Idaho Books

Hannah is a wise book written by a man with a huge heart. I love how the cabin-building provides a framework, always something to fall back on when loss otherwise wants to swamp me. I love the honest voice describing people who love each other enough to risk anger and fighting. I love how there are always elk or eagles, mud, a river, a runoff--how grounded the book is in the created world. I hunger for that & Jonathan Johnson feeds it to me. I myself am a better person with more to give when I finish this book.

Jonathan Johnson, Hannah and the Mountain

reviewed by Jacob Powers

It is difficult to find a text that gives balance between nature and family. Granted, each genre holds its own, but to find a book that discusses both the love of the wilderness and the love of family is rare. Fortunately Jonathan Johnson, with his memoir Hannah and the Mountain, has successfully done just that.
Johnson's narrative at first focuses on his goal to renovate a cabin owned by his extended family for over forty years for him and his wife, Amy, in the Idaho wilderness: "[We] came to the mountains because our adult lives were rushing toward us and we wanted to go out and meet those lives in a place that would keep us young and free and filled with passion. After years of school we were ready to settle into the long story of home." This feeling of home quickly takes a step forward when Jonathan and Amy discover that she is pregnant with their first child. Now, with the combination of extensive renovations and the limited amounts of resources to do so, the intent to form a home suitable to raise his future child in quickly takes off. Yet Johnson does it all in hope-hope that his firstborn will experience the beauty and awe of the wilderness that he and his wife adore.
Tragedy, however, ensues as the memoir (which reads a lot like a novel) quickly disintegrates from its optimistic dreams into the harsh realities of a complicated pregnancy. The baby is carried too low, putting pressure on and stretching the lower uterus, threatening a premature birth: "Amy'd been having pains low in her abdomen all along...the hope was that the pains were the result of these problems, not the contractions that could be causing the problems." Yet all hope is not lost as Johnson guides the reader through his and his wife's pains and grief towards a strong anticipation that they will be able to tame their dreams again: "We've got our little cabin on land I've come to think of as an extension of my own body...that will be more than enough for Amy and me to build a life on. I will not create sorrows in a life where sorrows find me on their own."
While most of the themes and settings in the book take place Idaho, many are reflective of Michigan's landscape as well. Johnson writes of Marquette where both he and Amy grew up several times throughout. There are also moments where he and his wife consider where they would rather have the baby-in their own formed home in the Idaho wilderness, or back in Marquette where their parents and past lives are. But what stands out the most is Johnson's connection with a past friend and writer, Mac, who experiences the death of his sixteen year old son when he died in an accident on the icy roads just outside of Marquette. It is in this moment of the book where Johnson connects his own experiences of a possible future father with the tragic loss that Mac experiences: "Odds are that being a father will forever be like walking on the thick crust on top of four feet of snow in the cold, February sunlight." As the memoir progresses, it becomes apparent that the love and fear of family cannot simply be contained within the borders of our own state or within Johnson's past life. Michigan may be where Johnson grew up, but Idaho is where his home and life is now.
Although the story is one that has been heard before, it is Johnson's heavy experience in the poetic realm and ability to capture emotions of joy and distress that makes Hannah and the Mountain stand out amongst others. With an interwoven reflection between the lyrical love of the wilderness with the preferable avoidance of the busy city life, Johnson paints a landscape that is powerful and unforgettable. Yet what lies in the foreground of Johnson's affection of the wilderness is that irreplaceable love and desire he has for family itself-"If any of us are ever saved, whatever that might mean, we aren't saved by the stories we create for ourselves to inhabit; we are saved by our loves." For Johnson, it is the family that makes the life; the rest is replaceable.



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Jacob Powers is a senior at Grand Valley State University, graduating in the winter of 2006 with a degree in Creative Writing and a minor in English. After graduating, he plans to take a year off and then apply to graduate programs.

Jonathan Johnston writes with the evocative prose of a poet. He tells the story of his path toward fatherhood and toward the fulfillment of his childhood dream of building his family's cabin home in the mountains of Idaho. He does so with passion and care. The reader sees clearly the autumn twilight as it fills the fields and sees the full moonlight come spilling through the windows of the cabin. On these beautifully written pages the reader learns of the profound love Johathan and his wife Amy share. It is a book I shall love giving so others might come to know this incredible author.

I am a former student of Jonathan's...in fact, I am one of the students who sat on the lawns of the Western PA College during his Nature in Lit class that he mentions in the book. That was six years ago and I have been a fan of his work ever since.

