South Dakota Books

I highly recommend this guide to anyone who will be traveling in the Northeast as well as Canada. This guide gives you everything from upcoming events for the year to where to stay & eat. The maps are easy to read and follow. I have been a reader of the Mobil Guide for many years and it is continuing to give the most accurate, up-to-date travel information. This is the MUST-HAVE for the Northeast traveler.

The book gives a good overview of the areas with many addresses. Anyhow I found it a bit too black and white. It gives useful maps, but no coloured pictures from the areas, which would make it a bit more pleasant to read.

This was an interesting, fast-paced read with the sort of snappy dialogue and description that makes noir so much fun. It's set in the Depression, and stars an ex-con come back to his hometown. He mozies around, doing work, investigating a murder, trying not to start drinking again, all while trying to catch the eye of a pretty lady new to town.

Although the book revolved around crime, had sex in it and several killings, it was done as tastefully as possible. It wasn't graphic, something which I really appreciated.

The characters were all interesting and weren't difficult to remember. A review on the back said it was a "claustrophobic small town" atmosphere, but I didn't find it so. I liked the fact that the town was small, and there weren't 1,001 characters to remember. There was still plenty going on! I actually found the atmosphere rather homey, with depths about the characters' pasts that made you think there could have been a whole series written before this book. I was surprised to see that it was the first in the series.

"Murder" by Harold Adams is the first book in the Wilcox series. The series is set around a ne're do well who does odd jobs in his parents' hotel. He is an ex-con, with a penchant for attracting women, trouble or both. One of Wilcox's enemies is found murdered in a barn, and Wilcox tries to get to the bottom of it before it attracts bad attention upon him. There are a lot of suspects in this murder. Is it the brother of a "loose" waitress who wants to defend his sister's honor? The sleazy butcher who idolized the victim? Or the boyfriend of the dead guy's daughter? The conclusion is good, with a noir feel to it. This book is also rare in paperback, so it is mostly found in large type.

This book tells little about Strong's actual story and is mostly filled with FLDS History and Case Law. Not very interesting, it jumps around too much from chapter to chapter and I didn't finish it.

Interest book. I had watch the TV show Big Love, but this book show the real side of Polygamy. This is a book all American women should read.

This book presents a lot of information, but it really isn't that interesting if your looking for a good polygamy book. It reads kind of like an encyclopedia. Informative, but boring.

I saw Mr. Llewellyn on the HBO special for the series Big Love. I am a huge fan of the show and have become fascinated by the way polygamists live their lives. The Rape of Rachael Strong is a good, quick read filled with instances and examples that help you understand how dire the situation (especially on compounds) are for women and children and how this sexist society breaks and creates the rules according to what's convenient for them. I was shocked, amazed and offended by much of what Mr. Llewellyn brought to light.

I would recommend it.

Not a very well written book and there are many typos. I think the author assumes the reader is knowledgeable of the Mormon religion, which may not be the case for some. The title leads you to believe this is a story about a young woman and her struggles. Author wrote more about the Utah district attorney, Principal Voices (pro-polygamy women's group), and polygamist men. Because of the title, I wanted to know more about Rachel Strong and her life and how she is doing now. If you want to write a book that's anti-polygamy, then do that. If you want to write a book about Rachel Strong, then do that. Don't mix the message! I bought this book after seeing the author highlighted on HBO's Big Love outtakes. I would not recommend it to anyone. :-(

The only comment I have is that if the other person who wrote a review of this book is going to be sooo picky about the book description, make sure you get YOUR information correct. Montana is to the WEST of South Dakota, not East.

It arrived the day before we went on a 4-day car trip to western SD. As its title indicates it is focused only on the Black Hills and Badlands, so I relied on other guidebooks for info on places like Sioux City and Mitchell. It has interesting historical tidbits and the info was plenty accurate. What more can one ask from a guide book?

Although the book may contain excellant information (I haven't read it) I would find it impossible to buy when the Product Description indicates factually inaccurate information that an average fifth grade student wouldn't make. It states that the Badlands of South Dakota is the "Home of Mount Rushmore (true)and the site of Custer's last stand" (definitely not true). The Battle of Little Big Horn (Custer's so-called Last Stand)actually occurred about 475 miles to the east in Montana. If I can't trust the initial Product Information provided by the Editor then how can I trust that there won't be other inaccuracies in the book. This is not a minor error or a typo, it is an appalling lack of an understanding of basic American History. Although there was a Black Hills Expedition of which Custer was involved his Last Stand was elsewhere.

Yes, there are some historical and geographical inaccuracies in this book, however as a trip guide it is comprehensive and quite helpful. I recently returned from a 6 day trip through the Black Hills, Badlands and Wyoming. The maps were helpful. The restaurant suggestions were excellent. I took several of the Day Trips recommended outside of the area and enjoyed all of them. If you have time check out Spearfish Canyon, Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary, Canyon Lake, and Chapel in the Hills. These were true highlights. I carried this book with me every day of my trip and frequently referred to it.

What can you expect from a book that can't even get the cover photo right? The photo is of a region called the Coyote Buttes along the Arizona-Utah border!! I thumbed through it just out of curiousity upon seeing the glaring mistake, but it didn't look as good as the travel material I already had with me, so I didn't buy it.

