Idaho Books

Jana Harris, We Never Speak of It: Idaho-Wyoming Poems, 1889-90 (Ontario Review, 2003)

We Never Speak of It starts out with a bang, as good poetry books probably should; "Crossing Lava Creek," a poem that (and I feel like this is a spoiler) describes what can only be a tornado coming out of nowhere, but doing it in such a way that it's hard to tell it's anything but an everyday storm. Just, in other words, in the voice of its eleven-year-old narrator.

What happens after this is really the deciding factor as to whether this book is or is not one of the best books of poetry I've read in the past few years, and I still haven't figured that out. Either Harris is so in tune with her subjects, and manages to use the diction in which they speak, so much that the time period in which these poems take place becomes second nature, or the poems themselves slide into the realm of the good rather than the realm of the fantastic. (The end result is the same; everything that comes after "Crossing Lava Creek" seems rather an anticlimax, even the other storms.) The difference between the two is whether it's a conscious trick of technique (as in, say, the novels of Cormac McCarthy) or whether familiarity, in this case, bred contempt. I am more than willing to give Harris the benefit of the doubt, and wouldn't have even considered the other possibility save that such a talent is so very rare; as readers of McCarthy will attest, using such a rhythm so that it is both effortless for the author and for the reader is even more rare. If that really is what's happening here (and reading a few more books by Harris, which has shot up my list of priorities as I made my way through this, should tell me if it is), then, as is becoming increasingly common in the past few years, I have uncovered another seemingly overlooked gem in the pantheon, another poet whose work is in desperate need of being read by, well, anyone and everyone. If not, it's a book chock full of good, solid work, and should be read at least by those with a liking for poetry, for history, and especially for the combination of the two.

This rating may go way up in the future. *** ½

This book is at best a reference that must be used in conjunction with another book, or better yet, Forest Service maps. While the author does point this out, I feel that several necessary details could have easily been included in this ...book, but were not. For example, elevations are not included, reference maps are far too vague, hiking difficulty ratings are there, but are less than accurate; and when a road that must be traveled for 17 miles to get to the trailhead is very close to 4-wheel terrain, it should be noted so (fortunately I was in my 4-wheel truck). Also, if signage to the trailhead is poor, or non-existent, better instructions on finding it are in order. And the trail I'm referring to is one of the most traveled in Idaho. I later found that Falcon's 'Hiking Idaho' did a much better job making up for 'Wild Idaho's' shortcomings. Problem is, the former doesn't cover all the same hikes.

There are few more significant areas of historical study for twentieth century America than the development of aviation. For residents of the western part of the United States aviation was an especially significant engine of change, owing to the unique combination of open spaces, relatively small numbers of population, distances between urban areas, and, a pioneering spirit.

"Winqs Over Idaho" is a useful large-format illustrated history chronicling the growth of aviation in one Rocky Mountain state. The author describes in 16 chapters of referenced narrative and 184 photographs the aviation story of Idaho. Beginning with lighter-than-air activities with kites and balloons in the nineteenth century, Arthur A. Hart moves quickly into early air meets in Lewiston and Boise. He expends much effort dealing with barnstorming and daredevils but then moves on to the much more significant air mail activities of the 1920s and 1930s, the first time airplanes undertook practical activities.

From there, Hart delineates the development of a wide variety of aviation activities in Idaho. For example, he describes the maturation of a unique cadre of flyers in Idaho during the 1920s, the Mountain pilots--also called bush pilots in other parts of the world--who knew the terrain well and provided aircraft for hire for a variety of business, government, and sporting activities. In many instances inheritors of the legacy of these earlier skilled flyers still provide the only quick linkage to isolated areas in the region. His discussion of the growth of airline service is a welcome addition while still leaving room for additional work. Hart's description of airborne firefighting was useful for its detail about Idaho, while his narrative on coyote hunting from the air was both illuminating and slightly disturbing. His commentary on women aviators and the development of a state infrastructure for aviation are most worthwhile.

Arthur Hart finds, quite rightly, that World War II was the truly significant transforming force for aviation in Idaho, just as it was for the rest of the nation. The establishment of civilian pilot training programs at many locations by the Civil Aviation Authority, the creation of military airfields, and the expansion of knowledge about and access to aircraft (to say nothing of the technological developments that made aviation relatively safe and reliable) all combined to fundamentally alter public acceptance and use of airplanes in their daily lives. Hart's chapters on this period are especially valuable in beginning to understand this revolution.

Hart has done a creditable job of providing a general description of aviation in the state. While there is much positive that can be said for the book, "Winqs Over Idaho" lacks any analysis and interpretive structure. Hart understands this, and writes in his foreword that his book is only a beginning of inquiry into the subject. He hopes that "others will take up the needed and fascinating task of researching in depth the history of aviation in every Idaho town and region" (p. 6). Aviation in the American West very badly needs the in-depth study Hart recommends.