This memoir is beautifuly crafted as only a poet-turned-prose writer could do. He weaves the story of building his home, following his dreams, and starting a family in a touching and compelling fashion. The reader relates to the joy and hope of the young couple and feel their pain in times of trouble. This is not a memoir that serves to glorify the life of the author, but rather, it serves as a connection to each of us who are in pursuit of identity (be it individual or family or whatever else)and who are all on the journey through life.

This is a beautiful work. I have never cried so hard over the pages of a book before. Johnson has been couragous and honest in his prose which makes it such an inspiring read.

Found places I have never heard of to hike. Great information and for those who like to hike, its a great reference point.

This is by far the most detailed hiking guide to the Wasatch I have come across. It covers a good range of difficulties, from easy hikes to mountaineering scrambles. Has much more detail than books that cover the entire state of Utah. I recently moved to SLC and have been using this book consistently. I find that hike descriptions given in the book match reality in almost all cases for me which is not the case with some other similar books (especially hiking times).

John Veranth's book, Hiking The Wasatch, is the greatest work ever written for people who hike in the Salt Lake County Area of the Wasatch. It covers everything from easy family hikes to challenging ridge and mountaineering scrambles for the most experienced hiker. It includes great route descriptions, moderate hike times, trailhead locations, geological information, and historical references. There are other books that cover Wasatch Front Hiking, but only Veranth's book is a complete guide. I enjoyed this book, because it helped me accomplish my goal of climbing all of Salt Lake County's 32 10,000-foot peaks. If you enjoy peak-bagging, check out "Climbing Salt Lake County's 32 10,000-foot Peaks" by James Barlow, and Keith Stevens. His book is better than "Climbing...Peaks", because it also includes trails that are not routes up these peaks. It also has sections for the Foothills, Milcreek Canyon (North Side), and North & East Areas, where the peak-bagging book doesn't mention, due to lack of peaks. All the peaks are accessed from Big Cottonwood, Little Cottonwood, American Fork, or Milcreek (South Side). It also goes into much greater detail than Michael R Kelsey's "Utah Mountaineering Guide", and David Hall's "Hiking Utah", because it focuses just on the Salt Lake County section of the Wasatch, not the entire Range, or State of Utah. In the end, it is the Bible of general hiking in the Wasatch Range.

Hiking times are real, not just best guesses. When planning those half-day hikes, timing is everything! Lots of info on plants, animals, sites, best routes, alt routes, common sense advice, etc. Good book, buy it.

This book of short stories was just the escape from reality I was looking for. I really enjoyed all of the local references.

This is really well-written. The stories are funny, pointed and interesting. You will enjoy it.

I Shot Bigfoot and Other Stories is overall a very good collection of short stories. The stories share one overarching similarity with regard to the locale, McCall, Idaho and the surrounding area. If you've never been, you need to see it, as it's some of the most beautiful country you'll see.

As for the stories they play off of the landscape and folklore of the area and bring these to life.

The books title story, is a very funny and an inventive take on the Bigfoot legend.

The author's writing style moves along quickly with dialogue between the characters. This makes for a quick read. However, in some cases like the Dog Man of Poverty Flats, I felt it went a little too quickly.

The only detractions of the book was the formatting of the paragraph style. In my copy it seemed a little confusing. Also the cover art is a great concept but bad execution. It gets the point across though.

This is the author's first book and hopefully not his last.

enjoy.

This book is a great fun read. The short stories all tie in together. The characters in the stories are colorful. If you enjoy the north west this book is for you...fun, adventure,and folk lour it is all there. A must read.

Wow! I was plesantly surprised at the depth of character revealed in this sometimes fictionalized historical account of Idaho and the Northwest. The author uses an intelligent, yet humble approach to view Idaho history through the trials and exploits of several generations of his family. His method is historically revealing, adding a sense of reality through the use of characters that you can identify with on a personal level. He has even crafted a touching ending to the story that makes a surprisingly heartwarming finish. Recommended!

This book is great! The author has combined great wit, keen observation, and humor to write a book that is funny at times, serious at other times, and interesting all of the time. From early medicine and the harh realities of early western life to the advancements we have today, Les Montgomery takes the reader on one fascinating tour through time. Wether you like fishing, hiking, history, or reminiscing of a bygone era, Idaho Anthem is a must have!

Whether you live in Idaho or outside this great state you will love the sense of humor and insight Les Montgomery shares with his readers. You will find yourself smiling and many times laughing out loud. Montgomery has the gift of telling and writing stories that few have. Picture a man who has lived with a notebook in his pocket, a camera on his shoulder and a tobacco pipe in his pocket observing life in his medical practice, traveling the world and sitting on his deck at his lakeside cabin. Idaho Anthem should be read at leisure and enjoyed at a slow pace so not to miss any of Montgomery's delightful wit.

