Montana Books

Favorite scene with Jasmine-
Going to Storm's room after dinner.

Favorite scene with Storm-
Fight with a "friend" about Jasmine.

Together-
Jasmine telling Storm she can't leave with him.

Favorite scene with Gretchen-
Being abducted.

Favorite scene with David-
The chase after a falling rock.

Together-
When Gretchen is abducted.

I am usually allergic to coffee table books. This one is different: edited by historian and president of Montana State University, Bozeman (died December, 1999)Michael Malone, this book includes essays by David Quammen and Mary Clearman Blew on the wildlife and the arts respectively. The other essays, covering a wide range of subjects are written by other knowledgable professionals.

The photographs and captions are equally enticing and informative. The full page photograph of artist, Bob DeWeese, and his Gangster Tie is almost worth the price of the book to me.

I found one minor mistake: the 1937 flood in Billings was the result of a break in an irrigation ditch, not the overflow of the Yellowstone River. I know of no better book for getting a feel for this part of the world, nor is that Chamber of Commerce puffery: in 1910 there were about 2,000 African Americans in all of Montana. In 1999 there were about the same number (from the essay on ethnic groups). The reasons for that are clear, and shameful.

Whether you are a Montanan or not, if you want to know more about the state this is a worthy addition to your library.

While working as a Costco employee, we received a shipment of these books and arranged for the late Mr. Malone to come in to our Bozeman store and sign copies for the customers.

Early the next morning, while stocking the books and getting everything organized, I was approached by my manager who notified me that the signing would not be taking place because Mr. Malone had died of, what appeared to be, a heart attack.

This is a true Montana book, filled with gorgeous pictures of what truly is - "The Last Best Place." I found the writing to be very informative, yet easy to lose myself in.

For those of you who already own this book, you know how great it is. You realize how lucky you are to live in one of the most beautiful areas in the world. And you understand the history Montana holds. If you don't have this book and you are from Montana, pick it up...you won't be disappointed.

Lets not forget Mr. Michael Malone. Although his life was cut tragically short, he was able to share with us his lifelong work. And it is amazing.

This is the only novel I have ever read that does not contain filthy language or steamy sex descriptions. Absolutely moral and still very hard to put down. We live Moral, Clean lives and really appreciate something so all consuming as this novel. It is a shining example of what good literature can be with out all the SMUT, that this world is steeped in.
Gene ARS W6EAJ

The death of her father, his remaining medical expenses and low cattle prices lead to a heart rendering decision for Jessie Weaver. Despite her intense connection to the land of her forbearers, Jessie must sell out and move. Rather than accepting the easy millions offered by developers, however, Jessie sells to a wealthy man interested in conservation. He promises to realize her dream, however, if she will stay and manage the land. But Jessie cannot remain on land that is no longer her own.

When Guthrie learns of Jessie's plans, he leaves behind the mountains of Montana seeking answers and healing in Alaska. Alas, he might have left Jessie, but he cannot quit her, and after five months, he gives into the compulsion to return to Montana. He hopes things have changed between them, but the bitter anger and pain still simmers, blocking softer feelings. Indeed, the cataclysmic events of the past year have robbed Jessie of any vulnerability or gentle feeling, leaving behind a woman as strong and rugged as the Montana mountains. But Guthrie loves the mountains as he loves Jessie, and he is equally resilient.

Nadia Nichols' voice combines the beauty of a poet with the strength of a visionary to create a unique balance between the mundane and the surreal. Jessie Weaver is a difficult heroine to warm to with her prickly attitude and stalwart determination. But occasional shifting points of view reveal an extraordinary woman as others reveal her strength, her courage and her moral fortitude. Jessie believes in the Montana land she loves so dearly, sacrificing millions to preserve a dream of wide-open spaces. Contrasting Jessie's dreams, Guthrie is a realist, practical to the core and pained by their constant friction. A typical male who cannot express his true feelings, Guthrie tends to make messes of things rather than fixing them. Yet it takes the strength of such characters to inhabit Nichol's world of unforgiving natural and manmade danger. An extraordinary novel that explores the most difficult of emotional landscapes and the most beautiful of natural spaces, MONTANA DREAMING earns the WordWeaving Award for Excellence.

