Wyoming Books

I love all of Cassie Edwards novels. Every time I pick up one of her books it is hard to put down. This book is different from her others, but still equally as good.

The plot and how the story line follows through in this book, made for a great read. I enjoyed and absorbed every page and word. Cassie Edwards wrote this from her heart. Her main characters are great. They were so detailed and heart felt to me. I appreciated the endearing way that Ms. Edwards' words made the leader of the Shoshone chief and the pioneering woman in this story come together. Not wishy-washy in the least, or even predictable. A truly great read!!!!!

I will give Cassie Edwards the benefit as Spirit Warrior is the first Indian romance novel I read by Edwards. I thoroughly enjoy reading Indian romances, though I am disappointed with this book. There wasn't enough substance, the suspense is in short supply, although the love making describe by Edwards between the main characters (Spirit Warrior and Denise) is captivating, then again the plot is very predicable leading up to their union and what followed. By time I read 3/4 of this novel, I was hoping I would gain more insight into the characters as there was room for Edwards to develop the main and supporting roles better. In terms of the time frame, months appeared to turn into days in the story line. I was rushed through this book. It seemed that Edwards was hurried to publish this piece.

I usually get excited seeing a new Cassie Edwards book on the shelf, but this one has to dissapoint me. I'm not sure what was wrong with it, but it didn't...shine in my face. Her other works are very well-crafted and beautiful but something about this one just didn't work for me. Maybe the fact that Spirit Warrior was a shamon. It kept him so holy. What intrigued me in her other work was how "wild" the male of the story was. But, in a way, Spirit Warrior was too "feminine" for me. And although Edwards uses "love-at-first-sight" in most of her books, I think she overdid it this time. (or just noticed it)
I wouldn't scorn you if you read this book. There are many interesting fact that makes you still wanna believe you're the heroine of the book, but don't get your hopes up. I got mine up and came out the door dissapointed.

In 1838 Denise Russler, her father, brother, and others travel from St. Louis to the Wyoming Territory where they plan to establish a trading post. Indian Shaman and Chief Spirit Warrior accompanied by some of his braves visit the camp offering friendship. Spirit Warrior and Denise share an instantaneous attraction to one another.

After Spirit Warrior leaves, Mole and his renegade Indians attack the Russler camp killing Denise's father. Spirit Warrior and his braves locate and attack a renegade camp. Spirit Warrior captures a unique looking horse from the Indians, but that steed happens to be one stolen from the Russlers. At first Denise believes Spirit Warrior sent the raiders, but decides her heart would not desire a villain and she wants Spirit Warrior with her every breath. As they share more adventures, the white woman and the shaman chief fall in love, but must overcome enemies who have other plans for the duo.

As expected from award winning Cassie Edwards, SPIRIT WARRIOR is a strong Indian romance. The story line focuses on the growing relationship between the lead protagonists in spite of external interference to the contrary. Denise's brother is a unique character as he fully accepts Spirit Warrior as his brother. Though the heroes are too perfect and have little personal conflict between them, the love between Denise and Spirit Warrior turns this western romance into a stirring read.

Harriet Klausner

This book changed my life for the better! It was an incredible metphore for the human condition and a path to enlightenment!It was a religeous experience to read. Unbleiveable...it has "Pulitzer" written all over it.

To quote from my interview, "If Captain John C. Fremont would have had a copy of BACKCOUNTRY COOKING... he wouldn't have eaten his saddle." And, "Adare has perfected the technique to cooking along the trail. I recommend it to all those who love to tramp the great outdoors." Bob Wiseman, author HEALTHY SOUTHWESTERN COOKING

Very few of these recipies were actually usefull. this book focuses more on the authors observations of the outdoors than actual cooking. Most of the recipies involved lots of fishy tasting ingredients that you would not want to find out that you were stuck eating miles away from any re-supply areas. Good if you REALLY like lots of salty fishy flavors.

This book focuses on backcountry cooking en masse for a group of 4 or more. I travel either by myself or with small groups, in which each member brings his own food and does his own cooking. This book was not very helpful to me.

