Wyoming Books

This book was awarded the 2004 Gold Medal "Book of the Year Award" in the Adventure/Recreation Category by Foreword Magazine. It was also a finalist at the prestigious Banff International Mountain Book Festival, a Silver Medal winner at the annual Publisher's Marketing Association Ben Franklin Awards, and Runner Up in the Travel Category at the Publisher's Association of the West Book Design and Production Awards. Thanks for your interest.

It's obvious that the author has perused plenty of climbing books and learned from the successes and failures of others. This is a gorgeous book, with concise route descriptions that are informative without wrecking the adventure of the climbs themselves. The photos are clear and useful and the book is well-organized. I have climbed a few of the longer routes in Cody as well as several in Montana and have yet to find any inaccuracies. 99% of the book is about routes - the obligatory stuff about local ethics and history is interesting but brief, unlike some guidebooks that fill half their pages with Leave No Trace advice.

Highly recommended for all ice climbers interested in seeing the Yellowstone ecosystem from high on an ice climb!

for any outdoor enthusiast, not to mention 'climber',this is a striking book. the paper quality and photos would in itself be a great addition to your library. the read is well done and in the true climber lingo, would recommend highly.

This guide book is well written, thought out, and has some reall really nice photos. All routes are photographed, making finding them alot easier. They could almost slap a hard cover on it and sell it as a coffe table book.

The Delorme atlases/gazetteers are valuable references especially if you are traveling the back roads. Compared to a regular road map, there is much more detail to find your way just about anywhere in the atlas coverage area. If you need a lot of detail, you can then purchase topographic maps. Special features are also noted. Get one of these for any state where you plan to explore off the beaten trail. I already have atlases for five states, and the collection will surely grow in coming years.

DeLorme has done it again! Stellar mapping and attention to detail make this a grand publication. Two thumbs up!

This was very well made, for an atlas. The format and legend was easy to understand, and it certainly helped my not so great navigational skills.

This atlas is a great book to have on hand while driving through Wyoming, especially via the backroads. It's a must-have for any traveler and resident.

Review of Wyoming Hope
By
Susan E. Richmond

Wyoming Hope is a lively story that will keep readers turning page after page with its unique characters and detailed plot.

The story begins with Megan, a young lady with a lot on her mind, traveling to the Circle M Ranch. This Ranch is run by her cousin Brett and is a place where underprivileged children are allowed to spend some time in the free spirited Wyoming territory. Brett has invited Megan to come work on the ranch for the summer and she welcomes the break from the city and her studies.

When Megan arrives she is immediately overwhelmed by the rare beauty of the country but soon finds that this is not going to be a walk in the park. Along with the hard work she must also endure a mixed reception from the residents of Circle M. But through it all she is happy to be near Brett, who is more like a brother than a cousin, and finds herself being drawn into the majestic spirit of territory.

Just about the time Megan begins to feel secure in her environment she meets Clay, a very attractive and arrogant ranch hand. Clay sends Megan's already troubled mind into a tailspin and only adds to her dilemma. Then to spice things up even more the children arrive with their own issues that Megan must quickly deal with.

Readers will be enthralled as they watch Megan struggle with her doubts about continuing her studies and becoming a veterinarian, which has been her life long dream. They will see the many delightful characters come to life and be mesmerized by the many colorful descriptions of the enchanting Wyoming. The many twists and turns in this creative novel will keep everyone in suspense until the final page.

Susan Richmond has written a compelling story that is very detailed and descriptive. I have had the opportunity to read another of Susan's books, "Dear Daddy", and I can say that her unique talents are woven into the pages of both novels. Susan is a graceful author that touches the hearts and minds of her readers. I highly recommend both of Susan's books to all who enjoy the gifts of a fine storyteller.

Thank you Susan for another excellent read and I am sure that no one is going to want to miss the opportunity to experience "Wyoming Hope".


Reviewed by T.A. Von Reiman, Publisher of Writer's Nook and Reader's Corner

Wyoming Hope is great because it talks about life and making choices even if obstacles get in the way. I loved being at the ranch and seeing and hearing the kids riding horses and swimming in the lake and singing songs around the campfire. It seemed like a lot of fun. The writer did a great job of making me feel like I was there joining in all the fun. I hope there's a sequel so I can revisit the characters and the ranch.

What a great book for teenagers - well-written characters, and a storyline anyone can relate to: follow your heart or your head? Excellent read!

Wyoming Hope is a great read because the characters are exciting and real. I felt like the people were friends and neighbors. The scenery is beautiful and breathtaking and made me wish I was at the Circle M Ranch in Wyoming riding horses and taking nature walks and listening to ghost stories and Indian legends.

A definite read for teens. Something for everyone.

