that a disaster of some sort happened. This makes the book intriguing, especially in a time where we all accept that we're waging a "war on terror". Even if we can't define the scope of what that encompasses, we accept that it needs to be done. It is one shared reality in my world.

This book made me think about how we become communities, how we arrive at shared values, how we are governed/controlled, the power of "group-think" & how much we are prepared to accept at face-value without questioning. The story may seem slight, more novella than novel, but it's thought-provoking if you let your mind play with the ideas.

I've read most of Lethem's novels and all of them are different, so you never know what to expect. And most of them are pretty good, especially _Motherless Brooklyn_ and _The Fortress of Solitude_. Lethem is obviously getting better and better as he goes along -- which may explain some of my dissatisfaction with this one, which was his second effort. It's a post-holocaust story, though it never becomes clear what the holocaust actually consisted of; various characters have differing memories of what happened. Chaos -- whose real name may, or may not, be Everett -- is living in an abandoned multiplex in a small desert town, dividing his time between drinking and dreaming contagious dreams. Circumstances lead him to leave, taking with him a thirteen-year fur-covered girl named Melinda. Their subsequent travels lead them to a settlement high in the mountains that is blinded by some sort of green fog, then to Vacaville, California, where the survivors change houses twice a week and maintain order and curb antisocial behavior by writing each other tickets. They end up in San Francisco, where Chaos/Everett apparently came from originally. Through all of it, his dreams impinge on the sleep of those around him. And at that point, a little over halfway through, I have to confess I lost what little interest I had been able to maintain and withdrew my bookmark. I hate not finishing a book. More than that, I resent it. Especially when the author, like Lethem, has proved his bona fides.

In 1971, Ursula Le Guin wrote the short novel, _Lathe of Heaven_ in which George Orr's "effective dreaming" tranforms reality in just the arational way you'd expect from the subconscious. Le Guin's novel ends with "the break," an event that changes reality in contradictory and chaotic ways. In both content and form, Lethem's novel feels like a sequel to that novel. Chaos, Everett, Moon--whatever name you go by--lives in a world permanently and madly altered by effective dreaming. The difference is that the talent was unique in _Lathe of Heaven_. In _Amnesia Moon_ dreaming transforms reality locally, producing overlapping and confusing realities. In this case, the aftermath proves less interesting than an inciting incident deep in the background of the Lethem's novel. Though ably written, _Amnesia Moon_ is ultimately less satisfying than Le Guin's work, a less exciting and less interesting continuation. By itself, the novel is compelling enough, but juxtaposed with Le Guin, it seems mere fluff.

Sometimes I find myself reading the old Philip K. Dick books and thinking: Where did Dick get these ideas? Were they transmitted to him from an alien satellite brain (or Vast Active Living Intelligent System)? Who's picking up those transmissions now?

Here's the answer. Except for the 1990s references, this book could easily have been written by Dick himself. (There is a brief reference to Dick's DR. BLOODMONEY at a San Francisco cocktail party). This book bespeaks an enormous freedom of imagination: "something" has happened, nobody knows what (shades of Delany's DHALGREN), but afterwards some are "dreamers" able to construct oneiric "Fictitious Subjective Realities," and others are trapped in these FSRs. The narrator Chaos (or Everett) and his sidekick, the furry little girl Melinda, travel through a variety of these dreams, from the postapocalyptic wasteland of Hatfork, Wyoming, to the zombified media-slave suburbia of Vacaville, to the fog-shrouded Oedipal struggles of San Francisco. to the wars with the alien hives in LA.

This book is truly an explosion of creative promise, drawing out those threads first revealed in Lethem's short stories in CRANK! and elsewhere. I'm eager to pick up more old Lethem SF, before he caved to the exigencies of verbosity for mainstream acceptance.

This here's a classic horror novel that has been revised since it first saw print. It's a selection in the handy Horror: The 100 Best Books by Stephen Jones. I don't recall which version was talked about in the 100 Best, but I believe its the unrevised one. Nonetheless, it's held up very well over time. It's something of a cultural parable (hippie vs. establishment) that excedes expectation, horror convention and cliche. Recommended.