Trying to pack 3 states of immense geography into 272 pages? I'm sorry, but I didn't find any real substance here. Most of the info is sketchy and seems very limited. It only seems to scratch the surface. Pick a state and stick to it.

This book is not exhaustive...and isn't intended to be. It's the lowdown on the best places to go and stay and visit. It's written in a breezy, informed style that is fun to read and, from what I can tell, extremely accurate. Judging from the places I've been able to visit recently (Jackson Hole, Bozeman, Yellowstone) the author is right on. I'd recommend this book highly to anyone traveling into this region.

As reviewer Joe Pickett said, this book is well-written and enjoyable. My personal preference is for single state travel books, because they are more exhaustive in their coverage, and thus more useful when traveling. The reason for this review is my amusement at finding an earlier review of this book from 2000 written by Joe Pickett. Joe Pickett is the name of the fictional hero of author C.J. Box's excellent mystery series set in Wyoming, and these books started appearing in 2001, after this review, with the award winning Open Season. I love these books, a perfect blend of mystery and western. So what say you, Mr. Box? Did you write the 2000 review for this book? I also can't help but wonder if C.J. Box is your real name. Perhaps you are a relative of Edgar Box, Gore Vidal's famous pseudonym.

i thought this book was an excellent primer...i was able to gain an understanding of each area of the states covered: what each has to offer sporting-wise, weather-wise, lodging- and food-wise. of course it is not as in depth as a single state guide book would be, but for those of us looking to explore all three, it provided a solid foundation from which to begin charting our course. enjoyable writing, as well. i had never read 'travel smart' books...getting another today because i was so pleased.

Henderson joins the ranks of Jim Grimsley, et al, who write in the self-conscious literary style of the immediate present tense; rather than showing the reader what happened, such writers show the reader what IS happening. In a sense this literary device makes reading Native like entering a dream, and at times what is happening is unclear, as dreams are vague and disquieting. But still, I grew to like Blue as he discovers himself and his relationship with Sam, though I was disturbed when Blue just leaves Sam to live or die without explanation--like dreams. --Ronald L. Donaghe, author of Common Sons

Henderson's writing is reminiscent of Faulkner. His story of Blue takes you completely into a journey where landscape, emotion, physicality and spirituality are woven together with an artistry that is both delicate and powerful in the same dimension. This is not a novel to think your way through. Rather it is a shamanic journey you must abandon yourself to.

Did I miss something? Heavy on the mood; plot was hard to follow; couldn't figure out why the characters did most of what they did. I wanted to like Blue, but I didn't understand him. At least Sam's story made some sense. Gilbert seemed much more like a poor plot device than a character. And I have no idea what happened at the end.

To say that Native is a coming-of-age novel does not do it justice. Yes, our main character discovers something about himself. Yes, he grows up. But that's not all.

Henderson's expert use of landscape and scenery not only reflects the characters' internal struggles, it also puts you smack dab in the middle of the beautiful Wyoming ranch. The story contains enough action to balance the introspection, but not so much as to overshadow the true battles for self-acceptance. The well-rounded characters are both realistic and larger-than-life.

The language flows smoothly throughout most of the book, and in fact is as much a part of the experience as the story itself. You cannot ignore the exquisitely crafted prose, and that annoyed me on occasion because it distracted me from the story.

Henderson's second novel will be released in the fall of 1997. If it lives up to the promise shown in Native, Henderson is well on his way to literary acclaim.

Thisis.the.very.first.book.by.her.that.I.had.a.hard.time.getting.thru,however.I.will.continue.reading.her.because.all.the.pastread.were.very.good.she.is.one.of.my.favorite.authors.

I've read most of Leigh Greenwoods books...and so far this one is the only one in which I did not enjoy. It was hard getting through it because the main character, Sybil, is such an unlikeable person. Her character traits, why she is the way she is, is explained thoroughly but the explanations do nothing to endear her to the reader. The only good thing I can say about her is that when the time comes for Sybil to take her anger out on someone who deserves it...she does. But then we have this roller coaster of up and down, back and forth personality shift that doesn't keep pace during those times when her fiesty character is cheered on. The book is just OK...nothing great..and not one that I would read again. Notice too...the male character is nothing much to speak of either. Hence I don't. I found Burch uninteresting and someone who should have spoken up or set his foot down when Sybil was being childish, ignorant, disrespectful, intolerable, whiney, mean and churlish. The romance is limited in my opinion, and not all that exciting when it is happening to the characters.
Bottom line is...I read the whole book out of loyalty to the writer, because...he is one of my favorites and his other books are wonderful.

