Colorado Books

The second edition includes hundreds of photographs and stories of Boone and Crockett trophies taken in Colorado. In addition, the historical photographs of Colorado's hunting heritage are extremely interesting. This book is a must for the Colorado hunter, as it tells exactly where many of Colorado's trophies were taken, by whom, and how.

I love this book because of all the photos and detailed hunting stories. The book is easy to read because the type is big.

This book is amazing! I'd recommend it. Some folks might be happy simply looking at the tons of photos of big deer and elk, but I am amazed at the historical information and statistics. Very impressive. And it's a good read for anyone who is interested in Colorado's biggest bucks and bulls.

Great photos, but especially liked the personal accounts.

Loaded with up-to-date records and statistics, this second edition of the bucks and bulls record book is a great tool and an interesting read. It doesn't matter if you live in the eastern U.S., South or Midwest, you don't have to have mule deer and elk in your state in order to appreciate this book. If you love to hunt big game, buy this book.

I don't normally read this type of book but it was pushed on me by a persistent relative. To be polite I decided to skim through it. After a few pages I started over and read it through. It reads like fiction.

The story is a well-researched crime, chase, and got you story, but because so many of the people involved, criminals, law, and civilians, are quoted the dialogue tricks the reader into thinking that he is reading a novel. He is transported back in time to the late 20's, and like any great work of fiction, the reader lives the story along with the characters. The only difference is that with The Fleagle Gang the reader doesn't wonder if a scene is real or not, he knows it is.

A great job by Mr. Betz; therefore, a great read.

This book is interesting because I'm not sure how much I enjoyed it! The book is about the 1928 robbery of the First National Bank of Lamar Colorado committed by the "Fleagle Gang". The Fleagle's were a group of brothers. There were 4 of them, Ralph, Fred, Little Jake and Walter. Whether they were all thieves or whether it was just Ralph and Little Jake isn't easily determined by the book. It's definite that the other two brothers knew of Ralph's and Little Jake's activities and offered assistance that eight years later would have had them thrown in jail.
While I'm not sure I enjoyed the books reliance on old newspaper articles to tell the Fleagle's history; the use of the articles brings the reader into the dramatic events. A traditional narrative would have told the story much quicker and still have been interesting.
This book is the first I've read about a robbery that was prior to the depression. The Lamar robbery was violent: 2 deaths during the robbery; a hostage murdered; a doctor kidnapped and murdered. A comparison with some of the depression bandits who were both vilified and praised in different circles would make for interesting commentary.
Ralph Fleagle or maybe it was the sire Jake Fleagle made the commentary that they didn't steal from anyone who couldn't afford it. Sound Familiar? Crime was on the increase and local police were at a disadvantage because of jurisdiction problems and inferior transportation. Hmmm....
Anyway, one of the things that I liked about this group of cold blooded murdering thieves is that they took a very pragmatic approach to gang membership. While Ralph and Little Jake were the corner stones they actually hired other gang members for each job for a set fee. The hired men in the Lamar, Co. robbery, Abshier and Royston, each got $1500 for their part and a date with the hangman.
Oh yeah, this case is also great because it's one where forensic science really brought the killers to justice. One fingerprint brought the whole gang down during a time when there was a huge amount of skepticism on the science.
Posted by bestyegg on Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Mr. Betz tells the story of the Fleagle gang in a creative writing style, with the use of various reporters of the time period, which made the book very readable and flow well. Betz also goes into the various law enforecment techniques of the time period and various changes in forensic science used to solve crimes and prosecute criminals. This is one book to read if you like the gangsters period of the 1920s. I higly recommend it.

Mike Koch, Author of "The Kimes Gang."

