Idaho Books

A fantastic story; we need more of these type books that remind us of what type of cloth these ancestors of our were made of. Too bad that the prejudices of the time destroyed the actual recording of this voyage, and kudos to those who recreated it from the remaining evidence.

Bittersweet: that's the first word that comes to my mind after reading Helga Estby's story.

I disagree with other reviewers who think Linda Lawrence Hunt's writing is lackluster or that this is just half a story. Given the tiny amount of information she had to start with, I think she did a fabulous job weaving historical events into Helga's story. I stayed up late reading this--it was impossible to put down!

Helga Estby was an incredible woman by any measure. The fact that she had the COURAGE to go against her family's and the Norwegian community's concerns in an era of Victorian propriety (1896) in order to try to save her family farm/home from forclosure by walking across the country to try to win a wager, is heroic. And she DID it, with her eldest daughter, Clara. They walked from Spokane, WA to New York City. She did it in the hopes of saving her family financially, and also with the fervent wish that the family would not be separated because of financial concerns.

She had quite an adventure, being on foot with her daughter: they were only allowed $5 each, they didn't bring a change of clothes, they only had a satchel each carrying a pistol, pepper spray gun, and notebook and pen to record their journey. They weren't allowed to beg, but had to work for their room and board. They weren't allowed to take the train, but were allowed to ride "free" on someone's wagon, if offered. They were supposed to visit the capitals of the states they visited, and get signatures from mayors and governors. And in between, they were followed by wild animals, wild men, and wild weather.

They were also supposed to model the new women's fashion garment as stipulation for their journey on foot: a shorter skirt, as opposed to the floor-length Victorian dresses of the day. A woman showing her ankles in those days was running the risk of ridicule and shame from society. In short, they were supposed to show that women were NOT so fragile, physically or mentally, as society would believe!

One of the highlights of their trip was being right in the middle of a presidential election, which had echos of this year's election: one younger candidate exhorting change, and the other older candidate touting his experience. Helga and Clara were fortunate to enjoy the company of the wife of the younger (he was on the campaign trail in the east), and an hour meeting with the elder candidate.

The bitter part is that things did not turn out as she had hoped. What was more heartbreaking is that she lost two children to diptheria while she was away, and her family could not forgive her for her absence in such dire times, most notably her elder children. Because of their deep and bitter resentment, her story was silenced for many decades. That was their way of keeping family "peace." Helga originally gave birth 10 times; she had left seven children behind with her husband, who was unable to work for a time because of an injury. One child had died shortly before she headed east.

The sweet part of the story was that Helga kept her dignity throughout her trip and afterwards. She still managed to enjoy the things she liked, including becoming more active in civic affairs, after she returned from her walk across America. During her journey, she had become aware of women's issues: their rights, the ability to vote or not, and their ability to voice their concerns more freely in other parts of the nation. She also had ample opportunity to observe how far people's kindness--or cruelty, could extend.

Hunt gives a fascinating look into the factors that contribute to silencing a family story at the conclusion of the book. In that chapter she wrote: "Every country needs individuals who refuse to be silenced when breaking out of unhealthy cultural norms, despite the criticism." What a fitting tribute to the memory of Helga Estby!

Anyone who appreciates, history, culture, politics, feminism, and adventure would enjoy Helga Estby's story. Her early pioneer days raising small children in a sod house with her husband on the Minnesota prairie demanded a kind of adventuresome spirit on her part to survive. This book is engaging, clearly written, short, and has lots of pictures to stir your imagination.

I borrowed this book from the library and have since bought two copies of it for gifting. It's a great book for any feminista, budding or evolved. I especially like that I could see any of my friends liking it -- men and women. History buffs, pyschotherapists, bakers -- they're all friends of mine, and two will be getting this book. Hunt does a very nice job of filling in where documentation falls short, and I wish that was a bit more clear. (True to her academic roots, however, Hunt does use footnotes.) The thing I like best about this book is that it is easily understood as an historical account, but considers the socio-economic factors as well as social values that shaped decisions made by Helga Estby. Really fascinating.

For anyone who loves to read and is interested in Women's history, this book is for you! Trust me; you will not be able to put the book down.