I found this book to be pretty good-not as great as the Seven Brides Series, but that's to be expected since it's one of his earlier books. Just to let y'all know, Leigh Greenwood is a man.

I like this book. I've read most of Leigh Greenwood's books and this is a little different from the others. It has good characters and a mystery that keeps you going until the end.

If I knew more about this book, I wouldn't have bought it, I would however check it out from a library...

This book chronicles Pruitt's life as a Wyoming homesteader and ranch wife in letters to a former employer and friend. Pruitt is hired as a housekeeper by a Scottish rancher named Stewart in Wyoming, and eventually marries him, but she is determined to homestead her own plot of land, so she claims some land contiguous to her husband's. Mrs. Stewart's letters detail her life on a remote ranch with a great deal of vigor. In fact the word "vigor" seems to characterize Stewart herself who sets off on long jaunts by herself, just to see the countryside. She often takes her children on these trips and when things go wrong, the children and Stewart must rely on the rough kindness of other Wyoming pioneers. Thus, she is saved from a spending a freezing night in the snow by Zebulon Pike and is fed by a disreputable character who turns out to know her husband. She assists at wedding and births, visits the Mormons where she finds the "second" wife is not happy, and generally has a wonderful time in turn-of-the-century Wyoming. Stewart has a marvelous sense of humor, an indomitable spirit and a great love for the beauty of nature. However, she is so relentlessly upbeat that one wonders if she is telling the whole truth. Diaries of other pioneer women reveal a rather different picture of life in the west where women were often left alone for extended periods of time to run the ranch, handle the kids, do all the housework, raise the garden, feed the chickens and livestock and do all the other tasks associated with ranching. Many of these women didn't enjoy settling new country, but Stewart apparently loves it. The root of her optimism is that she is trying to get other women to homestead. Her message seems to be "If I can do it, so can you." Her letters reflect 19th century feminism which not only revolved around suffrage but also taught that women could be independent and successful. With women like Stewart settling the state, it is not surprising that Wyoming was the first state that gave women the right to vote. This book is fun to read and informative though I don't think it represents the experiences of a majority of pioneer women. It, like its author, is iconoclastic in its sheer joie de vivre.

When I first began this book I was very disappointed. I finally got in far enough to get to the letters. Even if you never read the pages leading up to the letters or the summation at the end, you will gain from reading it. Elinore must have been a great person to know. I felt like I did know her even though it was soon evident that she was coloring up her letters for publication. She kept me reading and I did what I set out to do. I learned about the woman homesteader in the west and her everyday life.

Paints a terrible picture of the Stockmen of Wyoming. Glorifies the rustlers and the criminals. I have read two other accounts of this episode in Wyoming history that tell a much different story with the same facts. Who do you believe? I am sticking to the Stockmen, who were business men and gentlemen. Much of the killing of the farmers and small ranchers was most likely by the rustlers themselves and not the Stockmen. When the Stockmen finally had enough of rustlers stealing their livestock, they went after them in a bungled effort. They actually had to hire gunmen from Texas to do thier dirty work because this wasn't their normal way of life.

So take this book with a grain of salt, and keep reading, there is another side to this story. I am just sorry the truest version is out of print, but if you ever happen on to a copy of "Malcolm Campbell Sherriff", you will see what I mean.