Jake and Ralph Fleagle and their gang were among the most successful outlaws of the 1920s, in terms of both profit and evading identification, until a bloody bank robbery in 1928 and a telltale fingerprint that unmasked them. In 1930, Jake Fleagle rivaled Fred "Killer" Burke as America's most wanted fugitive and rewards for his capture far exceeded those offered later for John Dillinger, today regarded as the premier bandit of the Depression era. Largely forgotten today, the crime put Lamar, Colorado and Garden City, Kansas on the map and rocketed Jake Fleagle into the national headlines. Slight vestiges of his immortality remain still in the "Evil Eye Fleegle" character created by Al Capp and the treasure hunters seeking Jake's alleged hoard of buried bank loot in the vicinity of Branson and Hollister, Missouri. The massive coverage given here to all aspects of the Lamar bank job, the investigation, and the tracking down of the killer gang may be a bit overwhelming to the casual reader but this carefully researched account is an essential for crime historians.

Four bandits, gunplay, two murders, a car chase, and a shoot out with police - and that is just the first chapter! This book is filled with everything that Hollywood dreams of for blockbuster movies - good vs. bad, drama, murder, and a thrilling cross-country chase. The author, N.T. Betz, expertly tells the story of the Fleagle Gang, not only through his own words, but also through the words of the reporters, posse members, police, and others who experienced this crime spree. Mr. Betz's research is in-depth and complete. He even included the influences the Fleagles had on culture (i.e. Evil-Eye Fleegle and the Beagle Boys). In addition to the fascinating look into the actions of four criminals and the courts of the late 1920's, this story marks several landmarks in forensics and law enforcement techniques - including the first time a single fingerprint was used to identify an individual and the first transportation of a suspect by airplane. A must read for history and true crime buffs alike!

I read the reviews and checked out Marty a bit before buying this book. It was everything I wanted and more. This really is a must buy if you want to fish Colorado. It is laid out in a easy to read fashion with all the information you could want for your fishing trip. It is like you have a local guide in you pocket telling you what fish to hunt in each river and what they will be eating throughout the day. You won't be disappointed buying this book.

This is the essential guide for any fly fisherman who lives in or is planning a trip to Colorado. I am a recent transplant to CO and have been stumbling through trying to figure our my local streams. The amount of private property in this state is depressing with no fish/hunting signs everywhere (compared to my home state of Oregon)and going on road trips with the hopes of fishing can be quite frustrating. This book describes, with maps and hatch charts for all the major and many of the minor streams in the state where to go and when and then what to use once there. I can now take a road trip without the frustration of running into private land everywhere and find good fishing.

This is the ultimate travel companion for fly fishing in Colorado, don't leave home without it.

Marty Bartholomew has not only proven himself as pro for Ross Reels and Scott Rods, an elite fly tyer, and one of the classiest individuals in the fly fishing industry, but he has now proven that he can write the most informative book available on fly fishing in Colorado. As a former fly fishing instructor, I often referred to this book as "The Bible on Fly Fishing in Colorado." Bartholomew attacks every aspect of the waters covered in this book from where to fish it, what to use, how to get there, when hatches are taking place, and even where to park. The Flyfisher's Guide to Colorado essentially takes the reader on a guided trip to the water he or she desires. This book is certainly a must have.

I bought this book to begin planning a trip to Colorado for a week of fly fishing. This book is a good place to start. It gives a good run down of pretty much all the rivers, creeks and lakes in the state, what to expect there, what sort of fish are there, fishing expectations and hatches for different times of the season, successful flies and information on getting there - such as the road may be muddy and impassible in wet seasons. It even tells you what sort of goods and services are available in near by towns. Anyone fishing in Colorado would benefit from the book but I particularly recommend it to anyone planning a trip to Colorado and are yet unfamiliar with fishing there.

This book "The Fly Fisher's Guide To Colorado", is a book that stands alone in a sea of fly fishing books. A well written book indeed as author Marty Bartholomew, takes you on adventures throughout the state of Colorado. Every detail is in the book as well from hatch charts to hospital locations it is all in here. This is the most complete book I own, period. I feel this is the best choice if you are in the Colorado region, to get all the facts. There are many different versions, about various states, so many others won't miss out on these great books. I as well, met Marty at the Denver expo, a true class act!

Dave Peterson is one of my favorite authors. If you love what's left of our Colorado wilderness and wish the great bear would return, then you'll adore this book.