A very quick and fun read, but not very deep and didn't really stay with me after all was said and done. I like how Mr. Morrell didn't let up with the action at all. And there were some genuinely creepy/disturbing moments - that poor kid in the mansion, and the doctor visting the trailer guy with the rabid dog. I'd recommend the book if you have a plane ride and need something to read for 3 hours or so. Mr. Morrell's later books are much more enjoyable.

I made it to page 130 or thereabouts, and by that point I was really struggling. Like many others, I picked up this book because of the "classic horror story" tagline and because I'd read a few short stories by Morrell and had found them all complex and entertaining. Unfortunately, the Totem is neither. The setting is a small town in Wyoming and though the author does a grand job of pulling us into that scene, as well as getting us acquainted with the characters, the book didn't seem like it would ever really begin. There's not hook at all, unless you count a mutilated sheep. Maybe in 1979 that would have been enough for audiences to breeze through 120 pages of setting description in anticipation for the next "horrific" event, but I doubt it. I for one would have given Star Wars another re-watching instead.
When the "action" does finally happen it's unbelievable and not very exciting. People and animals going crazy from some type of communicable disease or virus and attacking others...not the most original plot, even then. I mean, how long had night of the living dead been out at that point?
This book is not a horror novel. It's not even really a thriller. It's more like somebody grabbed on of Larry McMurtry's early fiction efforts, though some random, poorly written violence in it, and then had Morrell gloss over the mistakes. Sorry David, I'm still a fan of First Blood and this won't stop me from trying another of your books, but for anybody looking for a "classic" horror novel, this is not the place you need to be.
As far as horror fiction dealing with people going crazy and attacking others, I'd recommend Richard Laymon's One Rainy Night, the movie Ravenous, and also Robin Cook's best novel, Acceptable Risk, which isn't a horror book either in the strictest sense of the word, but can get damn scary at times. Anyway, happy reading!

David Morrell's THE TOTEM was originally released in 1979 and is considered by some to be a classic of horror fiction. This novel was eventually re-released in the mid-1990s, in one of those expanded, author-approved versions. This is the version of the TOTEM I chose to read, and I strongly suspect I made the wrong decision.

My impression of this new version of THE TOTEM is that it's too long and bloated. This novel has a multitude of characters, and Morrell spends countless pages exploring the psyche of characters that don't play a large role in the plot. As another reviewer commented, most of this novel is an overly-long setup, leading up to a climax that is almost laughably short and unsatisfying. There are also way too many subplots stuffed into the storyline, which deprives the book of any real momentum. Morrell's prose is strong, and there are some great moments in this novel, but they just don't add up to a satsifying story in the end.

There's a reason why the 1979 version of THE TOTEM is half the size of this version -- a good editor saw the flaws in Morrell's original draft, and excised all the boring and irrelevant parts. My advice is to find that older version of this book, which is no doubt more tightly written than this rather bloated mish-mash of a book.

Seeing David Morrell's "The Totem" on a list of the best 100 horror novels made me haunt bookstores and libraries in an effort to find it. After finally reading it, I do not believe that the novel belongs on that list. In my opinion, it is neither scary nor memorable; I consider it an average novel.

The Totem is about Nathan Slaughter, a police chief who discovers monsters are stalking his Western ranching town. Slaughter is a good character, being capable, heroic, and moral. The setting of Potter's Field is a character in its own right and is as integral to the novel as Jerusalem's Lot is to "Salem's Lot." An accomplished storyteller, Morrell sets a brisk pace and injects enough suspense to fuel the narrative. There are a few mildly chilling moments, but I would not compare them to the stomach-turning moments of Blatty's "The Exorcist" or Harris's "The Silence of the Lambs," two novels referenced in the author's foreword.

About the foreword: the edition that I read is a revision of the original 1979 novel. Morrell seems to think that this revised edition is better than the original because it is bigger and deeper, but I wonder if it is. Horror and suspense novels are most effective when they are taut. Morrell stuffs too many characters, too many subplots, and too much exposition into this revision, crippling its intensity. I think that his editor in the 70s was correct: Less is more when it comes to horror.