We are planning a trip to the Badlands and Black Hills in September. Insider's Guide provides a wealth of information and I'm finding it a valuable asset. Combined with info from the internet, we will have a well organized trip with knowledge of this area's history.

We just returned from over a week in the Badlands and Black Hills. Although this book had a lot of very useful information, I hated searching through it. Everything is divided into its own category: hotels, restaurants, activities, etc. So when we were in one place for a day or two, we had to search through different sections to find all of the info for that one place. Even worse, each section is divided out by Northern Hills, Central Hills, etc. or by the type of food you're looking for. There was no central location to find all of the restaurants in Deadwood, for example. Apart from that, I found most of the info to be correct and useful. A few of the entry fees were higher in reality, but my biggest problem was with the book's organization. It was a great vacation, and I had a hard time coming home...

We just got back from a week-long trip to the Black Hills using this guidebook, and while it was better than nothing, and the information was generally correct, it was very hard to use. Instead of being arranged by location, the attractions are arranged by category, with each category subdivided yet again. And the index is no use, since they're not indexed by location. This means that if you're sitting in your motel in (say) Deadwood, and wondering what to do in town, you literally have to thumb through the entire book to figure out! Very frustrating. And the book lacks detailed maps where they are needed (the Deadwood-Lead area, where the roads are rather confusing, or the area around Keystone, Mt. Rushmore, and Crazy Horse). The maps mention the Mickelson Trail, but it's not in the index, and we didn't find out what it was until we were actually there (hint: it's not a scenic highway). And the book needs to be more emphatic about the need to stay away from this whole region in early August because of the motorcycle madness.

Complete waste of Money. Topics discussed are outdated and morally questionable. Would NOT recommend to any relatives or friends, let along perfect strangers.

One of the easiest to read estate planning books that I have read. I recommend this book for anyone with a taxable estate that needs to understand the issues/concepts of estate planning.

I was looking for financial planning advice that was not intimidating and easy for someone not in a "money & numbers" profession to understand. I found just what I needed in this book. The authors provided information in a common-sense, conversational manner. It was arranged so I could find exactly the topics that apply to me and my family. I found good advice, answers I was looking for and learned alot along the way. I was pleasantly surprised that a subject I had always veered away from could really be presented in such a "user-friendly" format.

The authors attempt to portray financial strategies that many CPA's and financial planners agree are questionable if not illegal.

Off the Beaten Path-rather a so-so account of "what to see/do" in the Dakotas. I personally like the Moon Travel Series better as the format is easier to read and more consistent.

Great source for additional possibilities when visiting the magical Dakotas. However, restaurants and lodging lean heavily to those who have plenty of money in their purse/wallet. For most of us, I would research these areas further. But it is outstanding for many possibilities to make a wonderful trip even better. Just don't expect it to cover much roadfood, wacky attractions or budget motels. VERY worthwhile still.

"The Fourth Widow" is the fifth installment of the Carl Wilcox series. In this mystery, Carl and a substitue cop named Orrie Buford(Joey had his appendix removed in this story) try to figure out who killed a waitress, while trying to clear Carl's name. As the mystery deepens and it is clear someone has it in for Carl, more people die and the motive becomes more clear. Carl finds that the son of one of his former lovers figures into this, and there is quite a climax as justice is brought to the killers.

Set in South Dakota during the Dust Bowl, a drifter (Maury Grant) stops at the Thor ranch on his way west. Things are very rough there during these Depression years, but unlike the Joads in Steinbeck's GRAPES OF WRATH (which it is often compared to), the Thors stay put and don't light out for greener pastures in California. Grant stays for a while with the Thors, then leaves. But he's drawn back finally, more mature for his experiences. Mansfield's style is deliberately very crude in language and character depiction: for some reason he portrays Grant as an insensitive tough. Other than this major stylistic flaw, Manfred is good at capturing the nobility of these exhausted but not defeated people.

The main purpose of this guide is to acquaint the reader with what is to be found along the designated historic highway and places that have a significant relation to Laura Ingalls Wilder. The book is an overview of different regions in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota where Laura Ingalls Wilder lived in the 1800's as described in her books. Starting in Wisconsin and ending in South Dakota, taking you town by town, following the movement of Laura and her family as she grew up on the Western Frontier.

The journey is broken down into sections that highlight a few places to visit in each area. Starting in Wisconsin's Upper Coulee Country & Mississippi River Valley, to the Mississippi Valley & Bluff Country of Minnesota & Iowa, then to the Minnesota River Valley and finally the Prairies of Minnesota & South Dakota. Interesting period history and some geographic information is given on these regions throughout the pages, which also exhibits a good share of black and white pictures. After these chapters come a few notes on Festivals & Pageants in certain towns along the route. Then the author talks about different travel option ideas for interest, such as small convoy camping or large group motor coach tours. At the back of the book is a quick reference list mainly giving phone numbers and some other contact information for towns & cities in each of the previously mentioned areas.

The book is fairly decent but meager and it really may not be what you expect. It provides very little in direct help on planning a trip (recommended places to eat or stay) but does gives a "lengthy" explanation of the Dakota Conflict of 1862. It's just as much, or maybe even more so, a book of U.S. history facts, findings and events as it is of an actual travel guide.