This book changed my entire outlook on the Grizzly bear in Colorado. The evidence is well presented without jumping to conclusions. There are many eyewitness accounts by experienced outfiters, ranchers and locals. There is also a great deal of well researched history on the Griz in Colorado and it's violent decline.

I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who cares about preserving the wild character of Colorado. This title has a special place in my library.

My copy of this book is dog-eared and worn-out after all my readings of it and loaning it to others! David Peterson is one interesting writer. I had visited the San Juan Mountains prior to reading this book and explored the area where the Wiseman grizzly was killed. At the time I thought the Wiseman griz was the last in Colorado. This book inspired me to return and do a little searching of my own. Found some bear sign but was really amazed by how spectacular the high San Juans are in July. I think this book needs another postscript wherein "the search for survivors" is updated!

David Peterson has compiled a thorough review of the evidence for and against (mostly for) the presence of grizzly bears in Colorado: Rio Grande National Forest and specifically the South San Juan Wilderness Area and adjoining lands. Having spent a lot of time in the area, I agree with Peterson's assessment of the wildness of the region and the possibility/probability of the grizzly's presence there.

Like most good books, more questions are raised than are answered. What happens if grizzlies are proven to live here? What assurances are there they won't be "managed to death" like other resources/wildlife? How capable are we at making decisions based on largely circumstantial evidence? Will/should we strive to obtain concrete proof?

I especially liked the accounts of the grizzly sightings and encounters. Peterson thoughtfully investigates each and the interviews with the survivors of encounters of yore are worth the price of the book. One aspect of the book that turned me off a little was Peterson's attitude toward people who derive their living from the National Forest. He paints them accross the board as a bunch of selfish ner-do-wells who have no respect for the wildlife. I disagree and it's interesting commentary from the author who, by his own admission, smokes Camels thoughout the Rio Grande National Forest.

One thing is certain, this is a spectacular corner of Colorado (and New Mexico - much of the area discussed is only a stone's throw from the border). I've stood atop Conejos Peak five times, stared down at the South San Juan, and marveled at its unspoiled beauty and rugged landscape. I've seen ptarmagan at the high mountain lakes, mountain lions in the wide open valles, and more elk than I can count. I know the real names of the geographical locales disguised by the author and, ironically, the real treasure of this region is in what it lacks: no major thoroughfares, no fourteeners, no ski areas, no big nearby population centers, and continual second billing to the trampled Western San Juans. This volcanic area is relatively unspoiled by mining, however, Peterson points to the nearsighted management practices of the National Forest Service - especially grazing - as a threat to the ecosystem, and grizzlies if they are there.

Here's what I think. Any grizzly living in the SSJWA is pretty darned good and not getting found. It's clear from the accounts that even individuals who spend a lot of time there rarely see compelling evidence of their presence. These bears won't be "proven to government standards" to exist without a huge undertaking that, as Peterson points out, would be unconscionable on many levels.

What's more, I believe there are a small handful of local backcountry locals who know for certain that grizzlies are alive and well in the Eastern San Juans. They keep it quiet to avoid the inevitable stampede that would ensue if they went public. I, for one, hope they keep the secret. Someday Colorado (and perhaps New Mexico) may be ready to deal with grizzlies in their midst. But, we are clearly not ready yet. . . . . .

Buy this book. Buy it new, buy it used, buy it for your friends, buy it for your enemies. Petersen has written a thoughtful and thorough examination of recent grizzly bear management policies (or lack thereof) in the San Juans of Colorado. The book is a pleasure to read.

As someone who occasionally sees grizzers on his property, I can't conceive of living in an environment that doesn't have a population of apex predators to keep things interesting. Petersen masterfully chronicles how government funded assassins with the support of short-sighted local ranching communities and clumsy land managers, managed to kill virtually every grizzly in Colorado. He also accurately details how Western ranchers have come to view public lands with more than a sense of ownership but rather with a sense of absolute entitlement. This has led them to run their stock on federal land at ridiculously cheap rates, ignore even the most commonsense principles of husbandry, and push bears and wolves into the zoos and picture books while trying to keep everyone else out. Also to blame are the Baby Huey-like semi-rich, who hack 20 acre ranchettes out of the diminishing habitat and in the process are strangling the thing they profess to love most.