I found it in a little used bookshop and was afraid additional copies to share might be scarce. I'm pleased to find it is still available for purchase here on Amazon.

the more humble among us."

Aptly sums up thirty-six year old Norwegian immigrant Helen Estby's 1886 walk with her eighteen year old daughter, Clara, 3500 miles across America. The trek was attempted for financial reasons, its completion with certain stipulations and within a seven-month time span would result in a $10,000 windfall for the cash strapped family. Unfortunately, due to negative feelings about the journey, during which Mrs. Estby left the care of her eight younger children in the hands of her husband, most of the information about it was not only not saved, but was intentionally destroyed by her descendants. Surmounting obstacles like difficult terrain, inclement weather, bad guys and a lack of money (the contract did not allow them to solicit donations) and the judgmental feelings of the many at the time who felt their behavior was in appropriate, the Estbys showed their detractors that they had the right stuff. The problem with the story, frankly, is a lack of firsthand information, which would have made its telling more personal and compelling: an okay story about a fantastic feat. Good companion reads: Tomboy Bride by Harriet Fish Backus, Grand Ambition by Lisa Michaels, In a Far Country by John Taliaferro and Nothing Like It In the World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad 1863-1869 by Stephen E. Ambrose.

Warning - contains spoilers!
Rachel Gibson, one of my all-time favourites produced another hit (a big one).
Not another bad date is all about Adele Harris and her first love Zach Zemantis.
But it's starting and ending with another person - Devon, dead wife of Zach who got pregnant on purpose to get married to Zach (she is an absolute b.... , ehm a not so nice woman) anf of course it worked. Zach did the "right" thing, broke up with Adele and married Devon. I hate it when this happens because IMO marrying without love because someone gets pregnant is a recipe for disaster. But hey, that's only my opinion.
So back to the beginning of the book, Devon just died and God wants her to redo the wrong she did to Adele. But being a - you know what I mean - she is all about making more trouble for Adele.
A few years forward and Adele still has a lot of bad luck with men (thanks to Devon) and she is now back in her old hometown on a visit to help out her pregnant sister. Zach is living there too with his daughter and the two former lovers meet again and immediately realize that there is still a lot of attraction left beetween them. So what every romance reader craves happens and the two of them get back together. All is ok until Adele ends up pregnant (still Devon the b.) by Zach and let's just say he is not handling the situation like a good guy.
Adele, being my kind of girl, doesn't think about marrying because she got pregnant, so Zach is in a new situation and has to decide if there is more to his relationship with Adele and she has to decide if Zack is man enough to be her partner in life.
Although I don't really believe in god and I hate the whole "marrying without love thing" I loved - really loved - this book. It was a great read and I already reread it two times. Adele is a inspiring character, a real woman with flaws and one of my favourite heroines. And Zach is in the end a hit too who deserves a better marriage like the one he had with Devon.
And the idea with bringing the dead Devon into the book is really working and giving the book an unique character.
Even though the book is part of a series you can read it without knowing the other three books, although of course you should read them because they are great.
So grab a copy and start reading - this book is a must-read for romance fans.
Enjoy.
S.M.

If Adele Harris has to endure another bad date she will scream. What is wrong with the men she dates? They suddenly go stupid, crazy or just plain crude. That probably explains why the sci-fi fantasy novelist is still single at thirty-five while all of her fellow authors friends have met gorgeous men and gotten married. Her luck might just change when she travels to Texas to look after her very pregnant sister after her husband dumps her for a younger model. Zach Zemaitis, former pro-football hero turned high school football coach, now lives in town, having to raise his teenage daughter after his wife dies. Zach had broken Adele's heart while in college. Sparks fly between them when they meet again. But why can't they get it right? They have no idea that Zach's late wife is doing whatever possible to keep Zach and her childhood nemesis apart. She might also be the one responsible for Adele's lousy dates during the past three years...