Great book....just great.... a true image of the real Montana... PLUS a nice compact size...

"Montana Impressions", a remarkable collection of more than 100 photographs by John Lambing, captures the true essence of the wide open vistas of the Big Sky state of Montana. Unlike most photographic essays, the 8 x 10 format will fit nicely on a bookshelf but is best left on a coffee table for company to enjoy.

The photographs are breathtakingly beautiful. Vistas are grand, settings are serene, and views are stunning. All the regions of Montana from wheatfields and prairies to mountain peaks and glacial lakes are included in the collection.

The photographer's use of natural lighting to yield spectacular results is evident throughout the book. Whether capturing the first rays of the morning sun on a winter landscape or snapping one last frame before darkness falls on an autumn day, he demonstrates time and again that excellent photography requires skill, dedication, and patience.

If you like beautiful scenery and appreciate photographic talent, you will enjoy Lambing's work.

Favorite scene with Molly-
Angry and defensive that Holt is taking her print without her permission to dig up dirt on her.

Favorite scene with Holt-
Confronting the bad guy, while trying to protect Molly at the same time.

Together-
Angry and defensive that Holt is taking her print without her permission to dig up dirt on her.

What did you like about Molly-
Her love for her work. Her love for Holt. Not judging him. She also helped him through his pain. She had a good heart.

What didn't you like about Molly-
This is not really a dislike, but she allowed her ex to make her a victim.

What did you like about Holt-
His love for Molly. Despite being from L.A., he had a good heart. He felt guilty for his partner's death, proving how good his heart was. Sensitive, yet strong. How wonderful when he reunited her with her sister.

What didn't you like about Holt-
There wasn't anything I didn't like about Holt.

Casting Holt, I'd cast Mark Consuelos.
Casting Molly, I'd cast Gwyneth Paltrow.

I loved Allison Leigh's story about sheriff Holt Tanner and Molly Brewster. This small town in Montana and its residents seemed very real. Another good read from Allison Leigh.

Favorite scene with Summer-Trying to save a woman's baby.

Favorite scene with Gavin-Going after Summer.

Together-Telling Summer how he truly feels about her.

This book brings an end to the suspense to 12 book series. It is thrilling to see all the characters once again. Look who gives up a killer and solves the mystery and lets poor gavin off the hook for murder. Gavin finds love in unsuspecting place.

This book is really one story with two parts. The authors work together so well, you can't tell where one leaves off and the other one picks up.

First Love, by Crystal Green
They were high school sweethearts, but fate sent them both down different paths. An accident leads to a new lease on life...one that might include an old love? Crystal Green tells a remarkably poignant tale of an old love with a new life!

Second Chance, by Judy Duarte
They were high school sweethearts, but fate sent the both down different paths. They have a second chance at a love that was meant to be, but have they both changed too much to make it work? Judy Duarte tells a compelling story about two people who fate is determined to get together!

From the back cover: Man and wife facing the rigors of high country ranching. That was the simple, solid ideal that Daniel Lindsay willingly offered Rayna Ludgrin. But she'd lived a grand passion, he knew, and he could promise only a quiet, steady brand of love...!

Her soul raw with a new widow's grief, Rayna Ludgrin vowed she'd never feel love again. Still, life under the wide Montana sky was hard for a woman alone - and she pledged herself to Daniel Lindsay out of a desperate need to save her sons and her ranch. But though she'd taken him into her home as husband, could she ever welcome him into her heart?

- - This is such a touching story. It really pulls at the heartstrings. The character development I thought was so believeable. I also felt that the book was written in real time instead of rushing through situations. Rayna was such a woman of strong character. Her first love, whom she had been married to for 15 years, died suddenly from working in a field on too hot of day. She is trying to make it by doing the work herself along with her two young sons. Lots of neighbors came to offer to buy the land cheap or marriage but no help really. Until Daniel Lindsey shows up and begins to help. He is so kind and gentle toward her and her sons. She knows he is a good man but her heart feels like it is betraying her first husband. They have many things to go through but they don't have to do it alone.