There is a part of all women who are strong-willed, determined and devoted to their family. This is a story of one of those strong German women who had every trial you could imagine in addition to a husband that you will come to get very angry at when you read this book! She continued to love and defend him, however, and lived her life with a positive, loving attitude.

If you like Western History, you will love this! If you like to learn from our ancestors, you will learn from this! Good Buy!

There were many families who came West on the Oregon Trail and this story is no doubt one that happened to thousands of others. This story describes the details of the hardships and trials one family had. It is also a beautiful example of how the early settlers helped each other survive....today we call it community. The book demonstrates how fast the children of that era grew up and the immense responsibilities they had at very young ages. I could put myself in the center of that log home with the cold Wyoming wind coming through the cracks as I watched the mice under burlap sacks that lined the walls. If you like western history, you will love this book.

An actual historical biography authored by the daughter-in-law of a covered wagon pioneer woman, this story puts our own current existence into perspective. Pauline not only survived the desolate Wyoming winters, alone with 8 children in a single room, but thrived. Her triumphs and defeats cut to the core of who I am and I suddenly recognize the vast depth of the human spirit; won for me by the likes of women like her. I will read it to my children and hope they read it to theirs.

Wyoming Pioneer Woman: Pauline Krueger Bayer

Ever wanted to jump on the back of a covered wagon heading west? Or fall into bed exhausted after a hard day on the range? Or savor the taste of sugary, sweet molasses on a stack of ranch-hand flapjacks?

Step into the pages of Wyoming Pioneer Woman, and whisk yourself away to the authentic, gritty life of Pauline Bayer -- immigrant, mother, midwife, postal carrier, and earthy spiritual icon of the old western Wyoming plains.

Born in northern Germany in the mid-1800's, Pauline's adventures began as a teenage mail carrier on a four-mile round trip route between home and church. Surviving a perilous boat trip to America, her family eventually landed in Dodge City, Kansas where Pauline met and married Albert Bayer.

Thus began the life that made Pauline a woman of great courage, strength and perseverance. Heading west to pursue gold rush dreams of life on the frontier, Albert and Pauline encountered fellow journeyers and homesteaders, dined with Native American chiefs and scouts, and offered their simple hospitality to those whom the west treated more harshly. Throughout her life, Pauline showed how she belonged to something much bigger than herself by continually opening her huge heart to the world and what it had to offer, good or bad.

Pauline's story is a faithful testimony to a life well-lived in the light of adversity. Her legacy of endurance, strong will and gentle compassion is a rare combination in a world where status in life is marked by comfort and ease. There's a great lesson to learn in the gift of living every day to its fullest -- share Pauline's secret in this inspiring story.

Margaret Canfield Bayer's colloquial writing style transports you back to the streets of Pinedale, Wyoming where you can peek into the window of the mercantile shopkeeper or walk onto the plains and revel in the spectacular vastness of a western sky. Take time to explore the rich history of this grand era and you will emerge with a deeper appreciation for life and the connectedness to Spirit that ties it all together.

Enjoy the timeless message of this classic hero's journey!

This is an excellent regional photography book. It covers the general fauna, flora and topography of the Big Horn mountain region of Wyoming in a very artistic fashion. It is not intended as a comprehensive review but as an ex-Wyoming native it sure reminded me of the glorious beauty of the last frontier.

Anyone with a little practice can take nice, well composed photographs. What makes a photograph art, like all art, is its ability to speak to something deeper inside, to draw you into it, to evoke an emotion. Esther McWilliams is an artist and her photographs are pure art; a feast for the soul as well as for the eye. Her ability to fine beauty in the little things that most of the rest of us overlook is also a delight.

We have quite a large library of books and this one is of a quality that National Geographic might have their name on. Not only is it well put together, the photo's capture the beauty of the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming, and the animals, birds, and flowers, at varioius seasons of a year, it does so in such a way in makes one want to visit and see it first hand. And it is an interesting book that one can set out to be viewed without any concern if a child looks through it.

This is not only the best fly fishing guide to Wyoming. Retallic has written one of the best fly fishing guides ever. Of particular excellence is his description of Yellowstone.

Wow. If you are looking for the tell all book for flyfishing Wyoming....you found it. To say that this book is comprehensive does not do it true justice. It covers every single stretch of water worth throwing a line into. In addition, it gives seasonal water informaiton including flows, hatches, and species. If you live in the west, or if you dream of fishing there, this book is a MUST OWN. I think to fish Wyoming without reading it would be a waste of your time.

The keys to any successful (self-guided) fishing trip are research and common sense. Ken's book has lots of information locations of lakes and streams...and some information on types of fish, sizes of fish, and overall rating of the fishery. This book is best used with the Wyoming DeLorme Atlas and Gazetteer, which shows specific streams, lakes, highways, roads (and campgrounds). Overall, I really enjoyed the book and can not wait until this summer to check out some of his recommended locations.