I have some other qualms, particularly about the novel's structure. Much of the novel is setup, whereas the climax is over in an eyeblink. The resolution is laughable as Morrell tries to connect the story to the characters in a satisfying way. He also occassionally forecasts what is going to happen, thus killing the suspense in key moments. Finally, I think that a reader in the 21st century would not necessarily connect to the topical content (hippies) as an original reader would in the 70s.

As Spence promises on the cover, this book is about himself.

You'll learn how Spence's mother's selfish suicide and religious overbearing nature have plagued him. Her death was a life-long sentence without a trial. It drove him to obsess over the innocence and justifiable mistakes of others.

In the Making of a Country Lawyer, Spence delivers what most of those who write autobiographies avoid -- a critical, honest and, at times, humorous account of his growth from an awkward youth, to married man, and ultimately to a truly mature man. He is so honest and witty and provides such rich descriptions of his teenage years, his law school "education," and his first few trials that I would be cringing one moment and laughing out loud the next. So emotionally lost was Spence at different times that it appeared he could never find his way out of the abyss, nevermind reclaim the mountain top. It is more than an autobiography, it is the story of man so tormented with guilt and feelings of inadequacy that he's desperate to escape his own skin . . . until he meets his soulmate. It's the best autobiography I've ever read and perhaps Spence's best book.

This book relates the details of the life of Gerry Spence, a well-known trial lawyer. From his earliest days of life through the beginnings of his second marriage, Spence reveals to us what his life was like, who his influences were, and how he reacted. The driving focus of the book is Spence's mother, who took her own life when he was a young man. At the time of her death, she and Spence had had a falling out, and Spence sees much of the rest of his life as trying to make peace with her. At the end of this book, some of Spence's famous cases and clients are mentioned in an epilogue; however, these topics are not discussed in the memoir section at all.

As an outsider to Spence's family, this book was extremely hard to get through. Some of the details of his early life in rural Wyoming were quite interesting, and he certainly reveals some of his character as he variously compares arguing in the courtroom to wild game hunting or playing poker. The stories of his first marriage and its breakup, and how he took up with another woman are not exactly things to be proud of, and I'm not sure his family would really want to see these details published. When his marriage was on the rocks, he decided to sell his family's home in Wyoming together with all their possessions and start life anew in Mill Valley, California. Within a month, though, he abandoned his family in Mill Valley, where they were far from relatives, friends or any other people who might provide emotional support, to go back to his mistress in Wyoming. I couldn't help thinking about Judith Wallerstein's book about children of divorce ("Second Chances") when I read this section. For her studies, she chose families facing divorce in the early 1970s living in a town in California. Was it Mill Valley where she did her studies? Did she include the four Spence children in her work? Was it the Spence children whose standard of living took a drastic nosedive when their father moved in with someone else? But it was the woe begotten prose addressed to Spence's mother that was the most difficult part of this book to get through. I had hoped to develop some sympathy for lawyers, or at least for this one, or maybe even learn something about growing up in the West during the Depression by reading this book. Instead, after reading this book, I find myself repelled even by the thought of reading any more memoirs by lawyers.

Next to "The Paper Chase",I found Gerry Spence's autobiography to be extremely inspirational, and yet, this time he offered wisdom for the rest of us who do not take up the law. One reviewer missed the point about "country lawyer"(the common man), trying to weaken Spence's building diatribe against corporate America. His vivid, meticulous storytelling ranges as wide as the landscape of his upbringing, where Horatio Alger meets Franklin and finishes with Thomas Paine. In other words, he offers hope for the little guy, the citizen, if men of his cloth would abandon their ways and the rest of us would stop acting like lemmings. This captivating, truth-telling journey to adulthood, runs from the depression to the consumptive new millenium. His many Lincolnian lessons throughout make it a deservedly classic manual for the under-taught. Spence proves Darwin wrong. It's not the fittest, the prepared truth-seekers.