Rachel Gibson has delivered yet another cutesy contemporary romance with Not Another Bad Date. Too bad that this novel, like Not in the Mood for Love, is so formulaic and predictable it feels as though the characters and storyline had been sketched out. Romance isn't passionate these days. It appears that most authors, especially bestselling ones, are churning out uninspired stories to meet a deadline. The stories are uninspired, the protagonists lack depth, and the authors don't even put any sort of passion or enthusiasm into their writing. Gibson has fallen into this category. Sex, Lies and Online Dating was the last novel of hers that I enjoyed. If this is the direction her writing has taken, then I won't bother reading her stuff anymore. I recommend this if you're a big fan of Gibson and don't mind stilted, predictable writing. If so, enjoy.

Rachel Gibson was born to entertain. I have read nearly all of her books and with perhaps one exception, I don't think I've ever put any of them aside with disappointment, doomed to collect dust, undisturbed for all literary eternity. Let's not exaggerate here folks...'Not Another Bad Date' like all contemporary romance novels is NOT literary rocket science. It is what is is..a fun, feel good, lol beach, bed or bathtime read. It creates a little tug of nostalgia in wondering what it would be like to revisit our youth and the one we might have loved and lost. To recapture the magic in present day. Unfortunately, for those of us who aren't 'storybook' bombshells like Adele, the outcome might not be so happily ever after, but it's still fun to dream. Especially to delight in imagining our arch nemesis taken out by a garbage truck and doomed to the bargain bins of Walmart for all eternity. LOL Gibson rarely disappoints with her plotlines and characters. There's never a "carbon copy" passed along from book to book. There's never a stale moment. Her characters are always funky and fun. Just what readers expect for their hard earned money.

Have read all of Rachel Gibsons book, and would recommend them all. She makes you care about all of the characters, injects humor and just tells a good story.

OK, for light while away the time reading, its hard to beat Rachel Gibson. Lots more men read her works than you might imagine. In fact at the lumber camp in Montana where I work (I'm a skidder) most of us guys are always talking about her latest book. Its almost a book review club of sorts though testosterone drenched men who love hearing words like "shaft" "mouth" "suptle" 'killer robots" would never admit that.

Having said that, and having praised the book - well I'm hardly a prude but . . . Why can't her characters practice safe sex?

On page 306, there is an unsafe sexual encounter and THEN they use a condom . . . bad timing (unintended I'm sure)

ciao // gurkha
not so much prudish as wise

A book published in April 2008 should not have reviews dated no later than 2007. This makes no sense.

For one contemplating a trip to Yellowstone and the Tetons this book will be a fine handbook and guide.It is very detailed in regards to information about the parks and offers the reader a fine source of information for things to do on your visit.

Before my Yellowstone trip, I had purchased many books and maps and visited websites-you know the drill. This book helped with many insider tips-when talking with other visitors, they had consistently asked me how I knew these things, and I told them-the Lonely Planet guide. Even two park rangers wanted to know how I knew these lesser known tips-and they were impressed with the information. My favorites: how to get the best view of the Grand Prismatic pool (I'm not going to give that one away) and how to avoid bears on trails-which I'll let out of the bag-sing show tunes! Yes that sounds ridiculous-but when I saw a bear about 150 ft ahead of me on a trail and started singing Ethel Merman, well, bears are smart enough not to stick around for the encore!

Maybe it's because the author admits that he ventured off to complete this project only a couple days after getting married, leaving his bride behind. Perhaps a publishing deadline loomed large. I'm not sure what Lonely Planet's excuse is, but this book is the most thrown together, unhelpful guide I've ever seen in their repertoire! I've appreciated their "secret" tips and organized guides for many of my world adventures, and this one is just way below par. Abyssmal on any scale.

I did tons better researching on the internet on my own, which might be the best approach to these parks anyway, so that you're sure to get up to date information. This guide doesn't even mention the great guest ranch outside the park at which I snagged six nights a few months before my visit, how to make sure that you get tickets for special ranger-led, half-day back-country adventure hikes with 15 person limits, or that there are boat and kayak rentals/tours in Yellowstone from concessionaires.

The book literally gives you a headache, trying to figure out how to make sense of the vast amount of listings presented. A menage of maps and thrown-together tidbits are pretty meaningless without the necessary organization to figure out an orderly travel plan. It would have been a lot better if the book took you around each of Yellowstone's loops and through Grand Teton in a more logical format.

