Idaho Books

Good reference of some of the favorite multi-day bicycle tours in the Northwest.

While there are several multi-day trips in the guide, this book is targeted at the more serious recreational rider who is looking for day rides of 25 to 60 miles. It covers quite a large area, mostly in Washington State, with general and detailed descriptions of the routes, augmented by line maps. One nice feature is that it details the vertical profile of each ride so you can see what you're getting into when it comes to climbing hills at various milage points in the rides.

I've ridden about 1/3 of the routes and have found the rides well planned and accurately described. There is always a place to stop for a break near mid-way, and often alternatives to shorten or lengthen the trip. A great book to get you in touch with quiet roads or bike trails that you otherwise may never discover.

From 1955 to 1957, Boise, Idaho, was caught in the grip of a full-blown Gay panic that made national headlines and gave Idaho's judicial system a black eye. This study of the panic, published in 1965, is both of its time and decades ahead of it. Gerassi brilliantly dissects the (chiefly economic) motives of people involved in promoting and prosecuting the scandal. He also displays a sharp eye for character and incidental detail.

A must-read for anyone interested in GLBT history, and also a classic piece of investigative journalism, Gerassi's book is an astonishing piece of work. (Neil Miller covers a similar scandal in Sioux City, IA, with the somewhat inferior _Sex Crime Panic_.)

The Boys of Boise is one of those books that anyone interested in understanding the issues besetting those living an alternative lifestyle must read.

John Gerassi writes an editorial history of a series of politically motivated arrests and harrassments of those in the homosexual community in Boise, Idaho in 1955. Gerassi writes from a mid-1960s perspective in the midst of the sexual revolution looking back on a different perspective when homosexuality was even less accepted than it was in the 1960s.

The book explores several issues as they impacted a prosecution of a given portion of the homosexual population: community politics, the input and influence of a religous community (in Boise - the LDS), the role of the popular local press, a grab for power by those outside the main community power structure, the role of law enforcement and the courts.

Why is this book a must read for understanding issues facing those living alternative lifestyles today? The events covered could happen in any community today - to those who are exploring poly relationships, BDSM, and Gor - as well as to those who continue to simply live within the Gay community. There are laws on our books in each state and locale that could be discriminatively enforced to bring problems to individuals or groups - in violation of protections they believe they have under the Bill of Rights.

The only possible negative in the book - and for some it is not a negative - is the amount of space devoted to reproducing the entirety of court dialogs and certain other primary sources. While I personally enjoyed having the sources there - other historians would prefer they be relegated to either appendices or simply referenced and summarized. It should be noted that when Gerassi wrote this book - he was a reporter/editor for a news periodical rather than a university professor.

The book definitely belongs in the library of scholars devoted to Urban studies, gay studies, the sociology of alternative lifestyles and the like.

If you enjoy skillfully-crafted character studies, this is the perfect book for you. You will fall in love with the town and people depicted in this excellent read. My only disappointment with this book was that it ended. I found myself missing the characters and wishing I had lived then and could have known them in person. My daughter actually introduced me to the book when it was on her required reading list for an English class when she was in high school. It is a book worth having in your collection to read over and over again every few years. When you read it again, it's like meeting up with an old friend who you haven't seen in years, but can converse with like you had never been apart.

Captivating book that grabs you on the first page and doesn't let you go! Realistic tales of love and loss that hit close to home. Wonderful when read with her autobiographical collection of essays "Chain of Hands".

This is an eye-opening and thought-provoking book about the struggle for human rights in the Northwest and the life of one man who became a leader of the people who stood against the hate in their communities. From interviews conducted as Bill Wassmuth faced death from ALS, the story of his life and its impact on the lives he touched has a message for all of us who believe in universal brotherhood and sisterhood.

I thought the book was very well written and thought-provoking. The story of one man's life is woven with the story of the small Northwestern communities who are trying to stand up for what they believe is right--against some formidable opponents. It proves that one person can unite with others to actually make a real difference.

I just finished Corporal Idaho today and the whole book was so exciting, suspenseful, and a very good read. If you want something different Corporal Idaho is the one book you need to read! I couldn't put it down and it is not like the Maid series but still very enjoyable! If you like Devlin's books this is one more you should read!

"Corporal Idaho" is a fantastic read! Devlin O'Neill's "A Maid For All Seasons" series is a classic in the spanking genre, but I did not know what to expect from this new scenario. Mr. O'Neill put my doubts to rest from the very first page. "Corporal Idaho" is an exciting, erotic and entertaining book that will satisfy any spankophile or novice. I hope the author will continue both his "A Maid For All Seasons" series and expand further into this new "Corporal Idaho" direction.