It has been said that it takes a great deal of courage for a person to take both their private thoughts and sacred moments and put them down on paper for another person to read. This is what Gerry Spence has done with his autobiography, and he should be congratulated for doing so. Spence is renowned for his landmark victories in court, including the Karen Silkwood estate, The defense of Randy Weaver, and the acquittal of Imelda Marcos. This story is not about that chapter in Spence's life, it is about the life of the young man who became this lawyer. Spence spends a fair amount of time talking about personal intimate details of his youth that most people would prefer to forget about, let alone share with perfect strangers. For me, this is where Spence's courage deserves to be applauded. Spence now presents himself as a kind understanding gentleman who is capable of dealing respectfully will those from all walks of life -- one of the many reasons he is so successful at handling jury trails. To read his own story, this was not always the case. I have read other reviews of this book from people who were shocked to learn the details of this man's teenage, young adult, and middle adult years and seemed to hold it against him. To me, Spence is not ashamed, as he should not be, about the path his life has taken. He offers no apology, and does not owe us one. He simply describes in detail the story of the first half (approximately) of his life with insight as to how it created the Gerry Spence that we all now know and love.

Some parts of the book to tend to get a little long and drawn out. This is simply Spence being Spence. He is never in a hurry to tell his stories and likes to let them meander. They are his stories and this one is about his life, so he should tell it his way.

My final thoughts of this book are not so much about he book itself, but something that happen right after I finished it. I had read several of Spence's works in succession. This book was the last. Not long afterward I sat down one Saturday afternoon and send him an e-mail telling him what I had read and that I appreciated his writing and his work. I sent the mail not really expecting anything and took off for the gym. I came home a few hours later and found a reply in my Inbox from Gerry thanking me and telling me that I had made his day. It was nice to know that I was able to talk briefly with a renowned figure.

I enjoyed reading this refreshing text and found it to be replete with pertinent information about creating, running, and maintaining an errand service business. The author provides helpful insights gleaned from his experiences in and knowledge of the business and writes in a straightforward, no-nonsense, and practical style. I would recommend this book to anyone who is considering venturing into the errand service business.

Buy this if you want to purchase every book on this subject,
or buy The Concierge Manual for $15 more and you won't need to look any further.

Can't say I agree with some of the latter reviews. Glad we decided to purchase, as the book has helped us a great deal. Especially the portion that goes into suggested errand niches. Well done, Mr. Spina. I'm not concerned that it's spiral-bound, nor did I observe grammatical errors. Plus, I'd rather have a lesser page count of clear, concise information than a higher page count of drivel. Sure, I've seen some of this information elsewhere, but so what. What how-to book can't you say that about? I like the information presented and its personal, one-on-one style. My sister and I run our Errand business part-time and the information we found here was good enough for us. In fact, the ideas the book gives regarding where and how to find business have pushed us over the top.

Thank you,
Courtney Armstrong

This is, without a doubt, the worst investment I have made so far. The grammar and punctuation is deplorable, and the information is next to useless. There are infinitely better sources for anyone looking for information on how to start a small business. I would have given it a rating of less than one star had one been available. Save your time and money.

I received this "book" -- wait, no, it's a BOOKLET -- and I was shocked. I couldn't believe I paid $25 for a comb bound booklet. It's not even printed double sided. Furthermore, I'm not impressed with the content. The information is readily available in other books such as Entrepreneur Magazine's How to Start a Personal Concierge Service or The Concierge Manual, Second Edition. This booklet should have been a download rather than a shipped "book". It's certainly not worth $25. I'm sure there was something in the description about comb binding, but I missed it (perhaps I expected different from Amazon). I was a little more than disappointed.

A book published in April 2008 should not have reviews dated no later than 2007. This makes no sense.

For one contemplating a trip to Yellowstone and the Tetons this book will be a fine handbook and guide.It is very detailed in regards to information about the parks and offers the reader a fine source of information for things to do on your visit.