I alos found much of the information to be grossly outdated and inaccurate, and so many basic outdoor activities weren't explored in depth, and no real useful information or how-tos were given. I was thoroughly disappointed with my selection. With the vast amount of knowledge that I've accumulated through my own research, I could certainly re-write this guide myself!

If it's your first time in Yellow Stone or the Grand Tetons this'll be your bible .. the hikes listed in both places are well presented and with the maps included will help you plan you time in this wonderful part of the world .. The information on where you are likely to spot animals is really useful - Elk, Bison, Moose and Bear ... all accurate! The highlights and intineraries suggested helped with planning the trip .. but in addition to the traditional 'must sees' the book also suggests some wonderful off the beaten track experiences as well. Has info on where to stay and eat ..I stayed outside the park and would recommend either Teton Village or Jackson Hole as a good base with lots of top class accomodation. For European travellers Jackson Hole was the only place that I could get a mobile phone signal!

This book really helped with wonderful reviews of even the smallest city or area. Much interesting information about some areas was an added bonus. It helped to find restuarants and hotels. I would recoment it to anyone going thru Idaho. I have Moon Handbooks from several states and they are all always helpful.

We're driving from Denver to Glacier National Park this summer, and wanted to drive back through Idaho to see some new things on the way back home. I bought this book because it is packed with information and didn't have the usual Fodor's structure. The author, Don Root, has a lot of experience travelling in the state, and does a good job of sharing what makes him excited about Idaho. Particularly useful, to me, was the description of the off-the-beaten-path attractions. As with all travel books, it does a good job providing phone numbers, web sites, etc., to help you plan your trip.

Idaho may not be everyone's idea of a "hot potato" destination. But if you want a clever, concise guide to a wonderful state -- this is it. Check out "Rural Bar Etiquette" on p. 78 for a sample of Root's humor.

This is not your average dry guide (Although Root's sense of humor is indeed dry!) You will find instead detailed descriptions and opinions(some very funny) which can help you decide the places that might be of special interest to you. It is one of the best guide books I have ever read.

After reading some of the reviews on this book, I decided to reread The Idaho Handbook. The book that I read was quite a bit different than some of the reviews.

While the author's position on land-use is well documented throughout the book, I would hardly classify those views as extreme. Quite a few of the Idahoans that I talked with in the two weeks that I spent in Idaho last summer expressed real concerns regarding land-use throughout the state.

When I am looking for a tour book, I want something more than the AAA travel books. The book contains a significant amount of the history of the state. The book also contains all of the usuals for a tour book - an objective analysis of the lodging and food options in many small towns. This is very important as some parts of the state, the options are somewhat limited.

In addition, he covers the major (and many of the minor) attractions in the state. A number of these attractions were not found in other books.

I enjoy the Moon Guides a whole lot more than other guides. Their strength is that that they are written by people who spend a lot of time travelling throughout the state rather than the tourist areas. For example, Deke Castleman's Nevada Handbook dedicated 10-15% of the book on the Las Vegas area.

This book provided lots of helpful information during our exploration of the state. It provided maps, accommodations, restaurant that suits our budget, scenic places, and a bit of history about the state; its climate and its people. It covers all sides of Idaho: Southwest, South Central, The High Country, North Central and the Panhandle. We stayed in BOY-see, not BOY-zee and certainly not the French "bwah-zay! As you could see, the author added humor to this guide. As suggested, we jogged the serene tree-lined Boise River Greenbelt, biked at the pristine Boise Front, explore the Grove--the largest park near downtown, and clicked our cameras away to capture the scenic mountains. As we strolled down the cosmopolitan area, we knew exactly where to eat, where to go for amusement, and where to withdraw money. We had fun. We also explored the beautiful city of Eagle--a place that took our breaths away. Our next stop? Coeur D'Alene. And we're taking our tour guide with us: The Moon Handbooks.Cold Eyes

Was there at test site when this happened. Mostly accurate and alerts the reader to the dificulty in managing a nuclear accident. Accidents are rare but the nuclear waste problem is real challenge of all operational reactors. Probably mostly enjoyed by someone familiar with or working in nuclear field.