Petersen manages to stay somewhat balanced, using an essay by the outspoken and bearlike Doug Peacock to say what is probably really on his mind regarding sheep ranchers and development dingbats. In the course of researching the book, Peterson also forges unlikely friendships with former (but not reformed) professional and amateur bearslayers , including Ed Wiseman, who killed the last known Colorado grizz in hand to hand combat in 1979.

There is the general belief in the book that the great bear still lives in the San Juans but has become more nocturnal and reclusive as it adapts to its shrinking habitat. There are certainly drainages wild enough to support a grizz but I personally don't believe there are any left. My heart tells me that any state with a wildlife management policy as pathetic and dumbheaded as Colorado's can't have allowed for even a single surviving great bear. Also, I am reminded of a story in Scott Weidensaul's recent (and excellent) book on vanishing species entitled "The Ghost With Trembling Wings." Weidensaul tells the story of an animal who escapes from a European zoo and whose likeness is posted on the news. Consequently, hundreds of eyewitness calls come flooding in from all over the country, each caller claiming to have personally seen the critter. It turns out that the koala had actually been run over by a train several hundred yards from the zoo immediately after escaping. Weidensaul's point is that people WANT to believe something so badly, they convince themselves of its existence. And I'm afraid that is what we are doing with the Colorado grizzly.

"Hell's Bottom, Colorado" benefits from sharp, focused writing and real-life details, which make the stories ring true. Though each story stands alone, there is the connectedness of family saga as we are introduced to distinct, evocative members of this modern-day ranch family. A truly pleasant read.

Pritchett evokes the vivid images of landscape, ranching and families in the West. Set along Rocky Mountains, these stories show the beauty and sometimes messy reality of farming, ranching, and living. When writing in her clear-eyed prose, Pritchett has perfect pitch: all of her charcters and stories ring true. Highly Recommended.

This is an outstanding book! Pritchett' interconnected stories are a matter-of-fact and essential portrayal of the contemporary American West. Pritchett's characters are vivid in spite of (or beause of) her simple prose. Through the characters you get a feel for the beauty and stark reality of raising cattle, and families, in the Intermountain West. A refreshing read among the usual clutter of literature today.

Hell's Bottom is a poignant collection of short stories that chronicles some of the watershed events in the lives of a Colorado ranch family. It's quite enjoyable on several levels.

I especially appreciated the attention to detail about life in modern rural America. This book chronicles ranching activities in an accurate manner- one can tell the author is familiar with this way of life. I don't believe that an outsider could have presented such an honest portrait. This realistic backdrop helped the already interesting characters become even more alive for me.

Hell's Bottom is an excellent read. I look forward to more by this author.

Pritchett's short stories are psychologically insightful into life's sometimes painful details and hidden triumphs -- expressed within the framework of everyday existence. Hard to find writing like this -- definitely worth your time.

I know nothing about gardening or flowers but LOVE these books! The main character is a self-employed widow, mother, daughter, sister, neighbor, and friend and the reader watches all of these areas of her life become challenged. Hill's characters and storylines are REAL. I love novels that end with the story coming full circle and a realization taking place. These books made me laugh out loud and cry silent tears, and those are the best kind! I could not put these books down. Mibby and her friends could be MY neighbors and friends!

As I've said before about this author, she is so good! I loved this book and couldn't put it down. I have a teenage son and I related to so much of what she was saying, just about how a mother feels about her boy. This is just a wonderful book. I love how she links scripture into the story and remains so real with her characters. Every woman can relate to Mibby in some way. It was just inspirational!

This book is the continuing story of Mibby. She finds that marriage to Larry, after her first husband died, (book one) is not coming up roses!
This book, and the first two are for the romantic at heart, and lovers of flowers. Definitely a female series. You must buy the first two. Start at the beginning! I would hope that she comes out with the continuing story now that she and Larry have bought the local garden center!