Before my Yellowstone trip, I had purchased many books and maps and visited websites-you know the drill. This book helped with many insider tips-when talking with other visitors, they had consistently asked me how I knew these things, and I told them-the Lonely Planet guide. Even two park rangers wanted to know how I knew these lesser known tips-and they were impressed with the information. My favorites: how to get the best view of the Grand Prismatic pool (I'm not going to give that one away) and how to avoid bears on trails-which I'll let out of the bag-sing show tunes! Yes that sounds ridiculous-but when I saw a bear about 150 ft ahead of me on a trail and started singing Ethel Merman, well, bears are smart enough not to stick around for the encore!

Maybe it's because the author admits that he ventured off to complete this project only a couple days after getting married, leaving his bride behind. Perhaps a publishing deadline loomed large. I'm not sure what Lonely Planet's excuse is, but this book is the most thrown together, unhelpful guide I've ever seen in their repertoire! I've appreciated their "secret" tips and organized guides for many of my world adventures, and this one is just way below par. Abyssmal on any scale.

I did tons better researching on the internet on my own, which might be the best approach to these parks anyway, so that you're sure to get up to date information. This guide doesn't even mention the great guest ranch outside the park at which I snagged six nights a few months before my visit, how to make sure that you get tickets for special ranger-led, half-day back-country adventure hikes with 15 person limits, or that there are boat and kayak rentals/tours in Yellowstone from concessionaires.

The book literally gives you a headache, trying to figure out how to make sense of the vast amount of listings presented. A menage of maps and thrown-together tidbits are pretty meaningless without the necessary organization to figure out an orderly travel plan. It would have been a lot better if the book took you around each of Yellowstone's loops and through Grand Teton in a more logical format.

I alos found much of the information to be grossly outdated and inaccurate, and so many basic outdoor activities weren't explored in depth, and no real useful information or how-tos were given. I was thoroughly disappointed with my selection. With the vast amount of knowledge that I've accumulated through my own research, I could certainly re-write this guide myself!

If it's your first time in Yellow Stone or the Grand Tetons this'll be your bible .. the hikes listed in both places are well presented and with the maps included will help you plan you time in this wonderful part of the world .. The information on where you are likely to spot animals is really useful - Elk, Bison, Moose and Bear ... all accurate! The highlights and intineraries suggested helped with planning the trip .. but in addition to the traditional 'must sees' the book also suggests some wonderful off the beaten track experiences as well. Has info on where to stay and eat ..I stayed outside the park and would recommend either Teton Village or Jackson Hole as a good base with lots of top class accomodation. For European travellers Jackson Hole was the only place that I could get a mobile phone signal!

The Wyoming Kid by Debbie Macomber
Harlequin American Romance # 1121 - July 2006

Letty's brother Lonny is a former legendary rodeo star, The Wyoming Kid. He was smart and left the rodeo circuit while his bones were still good, and returned to help on the ranch. When his parents died, he became partners with his neighbour and best friend Chase. When Letty returns to Wyoming, she befriends a newcomer to their town; Joy and eagerly tries to match make Joy and Lonny together. But sparks fly when Joy and Lonny are together and these are not the good kind. Some how every time they are together, one or the other provokes a temper flare and suddenly things get said that never were meant to be said. That they are both stubborn leads to a lot of frustration and heartache.

This was a fun read. The clash of wills and tempers kept this story rolling along with some wonderful laugh out loud moments. Lonny sometimes came across as immature, but he soon grew out of that and realized that he'd been acting like a jackass. After the last three emotionally charged stories that I've read by Ms. Macomber, this one was pleasantly lighter. A very enjoyable read :D


read also the prequel ... Denim and Diamonds - SSE # 570 - December 1989

I enjoyed this good clean book, so many have so much sex and violence that they are no longer enjoyable, it was clean and a fast enjoyable read.

It was fun to revisit the community that was introduced in Denim and Diamonds! This follow-up story was written 18 years later, and more closely reflects the skills and values Debbie Macomber has honed over the years. Lonny is much less hostile character in this story. While still maintaining his basic gruffness, he also showed a softer romantic side by following his sister's advice in trying to woo Joy, as well as in his mentoring of Tom. I like the way his character consistently showed growth. By gradually and progressively coming to his own realizations throughout the story, his redemption seemed so much more believable then if he made a more sudden conversion (as Chase did in the first story). I genuinely liked this town and could see why both Letty and Joy felt compelled to stay there. And maybe another follow-up story is in order for Tom and Michelle!