The book was well researched and written. It showed another side to the "official" investigation and cleared up a lot of the mystery surrounding the explosion and deaths of the men involved. For those who have not heard of this mishap, it can definitely open the eyes as to what it took to propel us forward into the nuclear age and the limitations of human emotion. Three Mile Island was not our first mishap...obviously, this was, but more tightly controlled media and national security. It happened when I was young (though I lived nearby) and my neighbor had to respond to the site when it occurred. A very interesting and informative book.

In the interest of full disclosure I will say up front that I am not in any way connected to The Site (locals' name for the facility out on the desert now called the INEEL) I have friends who work there and friends who would love to see it shut down.

That said I think McKeown does an excellent job in telling what's known about the SL-1 accident (if that's what it was) and the rumors that surrounded it. I found it an first-rate read (I read it in two days) and very informative.

McKeown goes to great lengths to delineate between what can be and is known and what is rumor and supposition. He also repeatedly explains (which keeps me from giving the book a 5th star) how different attitudes were then, particulary among the personel working at and responsible for the facility. This is the excuse given and accepted by the author for the lack of disclosure at the time. There's nothing here about what changed, or more importantly, what didn't change, as a result of SL-1.

Its unfortunate that the story of this incident is completely unkown by the general public. Both the heroism of those there immediately after the incident and the behavior of those in charge should be common knowledge. Reading this book goes a long way in correcting that.

I read half of this while waiting for the train! The author's style is very clear and he's a good storyteller. While some of the chapters were a bit sensationalized, this book is well worth your time and money. "Idaho Falls" is more interesting than 99% of contemporary fiction out there :)

McKeown does a good job of pulling together the many strands of this story, giving just enough technical detail to know what went wrong, and enough (relevant) human interest to keep the story interesting. Yes, it's true that Idaho Falls isn't exactly a brand-new 'revelation', but few outside the nuclear industry have heard about it, or know its significance. McKeown shows that the ultimate cause was a failure by the designers of the reactor to take into account Murphy's Law - if something can go wrong, it will. This is a common thread running thru nuclear incidents ranging from Windscale to Chernobyl. With some energy experts now calling for us to embrace nuclear power again in order to meet energy demand without triggering excessive global warming, McKeown's book is a very timely reminder of why and how things went wrong 50 years ago, and what we need to look out for the second time around (if nuclear power is granted one)

This book is an inspiration to anyone who wishes to be more independent and self reliant. Sylvan Hart epitomizes these qualities. It was his inspiration which lead my husband and I to find land in North Idaho and build our own log home far from the power lines and mail run.
The author does a superb job of introducing you to this unique and accomplished character. I have given my copy of the book away too many times and now have some in reserve for the next person who shows more thatn a passing interest in a self-contained life and nearly total off-the-grid independence.

I was thrilled to find this book by accident. I haven't thought about it in years. I first read it in 69 while in the Navy. Being from Idaho, any book on Idaho and the people of the state interrests me. I had actually met Buckskin Bill when I was in 5th grade. An old friend of his took me hunting and we met him and his brother in the mountains. I didn't know that was who I met until I read the book. This book is a fun read even if it isn't entirely about Sylvan Hart.

Awesome to think about life for Buckskin Bill. Makes you feel like you know the man and depressed that you never got the chance to stop by when on a float on the main salmon and say hi.

The other reviewers of this book have been thoroughly unfair. Sylvan Hart lived an amazing life of self sufficiency even to the point of mining and smelting the metals he used to make his flint locks. He was more than well equipped when it came to survival skills and eschewed most of modern technology, accomplishing things remarkably well the old fashioned way. This is a great read for anyone interested in truly living off the land.

harold peterson entitled this book "the last of the mountain men", subtitled "the true story of an idaho solitary"...WRONG. this is the story of the salmon river valley and whatever other prattle peterson decided to toss in to the mix...i bought this book to read about SYLVAN HART, not boring anecdote after boring anecdote about stuff that went on in the area in 1800s...25% of the book, if that, was about sylvan hart, and even that was superficial...you can sum up everything said about sylvan hart with this sentence: "he's a guy who lives near a river in idaho, farms, hunts, fishes and is a good blacksmith"...that's about all you learn about sylvan heart...the rest is history of the area in which he lives...

note to peterson: next time you want to write a book about somebody, consider writing ABOUT that SOMEBODY...god, what a disappointment.