Other good books on Wyoming Fly Fishing include: Wyoming Blue-Ribbon Fly Fishing Guide, by Greg Thomas...The most complete guide to Wyoming fishing by John Baughman...and Kip Carey's (updated) Wyoming Fishing Guide. Each of these books compliments the other (and on occassion, contradicts the other). THe truth always comes with you actually going out there to fish the stream or lake in question, hoping that hatches, weather and waterflow cooperate.

Whenever planning a trip, DO RESEARCH FIRST. Research comes in several forms, the most effective being advice from a trusted friend (who's been there), conversation with fly shop owners and guides from the area you will be (they will usually only provide snippets), and lots of reading. Since becoming a "serious researcher" my trips to the Rockies have been VERY productive and more memorable.

Dr. Scheer has written a thoughtful book about an important woman who achieved milestones in our country's history. Nellie Tayloe Ross was the first woman elected governor in the country in 1924, the vice chairman of the Democratic Party who campaigned for Al Smith in 1928, and was appointed to be Director of the U.S. Mint in 1933, serving in that capacity until 1953.

Living to 101, her life and times bridged the frontier west with the modern world. Driven by the necessity to support her family after the death of her husband, Nellie moved to the forefront of women entering the political scene on their own merit. She went from frontier wife and mother to governor lady of Wyoming, and then to a full career in Washington D.C. She was a regular speaker on the Chatauqua circuit and traveled the world well into her 90's.

Nellies' story is a personal inspiration, particularly because most of her achievements came after she turned 40. I have been dining out on Nellies' story since I read it, and would recommend it to anyone.

Govern Lady: The Life And Times Of Nellie Tayloe Ross by Teva J. Scheer (Adjunct Faculty, Graduate School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado at Denver) is an informative study of the inspirational life of the first female in the United States to be elected state governor in her own right. Governor Lady brings the reader into the time when women were just being granted the right to vote, and the intriguing story behind one of the most famous political figures of the first enfranchised generation of American women. Very strongly recommended reading for its interesting story of an intricate mind-set and value cast of such a powerful woman in American history, Governor Lady is of particular interest as an addition to Women's Studies, Political Science, American Biographical Studies, and Western History collections.

"How did such a milestone of women's political rights come to be overlooked? ... Not a single full biography of this remarkable woman has appeared before now. Happily, the long wait has been well rewarded. Teva J. Scheer's biography is thorough, scholarly, and fun to read...
Scheer's biography even-handedly examines the whole of Ross' long life, from her family's travails during the Civil War to her death in 1977. The author is especially to be commended for searching out archival collections, including not only Ross's papers, but her secretary's, Eleanor Roosevelt's, the DNC's, Sue Shelton White, and many others. Scheer considers the domestic image as a wife and mother that Ross cultivated, but did not always live up to. She evaluates Ross's accomplishments as a politician and as an administrator. She places the nation's true first woman governor in the context of her time. By doing so, Scheer demonstrates both how much societal expectations have changed for women and how little their political opportunities have expanded. Scheer has produced a wonderful biography of an unjustly neglected American political figure."
D. Claudia Thompson

This book helped me select the route to use on my wife's and my 5 night backpacking trip in the Teton Wilderness. We did not carry the book with us, as we had all the weight we could handle without it.

great book. very informative. Easy reading. All the info you will need to plan your trip.

This is more than a guidebook; it is an enticing narrative into a remote and spectacular wilderness land. Lee Mercer and Ralph Maughan lead you into the untraveled nooks and crannies of the Yellowstone Ecosystem with grace and respect for this most magnificant of landscapes. This is the best written, most informative, and most readable guidebook I've ever encountered. The photo quality makes the reader salivate for a chance to encounter this spectacular wilderness land in the first person. This book has something for everyone---from short day hikes to two week backpacking trips. Tips and suggstions abound, as the authors describe river crossings, grizzly country etiquette, trip planning, and off-trail segments in painstaking detail. The hikes in this guide book offers both the experienced and novice backcountry adventurer everything they've ever dreamed of, without the crowds found in Grand Teton National Park, Glacier, or the Wind Rivers. Once you start reading this, your first response is: I want to go hiking here! I read the book from cover to cover, and that is something I've never experienced before with any other guide book. This is a "must have" guide book to the last great place in the lower 48 states---big, rugged, wild,and utterly spectacular. Best of all, your solitude is assured. Buy a copy of this book, and prepare to be amazed!