A quick, enjoyable read. I loved the characters and the interactions between them. I love how the author doesn't just focus on the two main characters. Their friends and family are an important part of the story. I also like how you feel you are a part of the small town the story is set in.

This book was better than I expected, upbeat read and flows from page to page. Good storyline and Romance.

This book helped us alot! The information is detailed and just what we wanted. We only were in Yellowstone for 2 days, so we wanted to see all we could, and there is a chapter that is just for that. You can use this kind of like a tour guide. It tells you what you'll see, some history (not too much though), what to expect, etc. It was VERY helpful. We also used this is Grand Teton. The book also give you ideas where to eat and stay (we used the dining info, we had already made our lodging plans before I got the book). I highly recommend this book. I also purchased the Bryce and Zion book, as we were going there too on this vacation.

I found it very helpful in mapping out our trip that we will take this summer. great insight into where to stay and eat.

This book was not what I expected - I would not recommend it at all. It stayed in the car packed away. I also bought Scenic Driving Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, 2nd (Scenic Driving Series) and Outdoor Family Guide to Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks (Outdoor Family Guides) which were excellent.

My family went to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks last June and this guide was a great resource. At the moment, I'm planning another national park trip and pulled the book off the shelf so I could get a guide by the same author.

He marked Signal Mountain Lodge in GT as a "** find" and was it ever! It's managed by a different vendor than the other lodges in the park and I'd stay there again if I return. I used his suggestions for "If you can only go on one hike, do this..." and the suggestions were awesome. The hike to the top of Signal Mountain (most people drive rather than take the 6 mile easy walk) was so beautiful and peaceful that I hiked it a second time before leaving.

This book gave suggestions that you'd expect to get from a friend who has just visited an area and says "Hey let me give you this great tip."

I would definitely recommend this book.

We bought this book, but ended up using other guides. It is a fine reference for some people, but I'd recommend:
Yellowstone Treasures: The Traveler's Companion to the National Park (Great for more in-depth research)
and
National Geographic Road Guide to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks (NG Road Guides) (Quick roadside reference)
instead.

WOW what a read, a great journey into the past filled with romance, suspense, fun, mystery its what you expect from a Cassie Edwards book. The plot is rich, the people you fall in love with and hate are wonderfuly told in this book. I love all things that Cassie does and this is just another wonderful story another wonderful book to read and enjoy and to fall in love.

Cassie Edwards has presented us with another entertaining Romance from the old west period of 1868. Her depictions of the chaos the Indian Tribes experienced during that era in history are 'right on'. "Wind Walker" is often predictable still it will keep you relaxed and content with the reading. Story line and language is suitable for teenagers and young adults as well as us older readers.
Beverly J Scott author of Righteous Revenge, Ruth Fever and Jena's Choice

This book was very entertaining. I read the entire book in one sitting and needless to say my eyes got very tired. This book is definately worth your money!

Once again they magically fell in love at first sight without knowing anything about each other. He didn't have one single fault which is fake and like living in fairy land. Even a small one would have made him more human instead of like some perfect god that is better than everyone. She gave up every aspect of her life for him and he gave up nothing. It's getting kind of old and boring very quickly. If you have read one of her books you have read all of them, they never change.

Setting - Wyoming Territory, 1868 --- With apprehension but also excitement, Maggie Tolan and her mother set out from Boston to join her Uncle Patrick on a trek across the west to Oregon. Along the way, Maggie lost her mother, so now her only living relative was Uncle Patrick, leader of the wagon train. At the encampment one night there were two visits, one from a local rancher, Archy Parrish, who gave warnings of Indian raiders that would steal white women never to be seen again. The second set of visitors included a very handsome Indian warrior, Wind Walker, who offered genuine friendship and warnings of renegades who had little scruples and less moral values. Both Maggie and Wind Walker would notice one another and both would mark it as a meaningful moment.