Horribly inaccurate. Numerous anchors and rap stations not where described. On the positive side if you like moderate (5.7-10) X routes mr. colderone describes many in detail. These are routes he couldn't find any info on so he soloed them and gave himself credit for the FA. I think the only purpose of this book is to line his pockets and inflame his already giant ego.

What some people mistake for innacuracies is actually accurate information about previous inaccurately recorded information about the City of Rocks. Inaccurate information has been in print for so long that people have assumed it to be the truth. Calderone's guide is not without errors, but it is THE most accurate and up-to-date guide ever written to the area. Calderone gets a lot of flack for his bold first ascents and the people who die attempting to repeat them. I don't neccessarily agree with his staunch tactics, but climbers shouldn't be at odds with his environmental stance or confusing these issues with his writing. You won't be dissapointed with this guide!

The pictures, the comments, and the information in this book is top notch. The amount of information that is wrong in this book is minimal, and the same amount of wrong information can be found in all the other guide books for this area. I have climbed in the City of Rocks area for 5 years now, and this is definately a must have book for those new to the area, or exploring new sections of the area. As with any other guide book, the information is passed down from word of mouth most of the time, no focused group could ever hope to research the amount of information in this book. The pictures in here are awesome, and give the reader a much better idea what features to look for when hunting for a climb.

This book is very controversial due to the nature of the area. The Reserve management clearly has some personal issue with the author of this guide. I could care less about that, personally. Two other "comprehensive" guidebooks preceded Calderone's guide. Forkash's guide had several errors on every single page of the guide, from start to finish. Enough said. Bingham's guide was reasonably accurate, but was incomplete, difficult to understand, and contained no photographs, historical background, or geological information. The 10-page history section and clear photographs of 95% of the developed routes in the Reserve put this book on par with the best rock climbing guidebooks ever written to an area.

I've spent over 200 days climbing at the City of Rocks. I don't know if that qualifies me as an expert, but I do know a thing or two about climbing there. In all that time I've found one error in this book. A photo was reversed to an area that isn't even shown in any other guidebook (because nobody climbs there). I am a very discriminating and detail-oriented person, so that is pretty amazing. I happen to know a few of the old timers who climbed here before Forkash or Bingham. They are dumbfounded as to how calderone found out such things, but concur with his first ascent information. Amazing research! I don't know Calderone personally, but I saw him free-soloing routes on the Clamshell one day while I was climbing on the Lost Arrow. The guy is for real! As far as tact goes, the author doesn't get very high marks. You can tell the book is written from the heart. The guy is honest, if not a bit lacking in tact. Maybe he is full of himself, but I really don't care. To call this book "Top Notch" would not just be giving the author the break he probably deserves from the harsh sport climbing community. It is the truth.

This is another hollow novel by a boring author. I was gifted Girl Anatomy but perused through this one day at my local library, for the hell of it, figuring if Miss Bloom had a second novel out, she must have grown as a writer.
Boy was I wrong. I started reading and found same old story, tired, shallow, narcissistic.
I am shocked when I read like 4 or 5 stars as her average on here. This book is worst than the first one. Stay away from it. Read literary fiction, folks, because while it may not have the fun girl power allusions of single modern culture, it is actual substance and good language

Rebecca: contractions are YOUR FRIEND. Study them! Use them! Love them! You won't be sorry! See? 'won't be'! There's an example! You can do it!

laying on the nightstand was a dog eared copy of "Girl Anatomy" by Rebecca Bloom that my girlfriend left behind one day - with an initial fear of emasculation put aside - i was curious of the chick lit genre and began to read - - to my surprise i never put it down and have since become a devoted fan of anything Rebecca Bloom writes - - with her latest novel "Tangled up in Daydreams" - i identified with the main character Molly and her search for independence and personal growth told through tales chalk full of description and characters that felt honest and familiar - - making this a truly cathartic read for myself - - - i anxiously await book number three...