If your idea of the "badlands" is places like Jalalabad, Islamabad and Feyzabad, you'll enjoy reading this book and getting in touch with the original American Badlands.
The book is set in the Black Hills of South Dakota during the gold rush, when George Hearst was owner of the Homestake mine. Hearst is one of the characters, though unlike William Randolph Hearst in Orson Welles's Citizen Kane, he is not the central character--yet he plays an important role. Author George Carr depicts the elder Hearst's actions and personality with historic accuracy.
The central characters are a redhead who arrives in Deadwood having anwered an ad seeking actresses, only to find herself trapped in a house of ill repute, and a Clint-Eastwood-like detective for Wells Fargo who still mourns his murdered wife. The environment and turbulent times are rendered with such verisimilitude as to constitute a third character, as though the author knew them intimately. Indeed, the dust jacket tells us Mr. Carr spent his formative years in the area.
The story is filled with complication and surprise, with some minor characters playing such vital parts as to win the reader's heart. The books's tone evokes Zane Grey and Louis L'Amour, with a touch of Raymond Chandler and of a current writer for Harlequin, Barbara Bretton. The blend of adventure, danger and romance is just right.
With characters speaking in their own authentic voices in the midst of historically-known events, the reader is transported and lives in that earlier time. I kept this book at my bedside and, for a night or two, lost sleep.

G. Sam Carr's "Homestake Lode" is a lively western with a plot that moves along from crisis to crisis like a runaway six-horse team. Carr paints the beauty of the still wild American West through his fine descriptions and the reader becomes privy to the wheeling and dealing of mine owners, stake claimers and saloon keepers. Especially enjoyable is how Carr weaves historical characters, George Hearst for one, and Samuel Clemens for another, into the plot giving it a rich and lively sense of time and place in that undisciplined yet developing period of the late 19th century. The male/female love interest between the lively lass, Kelly Ryan, and Wells Fargo Detective Tuck Powells, is kept in a state of will-they-or-won't they, up to the last exciting page. Western lover or not, don't miss this one.

If your idea of the "badlands" is places like Jalalabad, Islamabad and Feyzabad, you'll enjoy reading this book and getting in touch with the original American Badlands.
The book is set in the Black Hills of South Dakota during the gold-rush, when George Hearst was owner of the Homestake mine. Hearst is one of the characters, though unlike William Randolph Hearst in Orson Welles's Citizen Kane, he is not the central character--yet he plays an important role. Author George Carr depicts George Hearst's actions and personality with historic accuracy.
The central characters are a redhead who arrives in Deadwood having answered an ad seeking actresses, only to find herself trapped in a house of ill repute, and a Clint-Eastwood-like detective for Wells Fargo who still mourns his murdered wife. The environment and turbulent times are rendered with such verisimilitude as to constitute a third character, as though the author knew them intimately. Indeed, Mr. Carr spent his formative years in the area.
The story is full of complication and surprise, with some minor characters playing such vital parts as to win the reader's heart. The book's tone evokes Zane Grey and Louis L'Amour, with a touch of Raymond Chandler and of a current writer for Harlequin, Barbara Bretton. The blend of adventure, danger and romance is just right. With characters speaking in their own authentic voices in the midst of historically-known events, the reader is transported and lives in that earlier time.
I kept this book at my bedside and, for a few days, lost sleep.

This is a very cute book telling the true story of Esther Morris and the advent of the woman vote. The language is fun and accessible but it doesn't sugarcoat events.

The eighth of eleven children and six foot tall, Esther had a interesting life and courage to spare. In this time of primaries, as we breathe politics in the air, this books brings a refreshing read!

I would say children as young as 5 would enjoy this story (mine did), but it spans a wide range, as I enjoyed it as well! The atmospheric illustrations drew us into the captivating and inspiring life story of the young Shero as she struggles against the odds to make a difference. My favorite is the tea party/candidate forum in her home that becomes a pivotal moment in this well-told tale of an admirable woman. A delight!

This terrific picture book biography introduces readers to Esther Morris, the driving force behind suffrage in Wyoming and the first woman to ever hold elected office. From her earliest days, Esther was daring and smart; her constant refrain when confronted with anything new lead to the title, "I could do that!" We share Esther's sorrow when her mother dies when Esther is only 11 and follow Esther through her life as a wife, mother, and pioneer. Esther's 6-foot stature garnered attention and her intelligence proved her worth. By 1869, Wyoming women had the vote in their territory; the book reminds us, that despite Esther's achievements, she never voted for president. The illustrations are a particularly strong point of this title. The two-page spread depicting Esther's family in mourning has a wonderful shape and color. All is black, white and gray except for the purple settee and Esther's orange-red hair. Esther is part of the family, but apart as well, standing off to one side; she is also the only person in the picture taking action (serving tea) to others who are sipping and/or sniffling. A wonderful read-aloud for grades 2-4.