We wait sooo very long for new books in this series that sometimes it's almost as though they were reads eons ago. I wanted this book to come out much more quickly than it did. But it literally took me a couple of years to read. I kept putting it down because I just couldn't get into it until after reading at least 100 pages. After that point I ravaged through it. Ms Auel could possibly have condensed this one somewhat. It hasn't deterred me from the next in the series. Whenever that comes along.

I agree with a lot of the other low reviews of this book. The only good thing about it is that I borrowed it from my local library (doing so in protest of how long it took the author to release the book!) so I didn't actually buy the thing! There was just too much borrowed content from the previous three books, almost as if the author ran out of ideas and took from the previous three in order to fill her quota for the publisher. As a fan of the previous three books, this rehashing was totally unnecessary for much of the borrowed material was hard to forget, even if you hadn't picked up and re-read any of the previous three books in that ten year span it took to finish the series. IF you're a fan of the series and haven't read this book yet but are dying to see how it all ends, I suggest you do what I did and BORROW the book from a library so you can give it back when you're finished!

Very disappointed with the content and wrap-up. With the time it took to write and research, it seems that Jeal Auel was quick to add content that took away from not only this book, but the entire collection. Maybe to add pages or get more readers - I was really put off by the, lets say, pornographic genre scenes scattered within the pages of what could have been a great follow-up to the Plains of Passage.

Absolutly riving - as good as all of her others. My only disappointment was coming to the end of the book!

While I am a BIG fan of the 'Earth's Children series and bought every volume, I was extremely disappointed in the final book 'Shelters of Stone'. Remove all the flowery scene descriptions and constant recapping of the previous 4 volumes and the book would have been no more than 100 pages. What a let down after such an incredible journey. I doubt a 6th volume would fill the void left by this blunder.

This book does a great public disservice. The information in the book has not been updated in years and is terribly outdated. Quite a bit of the information is absolutely wrong. Send the publisher a message - don't buy the book until they update it. Save your money, there are much better, current books out there such as "Hot Springs and Hot Pools of the Southwest" & Northwest - which are updated ever two years

The only useful thing about this writer's books on hot springs are the USGS maps and the latitude/longitudes. I bought a book of his nearly 20 years ago and was thoroughly dissatisfied, & was incensed when it seemed to me he was more interested in providing info for the land yacht crowd. I wonder if his book alleging that the lunar landings were hoaxes is any better. I doubt it. He probably denies the Holocaust took place, too. If you want a book on hot springs, check out Jayson Loam's books. They are much better. If you want info on faked lunar landings, get the movie "Capricorn One."

depending on what your looking for you may not want this guide. it has a fairly well established list to many commercial hot springs, but little else. If your looking for hot springs where you can hook up your RV then this guide may work for you. If on the other hand your looking for real, natural hot springs off the beaten path, then this guide is worthless.

We have tried one hot spring listing and enjoyed our hot soak, found one shut down, one remodeling and one a bit too pricey for us. Would like to see some reference to actual costs rather than than reasonable or free or deluxe. One place inacessible without 4 wheel drive but we will keep trying, the maps are good.

I guard my copy closely, now that it's out of print, though as of this writing you can still find copies for sale. My pages are dog-eared, text underlined and maps annotated.

This book has all the major trails, and some lesser-known gems. The author, like me, isn't timid about heading up an unmaintained trail, or heading off-trail, to get away from the crowds. (Maybe that's why the book title starts with "Adventures." My philosophy is, someone who doesn't know how to use a compass, or needs manicured trails, should go to the park instead of hiking in a designated wilderness.)

I like the way the book is organized, it helps me evaluate the various loop hike options and side trips -- and there are many in the Sawtooths.

The maps are nicely drawn original maps, not the barely-readable copies of topo maps that have become popular in guidebooks lately.

This book was one of the first to reveal the locals' favorite biking trails, and follow-on biking books seem to only copy it. And the trails are all hiking and biking routes, no space wasted on horse trails.

I also relate to the author's passion for the wilderness. She's active in conservation and wilderness preservation, not just an armchair hiker writing from some den in Sun Valley.

No matter what other area trail guides you might have tried, get a copy of this book if you can find it. It was the first guide to the "last best place," and it's still the best.

Cool Trails To You!

This out-of-print book is quite outdated itself. If you stick to the most popular trails and don't venture off of them, you'll be fine, otherwise, prepare for a little adventure yourself. Again, very outdated material.

This was probably an excellent book when it was first written. The information is getting to be a bit dated. At least half of the hikes we have tried have had some outdated information.

On one hike, the trail was nearly gone after what appeared to be years of no use. It would have been somewhat dangerous for us to continue the hike.

I will probably throw the book away and get a more up to date one.

The idea for the story sounded great but the book was badly written. I read the large print copy there were 524 pages only two hundred of those pages had to do with mail order bride concept. On page 442 she finally meets Jordan's family and only 82 of her meeting her future husband and marring him. The ending of the book was unbelievable and rushed. The annoying part in the book the author kept repeating her self. This book just drags on.