I loved Tangled Up in Daydreams and strongly recommend this book to anyone who craves a little girl power... or a break from their own troubles. It is an intensely moving story about a woman trying to come to terms with the reality that her journal writing, rock star boyfriend is not the flawless hero she had fantasized about as a little girl. The story is told primarily from the perspective of the main character Molly, who is an LA hipster with a creative flare and a wonderful ability to reflect on both her blessings and her burdens. The crisp descriptions of Los Angeles and Sun Valley, Idaho add a unique flare and capture the moment superbly.

Rebecca, you need a new editor. Pervail? It's PREVAIL. And "Should I stay or should I go now?" That was not the Who. I have never read a book with such jarring writing-- are we in the past or the present? Please pick one.

That aside, the story is pretty bad, too. Is Molly a tough LA girl or a wussy mama's girl from Idaho? Make up your mind, Molly. By the end of the book, I still don't like you or your loser boyfriend.

That said, I still had to read the whole thing, because I had to know what happened at the end. I guess that's why this book gets two stars instead of one for readability.

I absoloutely loved this book!!! It's by far my favorite christian romance book. Katie was an inspiring character and you couldn't help but love Benjie. Though it was a little predictable, it's still a great read. I highly recommend it!!

This book took awhile to get going, and when it did, it didn't last long, because once Ben and Katie married (in haste, I may add, but one has to take the time period in which this was set into consideration), it went downhill from there. So, even though I understand why Katie married Ben (for different reasons, at least at first, from why he married her), I think they should have had an understanding that they would wait until they were both in it for the right reasons before they slept together, the result of which almost ended their marriage (not in divorce, because that just wasn't done back then, but in separation). I liked Ben up until he found out she was with child, then all of a sudden, he wanted her to lose and move back home to Homestead, give up her career, everything. I really think he trapped her into marrying him, not intentionally, but then, she didn't have to say yes, either, though her reputation would have been ruined.

Anyway, I found Ben to be a selfish man (though he genuinely did love Katie, it was with a selfish love he loved her, because he kept trying to make what he wanted what she wanted). I think Katie should have put off a husband and children, or at least children, to pursue her career, like many women do today--get it out of her system first--and then work on building their families.

Of course, Ben wanted to get married and have children right then, but I believe both parties should wait until both parties are ready. That's the problem with many people today. They think nothing of bringing a child into the world, but the decision not to have a child is considered colossal.

I think Ben and Katie would have been better off remaining friends. She should have stayed single and lived in Washington, which had become her home, and if Ben couldn't fall in love with Charlotte, he could have kept looking. I mean, what's the rush? This book made it sound like just because you were in love, that was reason enough to get married. Then, if Katie ever grew tired of Washington and wanted to settle down and hadn't already married a Senator or something, and Ben was still single (or widowed) and living in Homestead, then they could have married.

I did enjoy Ms. Hatcher's use of scripture to show that God would be in favor of woman's suffrage, even if she did cherry pick, for, for every verse that's puts women equal with men, there's at least one more that doesn't, but Christian publishers don't want to publish a fiction novel that even mentions the less savory parts of the Bible instead of the happy, feel-good parts, and that's understandable. I think doing so would take away from the spirit of the book. Sometimes it's good to be a Pollyanna.

This book showed the positive side of feminism, but also how getting married can keep a woman from not pursuing, but accomplishing other interests (though not in Katie's case--her dream was just put on hold for a decade).

Overall, this book was decently written, but Katie's newspaper column and candidacy speech came across as generic. She said the right things, and with passion, but there was just something lacking in them that kept them from being truly inspirational and enlightening.

The best thing about this book was that it was about true feminism--not the kind of feminism National Organization of Women (NOW) puts out. All they care about is abortion. Now, women can dress like hookers and have to hold out their own chair.

Anyway, the worst thing I can say about this book is the nickname Benjie. It reminded me of the dog.

If that's the worst I can say, it wasn't that bad. Katie is likeable, but forgettable.

This was a HARD book to finish.
I never expected "Catching Katie" to be a literary masterpiece, yet somehow I still ended up utterly disappointed. This was my first Robin Lee Hatcher book, and I have to say, I am not motivated to read any of her others.