It would be later, in the dead of night, that Maggie would be forcefully abducted by the unscrupulous rancher Archy where he would hold her prisoner on his ranch to be both mother to his young sons and act as virtual slave to cook for his thirty cowhands. Uncle Patrick would conduct a search, swearing he wouldn't leave without her and enlisting the aid of Wind Walker after being turned down for any assistance from the unscrupulous rancher Archy. Naturally, Wind Walker, rescues Maggie and as they soon declare their undying love for one another, they set out to teach Archy a lesson he richly deserved.

I had seen many titles under this authors name and expected a really good American West historical romance, and while the story was good, it seemed to me that the dialogs were somewhat `off' for the period and especially for the main character Wind Walker. Had it not been for the brief culmination of the two protagonists making love, I could even suggest this as a very good `young adult' romance. As it stands though, I really do feel that this romance is more suited towards a younger audience as the ` sexual act' was not as graphic as some and on the mild side. I guess that what I really could not get past was the precise way Wind Walker was speaking unless he'd had a quality English education, which was not indicated in any background of his upbringing. It was a very quick read with not a lot of background and that was quickly glossed over with very little descriptive prose. Not a bad read, but not something that I think a voracious historical romance reader could sink their teeth into. --- Marilyn Rondeau (...)

Good story. I almost give it a full 5 stars. However, at one point it is annoying how immature and stubborn Egan can be.

Kate is a romance writer who is in love with this Egan character. Shes independent, strong, smart. She enjoys herself while still mainting her self-respect.

Egan on the other hand has a misconception of Kate just because she writes romance novels. He believes that Kate is easy because of the dialogue in her books. While it understandable that he thinks that way, at one point it begins to seem very annoying that he will not change his mind about her yet wants her to give in to him easily.

Basically, thats the story throughout the whole book. The only thing that makes up for it at the end, is when he confesses his love after many years. Some love, if he thinks about her that way.

A nice story, but only because of Kate. Egan saves his behind at the end, but nevertheless an annoying character.

Diana Palmer knits a delightful story including a pleasing romance. If you like---romance-writers meeting their first unlikely real love---scenarios, this one will not let you down.
It's New York to the wilderness. A touch of fun, and a lighthearted read.

This is another of those "Big Misunderstanding" novels that Diana Palmer is so famous for. Some of those actually work. This isn't one of those.

The heroine is a romance writer -- so the hero has already decided she must be a Loose Woman. He treats her rudely and makes some of the silliest assumptions I have ever seen in a romance novel. Even worse, she never really defends herself until the book is almost over.

I used to love this kind of book in the 1980s, but this one doesn't age well. Unless you're a really big fan, I'd suggest that you look for another Palmer instead. Or better yet, look for category romances by upcoming authors like Jan Freed, Margaret Early, and so forth.

Kati's friend has invited her brother, Egan, a tough western rancher, to New York for Christmas. Kati and Egan have always been at odds, but Kati resolves to try and be nice for her friend's sake. See, Kati is a romance novelist, therefore Egan automatically assumes that she is promsicuous and gets inspiration for her novels from her life. The two cannot deny their attraction to each other, so Egan invites Kati to his ranch so she can do research for her new book. Sparks fly even more, Egan learns how wrong he was, and the happy ending is wrapped up in a nice, neat, *fast* little package.

This story is packed with strong emotions and clashing personalities. Too bad Egan is so offensive that there is no way I could possibly like him. The comments he makes to Kati, calling her a [prostitute] and insinuating horrible things, are indefensible. Kati barely sticks up herself. It is also completely irrational that Egan assumes what he does about Kati. So irrational, it borders on absurd.

This is my first Palmer, and, while I don't like the book, I plan on reading more of her stuff because she writes well and knows how to elicit emotion from her reader.

I loved this book! For all of you Diana Palmer fans out there, this book is a must read! The chemistry between Katriane- (the romance writer) and Egan- (the tough rancher) is sizzling. Although I will say that there were times when I just wanted Katriane to smack Egan over the head for his snide remarks, but she gave as good as she got! This is Palmer at her best!