The Banditti of the Plains, by A. S. Mercer

The 'Foreword' by William H, Kittrell gives a history of this censored book. Although Mercer escaped alive, the shop that printed it went out of business after its owner was jailed (p.xvi). Asa Mercer once sat on the lap of Congressman Abe Lincoln, graduated from Franklin University, and migrated to the Northwest Territory. He became the first president of the University of Washington. In 1864 he aided the migration of marriageable young women from Lowell Massachusetts (p.xxi). Mercer encouraged immigration to Washington Territory. Mercer later lived in Oregon and Texas, then moved to Wyoming in 1883. "Banditti" is a now obscure term for highwaymen who robbed travelers; the cattle barons of Wyoming and their imported Texas mercenaries would be better called terrorists today. The corporate owners and their hired killers sought to exterminate the homesteaders and small ranchers of Wyoming to steal their property. The cattle barons owned the governor and senators, who passed laws to give the cattlemen incredible power: they could seize and sell the cattle of anyone they called a "rustler". "Rustler" defines a person who is "energetic, smart, and successful"; a "go-getter". The cattle barons only wanted the lands that were next to their lands.

The 'Introductory' by Mercer explains how the pasturage of this area was discovered by accident (pp.5-6). Corporations were formed to raise cattle. The boom was followed by a bust after the long winter of 1886-1887. Pages 7 to 9 explain the economics behind this industry. Mismanagement caused declining dividends; they sought a scapegoat. Mercer wonders if the losses were caused by local management diverting stock and pocketing the money. Mercer points out there is less stealing and lawlessness in the West than back East base on the rate of the prison population (p.10). [Does this relate to the rate of owner-operators against wage-earners?] Mercer acknowledges that fencing the range adversely affected the free movement of cattle (p.13). [Should settlements of people be discouraged to benefit the cattle barons?]

The first victims of the cattle barons were Jim Averill and Ella Watson in July 1889. Next came the killing of Waggoner in June 1891 (leaving a wife and two small children). An attack on Nate Champion failed in November 1891 (pp.22-23). Next they ambushed and killed Orley Jones and J. A. Tisdale (pp.24-25). The cattle barons then decided to send in a small army of hired gunmen and organized an invasion (Chapter III). A propaganda campaign published stories in Eastern newspapers. The laws of Wyoming made it illegal to hire a body of gunmen without legal authorization (p.42). The cattle barons planned to kill the Sheriff and deputies, some of the County Commissioners, then run amok to get rid of the homesteaders and small ranchers (pp.47-48).

The invasion of Wyoming began in April 1892. They took a detour to attack the KC ranch and kill Ray and Nate Champion. They succeeded this time, but travelers now carried a warning to Buffalo. Sheriff Angus formed a posse of 200 armed citizens to come after the invaders (Chapter VI). The invaders then retreated to the TA ranch for their defense. Sheriff Angus discovered the murders of Champion and Ray. After two days of siege the cavalry from Fort McKinney showed up and captured the cattlemen's gang. Colonel Van Horn refused to surrender these criminals for trial! The Acting Governor prevented Sheriff Angus from arresting these killers (Chapter IX). Chapter X tells how two witnesses to the murder were taken out of state. Would the cattle barons kill one of their employees to advance their agenda (Chapter XI)? One Presidential lie is on pages 117-118. The cattle barons tried to muzzle the press (Chapter XII). When the trial began in Jan 1893, the judge ordered the charges dismissed (Chapter XIV)! The farce was over, but it created opposition to corporation rule in the future. Chapter XVI explains why no cattle were missing from the Western Union Beef Company - they had a surplus! Mercer ends by telling of the advantages of Wyoming: coal, iron, oil (Chapter XVII). [This can explain why corporations sought to prevent people from the "right to keep and bear arms". Today's Supreme Court could have taken away their lands by "eminent domain"!]

This book, a first-hand account of the Johnson County War in Wyoming that pitted big-ranch cattlemen against settlers and homesteaders, has a storied history. A. S. Mercer does not assume the role of an objective historian here, but rather is bitterly opposed to the cattlemen and their tactics used against inflooding settlers; he lays his cards on the table when he writes, "The invasion of the state of Wyoming by a band of cut-throats and hired assassins in April 1892 was the crowning infamy of the ages. Nothing so cold-blooded, so brutal, so bold and yet so cowardly was ever before recorded in the annals of the world's history." Because of this impassioned attack and his willingness to name names (some in very high places), the book was attacked upon publication, banned, burned, declared to be obscene, and stolen off the shelves of libraries (even the Library of Congress "lost" its copyright copies). Fortunately some copies escaped destruction.