Another book by Patti Hill that I just loved. I found myself staying way past my bedtime reading. Very realistic and touching. Patti gives us a character we can relate to, not a perfect Christian, but a working-at-it every day type of believer. This seriese is definitely one of the best Christian fiction reads out there---highly recommend it!!
PLEASE give us more excellent books Patti!!!!

Mibby and her new husband, Larry, return home from their honeymoon to begin life together, only to encounter Larry's meddlesome mother, Mibby's rebellious teenage son and dysfunctional sister, and more memories of her deceased husband than she expected. Happily-ever-after is not going to be easy. In the third and last of the Garden Gates series, author Hill continues to mature Mibby's faith, outlook, and behavior. Mibby's friend and mentor Louise bakes up a storm and offers good counsel, and Mibby learns to look to God, her husband, and her own heart in making decisions.

This is the only book written about the toll road named for John Hamilton Gregory. The road traveled from the prairies north of Clear Creek through the mountains to the gold mining camps in the Little Kingdom of Gilpin, in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. It was followed by thousands of goldseekers jubliant with hope. Many returned, chased away by winter and poor prospects. Theirs was a chorus of hope mingled with despair, a chorus which this book captures. Today's road through Golden Gate Canyon follows that old toll road.

This is the only book written about the toll road named for John Hamilton Gregory. The road traveled from the prairies north of Clear Creek through the mountains to the gold mining camps in the Little Kingdom of Gilpin, in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. It was followed by thousands of goldseekers jubliant with hope. Many returned, chased away by winter and poor prospects. Theirs was a chorus of hope mingled with despair, a chorus which this book captures. Today's road through Golden Gate Canyon follows that old toll road.

This is the only book written about the toll road named for John Hamilton Gregory. The road traveled from the prairies north of Clear Creek through the mountains to the gold mining camps in the Little Kingdom of Gilpin, in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. It was followed by thousands of goldseekers jubliant with hope. Many returned, chased away by winter and poor prospects. Theirs was a chorus of hope mingled with despair, a chorus which this book captures. Today's road through Golden Gate Canyon follows that old toll road.

This is the only book written about the toll road named for John Hamilton Gregory. The road traveled from the prairies north of Clear Creek through the mountains to the gold mining camps in the Little Kingdom of Gilpin, in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. It was followed by thousands of goldseekers jubliant with hope. Many returned, chased away by winter and poor prospects. Theirs was a chorus of hope mingled with despair, a chorus which this book captures. Today's road through Golden Gate Canyon follows that old toll road.

John Gregory, the Georgia gold miner who saved the Pike's Peak gold rush and gave his name to the Gregory Toll Road, would have loved this book! It's all here, that terrible first road into the North Fork of Clear Creek in the Colorado mountains, the toll road tht followed, and the people who followed the roads. Full of original quotes and pictures. I was amazed to learn that the miners set the mountains on fire in order to find their way around. The fires, which were visible far out on the prairie, were called the miners' fires.

Great book. Fits in my pack and the pics and descriptions are excellent.
Forager recommended!

This book is wonderful. I refer to it alot when in the mountains getting mushrooms.

would recomend this book for anyone interested in mushroom hunting.

To find out which mushrooms grow in this area, I purchased "Mushrooms of Colorado" as soon as I moved to live at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, and I wasn't disappointed. I learned basics of mycology from my father and grandmother, and I'm happy to attest that V.Evenson's book not only showed me the mushrooms I was already familiar with and that are common here, but greatly extended my knowledge of fungi in general.

Profusely illustrated with full color photography throughout, Vera Evenson's Mushrooms Of Colorado And The Southern Rocky Mountains is a definitive and completely "user friendly" reference manual ideal for the non-specialist general reader. The beautiful photography showcases the mushrooms in their natural habitats while the text provides keys, clues, and diagrams to help identify mushrooms found in the field. The subject of poisonous mushrooms and how to avoid eating one is simply invaluable, while the basis of mushroom structure, life cycles, habitats, and names is as authoritative as it is informative. With more than 170 mushroom species represented, Mushrooms Of Colorado And The Southern Rocky Mountains is a "must" for anyone hiking through that part of the world to enjoy the region's diverse fungi.