This selection of short stories by Les Montgomery is like going to a family reunion and hearing a potpourri of rememberances and misadventures. He weaves the history of his family with the history of Idaho and the northwest US. His style of writing is very animated, even though somewhat opiniated, which adds interest and entertainment to his story telling. Very enjoyable book!

Admittedly, there are sections of Idaho which are not covered, and I wish Rivers and Plummer would come out with volumes covering the rest of the state. With its mile-by-mile notes of most of Idaho, this is the most comprehensive guide I've found to this state. It's great for finding out-of-the way places to camp and enjoy. I always look here first when planning a trip in our great state.

Great guide to central Idaho - useful even for people that live here. My husband and I live in Idaho (and have for YEARS). We have used this book on two different vacations. Especially if you like to explore back roads and alternate routes, this is a great book to have around. We even found new places to explore in areas I have been exploring for 20 years. Have fun.

This is quite simply the most informative, comprehensive, descriptive, and fascinating educational tour guide for the motorist I have ever seen. The subtitle is correct...nearly every mile is documnented in detail discussing the geology, history, and uniqueness of some of the most beautiful scenic by-ways in the nation. It'll have you pulling over to the side of the road at every mile marker. Also included; side trips, dirt roads, more comprehensive sections on popular destinations and a very clear outline of routes and highways one should take to get the most of you journey. Seeing the mountains and rivers of central Idaho with this book in hand was truly a thrill. I came away from this trip not only enriched by the spectacular beauty of the region but more informed about the processes and people that helped shape and form this dramatic region of our country.

This book title is misleading. What it doesn't say in the title is Volume I:Central Idaho. The book itself is great and really goes into detail, beautiful pictures, nice maps of the highways, but it only covers Central Idaho. So.....if you are looking for a book that covers all of Idaho this is not a good choice.
Debbie Hardy

This book is more of a collection of the main summits in Idaho than a hiking book. I enjoyed the historical and geaolical information to understand a little bit more on the area I'm living but otherwise it just list the main summits (there is a lot of them thought) in Idaho. You can't just use it for planning purpose but it is a nice addition and collection of information for planning.

We took this on our trip to the Sawtooth Mts. near Stanley, ID, and also used to expore the near-by Cloud Mts.

This is the only published source of climbing Idaho's mountains, alpine climbs, and rock climbs on peaks. This is a much revised and improved version over the first. While the book doesn't contain climbing topos or get into extreme route detail, it gives enough to get you interested, inspired, and up most peaks. My only critique would be on the Approach section- which can be a bit cumbersome to reference and the fact that it covers the whole state and can seem "thin" on info at times- Idaho is a huge state with so many mountains. The photographs and sketches are excellent and so is the brief history. Many mountains have more than 1 route described and the Sawtooth section is so much better than last edition. Great job and I can't wait for the next version.

Tom Lopez knows Idaho mountains better than nearly anyone in the state. This book covers nearly every mountain range and nearly all main peaks in Idaho. It gives class ratings and very good directions for access to the peaks and hikes. His book helped my dad and I climb the 9 peaks in Idaho over 12,000 feet. We wouldn't have been able to do it without this book. If you want to climb Idaho mountains, you need this book.

This is a great value for an audio language course. The set comes with four cassettes of spoken Shoshoni lessons and one 200-page textbook including pronunciation, grammar, dialogues, cultural material and a dictionary. The speakers are Fort Hill Shoshones, but there is information about other dialects of the Shoshoni language here as well.

Linguistically, the most exiting language course ever published for learners of the Shoshoni Language. The course starts with Dr. Loether's refinement of the old Shoshoni orthography, then slowly begins feeding the learner into meaningful dialogs and situations, mixed with useful everyday vocabulary, grammar, and sentence drills. This course is designed for the learner to actually use the Shoshoni language, such as, at the house, the trading post, the museum, the pow-wow, or the university. The tapes are wonderfully orchestrated by fluent Drusilla Gould, who speaks very slow and thoughtfully for the learner focusing on the new sounds and words.