I highly recommend this book if you like sweet and endearing characters. It really pulled at my heart strings. It is a keeper for my book shelf.

Rayna Ludgrin is battling with grief - the lose of her husband, Kol after 15 years of marriage.
Now she has 2 sons, Kirk, 14 and Hans, 7 years old, to look after and a farm to manage.
Imagine her shock to learn from Clay Dayton that he wants her farm and her, even though he is married.

Rayna has two friends who have seen her through the years since they were six, Betsey, who is now single and Mariah who had married a man because he needed a wife and mother for his children and she found love.

Daniel Lindsay was the first neighbor to come and offer to help get in their wheat crop. Dang! but the storm came out of nowhere.

He made an offer for the farm and that is how Rayna found out how far in debt the property was mortgaged. And just how greedy Clayton was.

Kirk seemed to be of the opinion that he could support his mother and brother. Daniel had had experience in the ways of the world and how youngsters were worked. He wanted to save Rayna and her sons.

Rayna just couldn't love again after Kol, he was the love of her life. But she could marry to give her sons security and she would be good to Daniel.
Until she learned his secrets and then found it was impossible not to love him. Yet she tried not to.

What a beautiful love story! You just had to fall in love with these two characters. This story has more substance than most of the ones that dwell on the bedroom.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED -- Definitely a Keeper.

Glenn Monahan's book, Montana's Wild and Scenic Upper Missouri River, 2nd edition, is written clearly and accurately. Lewis and Clark first described this portion of the Missouri in their annals of 1805. Construction of the Fort Peck Dam has changed the course of the river since that date. And one will not see grizzly bear or buffalo as documented by the Expedition in what was then Montana Territory.

For travelers who are canoeing, rafting or exploring outcroppings on foot, Monahan gives a play-by-play of scenic changes and their identification. His historical accounts and pictures satisfy curiosity and bridge a 200-year gap.

One of the co-authors of this book operates a river outfitting business, Upper Missouri River Guides, and thus has first hand knowledge of the Upper Missouri; the second co-author worked as a Bureau of Land Management River Manager for the Upper Missouri, and is a past president of the non-profit National Association for Interpretation.

This book is the only available guide book for Montana's Upper Missouri National Wild and Scenic River, and the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. Having this book in your canoe will significantly enhahce your experience on the river. The core of the book is the "History Digest", consisting of a 175 page, mile-by-mile river log of historic events and locations along the river, keyed to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management maps that are commonly used by floaters. Canoe paddlers can identify their location on the BLM maps, and cross-reference their location with the History Digest to read about the history of that particular location.

The history digest includes over one hundred descriptive narratives which provide interesting information about each of the thirteen Lewis and Clark campsites on the Upper Missouri, as well as on the fur trading fort sites, steamboat landings, Indian habitation sites, and the old homestead buildings that floaters pass on the river.

Additional chapters include: "Historical Overview", "Geology", "Wildlife", and a chapter entitled "Floating the Missouri", which provides information and tips for persons planning a float trip on Montana's Upper Missouri National Wild and Scenic River, and the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument.

My husband and I are University of Montana Alums and are Illinois' biggest Monte Dolack fans. Whenever I'm homesick for Montana, I get this book out and let my mind drift through the pages. With his "Invader Series" to his sweeping works showing the varied Montana landscape, Dolack captures all that is grand about his subject matter. This book is an intimate comprehensive look at Dolack's work and leaves one eager for new works to come!

This is a near complete history of the works of Monte Dolack, who is probably one of the most well-known artists in Montana (not far behind the late Charlie Russell). Along with a small amount of historical text, this book includes nice reproductions of most of Dolack's posters, prints, lithographs and original works, beginning with his early advertising posters conceived for local business and concerts in the 1970's and 1980's, and continuing with his movie posters, his invader series of colorful and humorous depictions of animals and fish in mischievous settings, his Montana landscapes with their fascinating perspectives and vivid colors, his environmentally-related outdoor scenes, and his thought-provoking still lifes. The reader of "The Works" will get an good insight into Monte Dolack and his work, so much so that the reader will want to rush to Dolack's Missoula, Montana gallery and buy up all of his output.