While the concept for this story is good, and could have been a good read....it wasn't! The level it was written for seemed to be for very young adults, and things were over explained. The dialogue was unrealistic and way to 'wordy' , and the bride wasn't even introduced until well into the book, after a rather pointless, and seemingly never ending part about the man's life as a young boy. I understand the concept of introducing Christ as a main theme...but it was done in an annoying way, a way that would in my opinion, push people away, as to bringing them to Him. Basically, the only reason I even made myself finish this book was because I have a need for closure! The ending was completely unrealistic and horribly written....I know this review is rude...but I would definitly recommend AGAINST reading this book!

Though not my absolute favorite of Al and Joanna Lacy's books, this one was a very nice read. The entire Mail Order Bride series is worth a look to anyone who likes historical Christian romance.
Anyway, the book is about a young woman, Diana, who lives in fear of an abusive father. She is willing to do almost anything to escape...even become a mail order bride. The man she secretly corresponds with is a selfish young man who places the ad because he is rebelling against his matchmaking parents. He gets his best friend,Knight, who is a writer at the local newspaper, to compose the ad. He later convinces Knight to answer his prospective bride's letters because he has a natural gift with words. Diana falls in love with the wonderful letters that she receives and eagerly journeys far from home to marry the man that has so touched her heart with his words. Knight has unwillingly fallen for Diana as well and dreads seeing her wed to his best friend. But when Diana arrives, her future husband is missing. As she joins the search for him, she is thrown into close proximity with Knight. As she falls for a man she can never have, she thinks that that is the worst possible thing that could ever happen, not knowing that her father has followed her and is determined to bring her home...no matter what.
The plot was interesting and I liked the hero and heroine a good deal, but the number one reason I have to suggest this book is that it features some of my writing. I was the winner of The Mail Order Bride writing contest and the ad and letters written by Diana and Knight that are featured in the book are all by me. I am recognized on the copyright page, or whatever it's called. So, give it a try and if you happen to like my letters look for anything written by me in the future. I'm a bestseller wannabe like most of us out there.

Pictures were very disappointing....text was far too brief and offered little or no fishing advice. Access information was almost non-existant. No index. I returned the book.

I though this book was pretty good, but then again I am from Idaho and so I know where most of these places are anyway. The fly chart at the end was very helpful, but he book does tend to make everything sound "soo gorgeous" trust me its pretty but it aint heaven. The author obviously is biased toward slot limits and catch and release etc.. I can see how this book really wouldn't help someone from out of state looking for some good fishing, the author gives bad directions and instead of going in to depth of the species, size, weight, and type of flies for the streams, it assumes that you should know. Other than that its pretty good, the pictures are Ok, but Its not woth $11 if you ask me.

"Montana Rail Link" is a collection of black and white photographs by the author, taken across much, but not most or all, of Montana Rail Link railroad. It is a pictorial - not a history - of Montana Rail Link after its first decade of existance, with some good information. There are some factual errors contained and the book is lacking depth in both text and photographic coverage of this 600-plus bridge line across connecting two divisions of BNSF railroad in Montana.

"Montana Rail Link" is an engrossing history of the MRL, one of the most successful operating railroads in the United States. At the start of this handsome volume, Wesley Fox, who has photographed and closely studied western railroading for the past eighteen years, chronicles the ten-year history of MLR, which was born on Oct. 31, l987. From the opening picture of a panoramic southern view from the Sheridan Hotel in Billings, Montana (BN 091 just happens to be crossing 27th Ave) to the closing photo of a retired MLR caboose in soft shadows, Fox's pictures--all b&w--have an aura of heartfelt eagerness about them. Alas, not all the photographs are first-rate. But his pictures (Train 024 passing through a triple truss bridge over the Yellowstone River; Train 122 rolling beside the lovely Flathead River; and, of course, the cover shot of Train 251 crossing an unnamed bridge) are admirally-timed and angled. Western rail fans will definitely want to peruse this volume.

Purchased this book for a mountain bike trip to Idaho. I was excited to read about the trail titled South Hills Singletrack Nirvana. While the author kept meticulous detail of the number of creek crossings, he failed to mention that the trail is mostly loose gravel climbing which was impossible to ride. It was not my idea of Nirvana. It was a big disappointment, especially since I drove over two hours to get there. There are better Idaho mtn bike guidebooks out there. A book titled "Good Dirt" is a great guide for riding in the Ketchum/Sun Vally area.

This is NOT A HIKING GUIDE. This is a MTB guide to Idaho, a
fact which eluded the previous two reviewers. THERE ARE time and
difficulty ratings for each trail. It is well done and worth
your time if you are into MTB and would be in Idaho. It also
has altitude changes for the rides. Very helpful. Enjoy.