Evver wonder what life was like on a Colorado ranch back when the West was still young? This book will make you feel like you were there. Well-written and hard to put down.

This book is a real sleeper. Actually, this book made me lose sleep because I couldn't put it down. Excellent writing about growing up in the West on a homestead/ranch. Entertaining. Don't miss it!

If you've ever wondered what life was like growing up on a Western ranch or homestead, read this book. It's an authentic glimpse into the Western life, a life close to nature and close to the bottom line! But a life rich in freedom and living! Great stories, good reading - what more could you ask for?

If you like anecdotal stories about life in the late 1800s/early 1900s, you will like this book. It tells the story of a family that moves from the central ozarks of Missouri to Northwestern Colorado in the 1920s. It is autobiographical in nature, but the author is a superb storyteller and the pictures he paints of life in and around Craig, Colorado during the Great Depression are poignant and vivid. (True for the telling of the trip from Missouri to Colorado, as well.) Anyone who is interested in Colorado history, life during the Great Depression, or simple human interest stories about real poepl in real life will enjoy this book. For those who are not related to the author, the brief sections about family geaneologies might be a little boring, but these are a small part of the book and do not detract from the overall book. If you are from Northwest Colorado, who knows? Your name might be in the book (or at least one of your ancestors). There are also a few stories dating before the life of the author concerning events that were told to him by the people involved.

Mr. Irby's book tells it like it was with a generous dose of humor. It also has some great genealogy info. You can really feel the cold of those winter nights, the hardships and the good times they all had. A hard book to put down!!

This is the ultimate self-help book and a perfect gift for a friend or loved one facing a scary medical diagnosis. Both my mother and my step-mother have had major surgeries. And I know that both have been intimidated by the medical field as a whole. Nothing empowers like information and that is what this book is about. Empowering the patient to have control and understanding of their diagnosis by asking the right questions and then questioning those answers even further to their satisfaction.

This book comprehensively explains the importance of what to do when one is ill. It gives a no nonsense and very helpful description of what is essential to do and how to do it. It is a must for all when considering their own health care and that of loved ones. It could save your life and those who are dear to you.

I plan to share this marvelous book with everyone I care about. The best information in this area.

This is not a good book; it's a great book--insightful, revealing, useful and very well written, a godsend for anyone that has a chronic disease or is about to see a doctor or go to the hospital.

The chapters on personal challenges and modern medicine leave the reader nodding agreement and remembering similar experiences. They also provide startling statistical evidence which leaves you shaking your head. What is said about the drug culture in medicine is particularly valuable. The chapters on taking responsibility for your own health care advocates the revolutionary but obvious idea that the patient, not the doctor, should be in charge. The chapters on educating one's self by using The World Wide Web are especially useful to anyone with access to a personal computer. The explanation of everything that is available at the Colorado HealthSite gives a complete review of that remarkable source of information. The crucially important concept of the buddy system and how to avoid the uncomfortable and dangerous pitfalls of hospital care are the focus of Chapter 6, and the final two chapters present suggestions which are vital to all patients, but especially those with chronic diseases.

The book offers statistics where available, but relies heavily upon stories from patients, giving the reader both informative and moving material. Anecdotal evidence is compelling and instructive, particularly in areas where no other information is or can be made available.

This book is a good read and should be enjoyed by anyone who has the privilege of perusing it, but it should be kept on the reference shelf for use use whenever one goes to the doctor or the hospital, or whenever a new prescription is given or purchase of an herbal remedy is being considered.

It's not because The Patients' Book tells "my story," among many others, that I recommend this book. It is because it is an excellent book, which will help many patients survive in today's medical system.

This book is all about being a smart health consumer. It talks about the crushing mysteries of illness but also gives you good questions to ask of doctors to speed recovery/treatment. The content of Hartman and McCray's book helps us to empathize with those who are tackling the health care system and raises our hackles with the inefficiencies of it. This book also gives solutions about the health care system and how our parents, friends and partners can effectively operate within that system. I give it five stars.