Cristina's Of Sun Valley, deftly authored by Cristina Ceccatelli Cook is an interesting collection of reflections of the life and experiences of the author, as well as an outstanding cookbook of simple, elegant, palate pleasing, appetite satisfying dishes. Drawing upon her many years of experience and expertise, Cook's understanding of her boundaries in cooking spread beyond that of most, as readers will discover in Cristina's Of Sun Valley among other interesting tales of what made the extraordinary woman who she is today. Cristina's Of Sun Valley is very highly recommended to all readers with an interest or understanding of the culinary arts, particularly those looking for an intriguing story to accompany such "kitchen cook friendly" recipes as Clams and Mussels with a Swirl; Crispy Salmon Salad; Turkey Soup with Toasted Almonds; Barley Risotto; and Key Lime Pie.

If you have never had the opportunity to dine with Cristina at her fabulous little restuarant, or had the chance to taste her tempting take out foods then this is the cook book for you. And if you are a regular, like myself, you know how lucky you are to have these recipes now in your repetoire. From its beautiful plated food shots to its easy to follow recipes this book will make everyone a gourmand. Bon Appetit.

A Danish Photographer Of Idaho Indians is a treasury of photographs rescued from history. The pictures taken by Benedicte Wrensted, a Danish immigrant, came from the photography studio that she opened and worked in from 1895 to 1912. Both white and Native American residents of the area came to her, especially members of the Northern Shoshone, Lemhi, and Bannock ("Sho-Ban") tribes; some Native clients chose to wear traditional Native clothing while others preferred Western-style suits or dresses, yet Wrensted always let the choice to be theirs. Many of the Native photographs were later appropriated by books which stripped the names of the subjects. A Danish Photographer Of Idaho Indians restores names to the photographs, and features an extensive discussion of who the photographer and the subjects were, as well as varying Native attitudes toward being photographed. The wealth of quality black-and-white images as well as the thoughtful and objective analysis make A Danish Photographer Of Idaho Indians a "must" for Native American Studies shelves.

This quality book will be a delight for a wide variety of purchasers, whether their interests lie in biography, history, photography, or Idaho Indians. It will serve as a sourcebook for scholarly research because of its very complete set of endnotes, bibliography, and index. Finally, the careful printing on glossy paper of its many high-resolution photographs makes it an art book of the first order. UPDATE: The book has been designated Idaho Book of the Year 2006 by the Idaho Library Association.

I was drawn to this book because somewhere, there was reference to a musical background in the story. Well, the music is mentioned, certainly, but it is by no means a major player in the book. Nevertheless, I was certainly not disappointed in any way at all.

This book isn't exactly a mystery, and it isn't exactly a romance, nor is it exactly a western. It has bits of those genres, and also bits of southern gothic, techno-thriller, adventure, hard-boiled hard-edged 'mano y mano', and not a little bit of travelogue. In fact, the more I read, the more reminiscent the book became to a series by one of my favorite authors of all time--John D. MacDonald. The series, of course, is that colorful one featuring Travis McGee.

This is not to imply that Dead Aim is in any way a take-off on the Travis McGee books, even though Chris Klick, the main character of this book, is very like Travis in many ways. Size, temperament, inclination--an electic mixture of things that make him very endearing. Like most big men, he is basically a very gentle person, sensitive (remember this was originally published in 1988, written even earlier), and caring. He is also an outdoorsman, who appreciates nature and most living creatures, is not overly concerned with the acquisition of 'stuff', but one who won't take very much guff from anyone, either. And, he does know music. My kinda guy, entirely.

He has no fixed abode (no 'Busted Flush' for example) but house-sits in various locations, enjoying and guarding the properties belonging to his friend and sometimes partner, James Chandler Wilshire Lyel III. Lyel is even bigger, smarter and wealthier than Chris, whose income is derived from restoring royalties to 'lost' musicians. For a fee, of course.

As this story opens, Chris is in Idaho, watching a pair of mergansers, when his idyll is interrupted by Nicole Russell, whose husband has disappeared and she wants him back. Thus we're set off on a wide-spread search, in which an amazing amount of plot elements are developed, dropped, picked up, discarded temporarily, then picked up again. The wise reader will make a serious attempt to remember them all, because sooner or later, you'll come across them again. There is no such thing as a 'throw-away' line here, because everything is utilized to good advantage. Especially Idaho, itself. It cannot ever have been displayed in a more appealing fashion. Almost makes you want to call your travel agent. All in all, this was an extremely engaging book, one I suspect I'll re-read at some future point. But only after I've read the other two books featuring these lovable--but very dangerous--guys, all the while keeping my fingers crossed that the author is busily working on the next one!