Simply put, the problems in eastern Wyoming involved the large cattle interests - cattlemen who had used for decades the vast expanses of wide-open lands to free-range their cattle - and "invading" homesteaders who were settling along the best of these lands (usually river bottoms), fencing in their claims, and frequently rustling the cattle they found wandering the countryside (Mercer downplays this cattle stealing, which was the major concern of the cattlemen). Feeling ignored by the legal system, the cattlemen took matters into their own hands, hired a number of "hitmen" in Texas, and plotted the murder of settlers who they felt represented the biggest threat to their interests. A few ranches were attacked, Nate Champion and Nick Ray of the KC Ranch south of Buffalo were murdered, but then the tide turned and the citizens of Johnson County rose up against the vigilantes. Ironically, the US Army was called in to protect these "invaders," and by escorting them out of the county allowed most of them the opportunity to escape prosecution. The "war" and its aftermath created much controversy, legally and financially, perhaps the most interesting being the "disappearance" before trial was to take place of the chief witness to the murder of Champion and Ray.

An important feature of this edition is the 40-page Forward by William H. Kittrell that tempers some of Mercer's emotionally charged claims and helps to set the record more on an even keel. Although often written about, the Johnson County War was more a tempest in a teapot than a defining historical event, mainly because little changed as the result of it; Mercer's declaration of the event as "the crowning infamy of the ages" is a gross exaggeration. His exaggeration, however, is not in the depictions he describes, but in his interpretations. The book is a classic in literature about the West, and Mercer is as feisty and opinionated as any westerner ever was.

I worked in Wyoming for several months in 2004 and bought this book for my "weekend adventures in rock hounding". I was and still am grossly disappointed with the book. Many of the sites that this book stated where on BLM or Forest Service land were indeed on private property. I thought that a more fruitful use of my time would be to visit the rock shops listed in the back of the book. Again, I was grossly disappointed. Many of the shops closed down, changed hands, or moved. Although this book was published in 1996, Appendix B was already outdated per some of the Rock Shop owners I did find. My recommendation is to find a phone book when you pull into a town, look under "rock shops", and call to see if they are open (or will open for you).

Lessons Learned: If the black and white photos in the book use wheatback pennys for scale, the information included in the book may be as dated.

I HOUNDED ROCKS ALL OVER CENTRAL/WESTERN WYOMING ALL SUMMER IN 2004...COLORED PICS OF WHAT TO LOOK FOR AND WHAT KEN HAS COLLECTED WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT...WILL TRY TO FIND HIS # AND CALL HIM AS I COULDN'T FIND 'QUEBE SABE' ROAD BY SHOSHONI TO FIND AQUAMARINE!!!! I WENT 3 TIMES! BUT OVER ALL EVERY SITE WE DID VISIT WAS DOWN TO A 'T' FOR EXACT LOCATIONS...IN PROCESS EVEN FOUND MY OWN PLACES!

I have found this book to be a useful tool in exploring sites in Wyoming. I would suggest anyone traveling out to Wyoming read the introduction fully. You do need to prepare for the wide open spaces. The book is copyrighted in 1996 so it's 7 years old at this writing. Many things have changed in the past seven years. Roads have been closed by both BLM and the forest service. Trail signs have been changed or vandalized. If I was traveling a long distance to collect I would check with local rock shops to see if the desired sites were still open. If I could change anything it would be to include GPS coordinates in the driving directions. At least for the main turn-offs and the main site starting point.

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

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

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

I'm going to have to disagree with critical thinker. Most guide books, the two mentioned above included, assume a certain level of understanding of the area you are going into. If you can't distinguish between a black bear and grizzly bear...you should definitely not go hiking in wyoming. Animal identification guides are used for that sort of thing. A hiking guide book can do many things, but it can't do everything...least of all hike the hike for you.

When you get to a marked trail head, who knows what is down the way. This book will provide you with the means to decide where to go and what to see when you get there. Beat just showing up.

I can't comment on the accuracy of the rest of the book as I haven't gotten to Wyoming yet but the safety information on bears does not distinguish between black and grizzly bears and is only correct for grizzly bears - for black bears it is TOTALLY WRONG and could get someone killed! (the same publisher's Hiking Montana book also contains the identical incorrect information)