Culturally, An Introduction to the Shoshoni Language is a window into the Shoshoni people and culture. Each chapter, in addition to the language lesson, introduces the learner to different topics and cultural situation facing the everyday Shoshoni person. At the end of each dialog, there are

Drusilla Gould is a fluent Shoshone speaker and has devoted herself to this endeavor by the encouragement and support of her grandmother. Her cultural and historical perspective to the language offers the depth of meaning to the words. Chris Loether offers his vast knowledge as a linguist to the text. This book is a step in the right direction towards saving and preserving the Shoshoni language.

An introduction to one of the lesser known languages of native culture. This volume is accompanied by a set of tapes that make it clear and consise. An easy to read and understand volume with glossaries from Shoshoni to English and English to Shoshoni. It is volumes like this that will keep native languages from becoming extinct.

This was a gripping novel of a young man's walk through life. I found myself intrigued by his many exploits. It was a real page turner and had a fabulous ending that tied to the beginning. A good read.

I was truly moved by the life of a young boy through manhood that endured the hardships of poverty and abandonment to realize success through love. I especially enjoyed how he tied the beginning and end together. This is a must read for young and old alike.

What a wonderful story of life and love in America. I like Chet Hosac's insight on the world and his unique perspective.

I enjoyed this book, The Orphan by Chet Hosac, tremendously. It made me laugh and cry. I could hardly wait to read the next chapter.

In studying history I have discovered that the more obscure places and people and stories are quite often the most interesting and memorable. This book offers many good examples. Few people know much about this region today. Fewer still know anything about it's history. But, the stories and history found in this book are a real treasure. For me, growing up in nearby Boise and having visited the Owyhee region on a few occasions made this book more appealing than it would for most others. But I believe anyone who has an interest in Western U.S. history will enjoy this book.

Being a fan of books about the area I live in and especilly the part of the state that I love to roam around in This book was a real read. A lot of familiar names both people and places made it even more intresting.

Look on a map you'll see a large empty area in southeastern Oregon and the adjacent parts of Idaho, south of the capital city of Boise. The Owyhee River slices through here and on the more-detailed maps you'll see a few places identified as towns such as Silver City, Idaho and Jordan Valley, Oregon. Calling them "towns" proves to be an exaggeration if you are one of the infrequent travelers passing this way.

You won't find much reference to the Owyhee region in conventional books of Western history -- but a lot happened there. The two authors have compiled a regional history that is full of tales and forgotten history of a neglected region. For example, I had never realized that the Bannock and Paiute Indians fought a series of wars with the White settlers. These were the despised "Digger" Indians and yet they proved to be pretty formidable in battle.

Moreover, the tales of the early miners, cattlemen, and sheepherders of the region are fascinating. Cattle to stock the region were driven all the way from Texas; Basques came from Spain to herd sheep; and Silver City briefly was one of the richest mines ever discovered. Even the story of how the region acquired its odd name is worthy of attention. Somehow, though, the Owyhee country didn't attract the mythmakers of the Old West.

The authors have remedied the lack of attention to the Owyhee with a well-researched and fair-minded history that is illustrated with many photographs and enhanced by the the personal experiences of Owyhee native, Mike Hanley, the co-author. The prose, I thought, was a little rough at times, but the quality of the material and the research overcomes this defect. This is a good regional history.

Smallchief

This book tells it all in regards to a part of the west that is not generaly known. The early pioneer days of south eastern Oregon and south western Idaho have all the richness and real west excitment of any place you could name. Complete with mining booms & busts, Indian Wars and hardy sagas of pioneer homesteaders and ranchers...Owyhee Tales tells it all! A great companion to any western history buffs collection or to the new crop of whitewater river runners who journey to the areas namesake river, the Owyhee.

This book is a unique guide to the Salmon River, it's history and people. Unlike most travel guides, and because of the subject matter, this guide viable long after it's publication. Highly recommended.

A must read before a trip down the river. Excellent job of giving you a glimpse of the trying times and hardships the canyon had on early homesteaders.

A river guide essential! This is the definitive history of the Main Salmon River from North Fork to the confluence of the Snake River. Don't float without it!

Have you ever been on the Salmon River and wondered about the history behind all those beautiful sights everyone takes for granted? Well, now is your chance to find out. River of No Return is a detailed description of the history, dating back to the 1800's, along the entire Idaho Salmon River and its tributaries. The stories of explorers, miners, homesteaders along with their trial & tribulation brings the entire river drainage to life. The actual history behind the river is truly increadible. Being a local Idahoan I had heard some stories of the past, but this book tells of them all and answers many questions. Rafters and hikers who travel down or along the river will be able to truly appreciate the trip because of the detailed mapping and fact gathering done by the authors. I strongly feel that this book is a must for anyone about to travel into that part of God's Country.