So, I read this book because I share the fairly amusing, yet compelling name of its hero. Happily, I found the book to be well-written, and Chris Klick to be HIGHLY likable. Symbolism here is deftly and intelligibly employed. The hero is fleshed out well enough for me to identify with him (alright, the name helped, too), but is also familiar as a classic private eye. New to the genre, and very welcome, are the P.I.'s sensitive take on women, and the rural setting. The climax of the story is riveting to anyone who's ever held a gun or has tried to remain undetected. Give it a 4.5 and round that up to 5 stars.

Imagine piling into the car with 4 kids, luggage and 3 dogs for your next vacation and not having any idea as to what you can do with the dogs once you get there. That was us last summer, heading off to Jackson Hole, and had it not been for this book which was refered to us by another friend, we would have never taken our dogs with us. It explains where good areas our to take your dogs, what to expect if you run into wildlife...bears etc. We never did, but we were prepared thanks to this book. The author did a wonderful job of reasearching all the valuable information in this book. Becuase of the information in this book, the whole family, from the kids tro the pets had a great time. If you are planning a trip to the Jackson Hole area with your pet, this is a MUST read before, and during your trip!!!

Does your dog dislike being left alone? More importantly, do you have a hard time leaving your dog, even for world-class travel destinations? Whether you are a would-be traveler to Jackson Hole Wyoming, or a local with a dog, this book will help and inspire you. "Doggy Doings" is, as the title says, a complete reference of information you will find nowhere else. There are chapters that will give you specific and immediately useful information such as where you can go hiking with your dog. For some reason, I particularly enjoyed the chapters with more "surprising" information: chapters that offered the kind of tidbits you like to think you never will need -- such as what to do if you and your dog encounter large wild animals -- bears or moose. The chapter on dealing with any type of emergency made for suspenseful reading. In all likelihood, most of us never will encounter those situations: the majority of the book deals with all the pleasures that you and your dog hope to find and can expect to find in one of the most beautiful spots on earth. This book, like the area it describes and helps you to access, is truly one of a kind. I highly recommend it and wish there were one like it for every area of the country. I liked how the book took into acount and reached for a true community of people, environment and animals. You will both enjoy and use this book.

This book resulted from a mourning heart being put to pen. This was Pastor Arnold Ruby's way of releasing some of the anguishing pain while at the same time honoring his most beloved son-in-law, Mark Stall. Few people hold such immense love.
I read the book when he was our pastor. He, his wife Kay, and their daughter Cheryl are very humble and gracious Christians.
Mark was the first policeman to perish on duty in the City of Boise, which occurred in '97. He was an outstanding Christian citizen and officer who was not reluctant to defend our community's safety.
John MacArthur of "Grace to You" ministries offered to perform Mark Stall's memorial service. Pastor Ruby is a friend of John MacArthur's and previously served as a fellow elder at Grace Community Church. Mark attended John MacArthur's Master's College where he met his wife, Cheryl. This was a gracious gesture; however, Pastor Ruby so loved his son-in-law that he desired to lead the service. This was the right decision as he touched many a heart. (This is not included in the book)
Pastor Ruby planned to perform the service in a small church, but he was wisely told he would need something far larger--The Boise State Pavilion, our immense coliseum. It was the right choice as multitudes of people packed in. Thousands of citizens also lined the streets in honor of him to witness the hearse and motorcade pass. Many officers from other states traveled distances to attend. I believe there was never a funeral that was more attended in Idaho than Mark Stall's.
It was televised throughout the northwest and touched the empathy of people as far as Seattle.
Countless tears were shed in honor of his bravery, Christian witness, and his arms...which where open to anyone he felt needed a friend. I shed many tears as I read the book's account.
God had a purpose in this tragedy and this resulting book, that of bringing honor to Christ's name. This manuscript thoroughly covers Mark's life, family, his personal belief in Christ, and his police service. It also covers his impact on the community before and following the tragedy.

I went to high school with Mark Stall. We lost touch after graduation, as most people do. He moved his family to a small family town to get away from the "mess" of the big city. This book is about his life and tragic death - in the line of duty. But it's about more than that. It's about one man and how he affected so many people. It's about life changing moments that teach you to cherish every day.