The largest and most obvious offense that this novel commits is the horrible cliché dialogue and narration - I literally groaned ALOUD several times per chapter at how cheesy and just plain ridiculous the writing was. I was SHOCKED to discover that with such aweful writing, Hatcher had once been the president of the Romance Writers of America!

The characters are so one-dimensional that they are downright unlikable - EVERY wholesome historical novel has the exact same characters! Their personalities and interactions were so predictable that I practically could have read this book with my eyes closed.

One redeeming quality about this book is the historical detail - the author did her homework on the Women's suffrage and American culture in the early 20th century. However, many times her narration begins to smack of a textbook passage - the detail is a bit too obvious for my liking.

One other positive thing I have to say about the novel is that the plot is slightly more original and has more twists than you might first suspect. It keeps you reading - but just barely.

Overall, I would not recommend this book. Do yourself a favor and go find something more intelligent, enjoyable, and flawlessly beautiful - I recommend books by Deeanne Gist and Liz Curtis Higgs.

I'd never read anything by Hatcher before, but "Catching Katie" makes me want to read all her novels. Hatcher's style is easygoing, and moves along while it still gives details. Unlike some genre novelists, she could be called a "good" writer, as well as someone who knows how to tell a good tale.

There's nothing very deep about this novel; it's a tale of a woman fighting her heart, and trying to balance career with love. But it's the perfect novel to read when you just want to get away from the world for a while.

For many years, one-time president of Romance Writers of America Robin Lee Hatcher wrote bestselling romance novels, including KISS ME, KATIE, about a young Idahoan fighting for a woman's right to vote. While Hatcher had accepted Christ in 1976, in the early 1990s she began to walk closer with Jesus, and she began reading inspirational fiction. She realized that she wanted to write novels that fit her new ideals and that some of her previous books could be tailored to fit her new writing model. Thus, her latest book, CATCHING KATIE, is her fifth "redeemed" one (Hatcher's term), an update of KISS ME, KATIE that incorporates a strong faith story into its romance.

Katie Jones is a graduate of Vassar College and has spent several years in Washington, D.C. lobbying on behalf of women's suffrage. She decides to move back home to Idaho, a state that had granted women suffrage in the late 19th century, in order to build momentum there --- and perhaps a platform for her own ambitions, although she's not completely aware of them as she rattles into the town of Homestead in her newfangled Model T Ford, nicknamed "Susan B" after Katie's hero.

What she is aware of is her burning desire to accomplish her goal of universal suffrage, and she doesn't consider what anyone else will think as she begins to do so. Her dear childhood friend, Ben Rafferty, is now the editor of the Homestead Herald, and Katie immediately "applies" to write a column about the subject closest to her heart. However, before she knows what's happening, that subject of her heart has changed --- it's become Ben. His former engagement broken off, it seems there's nothing to stand in the way of the childhood sweethearts getting married. In fact, they do (I won't spoil why, or how), but that doesn't solve the real dilemma for Katie, which is how to reconcile her feminist principles with marriage.

Hatcher tackles this subject head-on, by providing insight into the history of women's rights and by grounding Katie in a solid, no-nonsense pioneer Christian spirituality. Pioneer tradition had to acknowledge women as powerful and equal, because the work of building towns like Homestead couldn't have been done without them. It's small wonder that Idaho had early women's suffrage, and it's small wonder that Katie has no qualms about being seen as equal to men before marriage.

Of course, given the opinions of so many around her and given the culture of her era, Katie finds that once she and Ben are married in the eyes of God and man, she has a much more difficult time understanding herself. Fortunately, Hatcher helps the reader understand all sides of the issue, and grounds the conclusion in Scriptural as well as historical terms (for example, she demonstrates that many serious Christian women were also serious suffragettes; the movement was not filled with atheists and agnostics).

While Hatcher herself clearly believes that Christian marriage is about mutual submission and not about male dominance, she also clearly believes in the primacy of her relationship with Jesus Christ. Even readers who disagree with her views on men and women will find this tale of a bubbly young lady growing into womanhood a delightful and fresh take on the historical romance.

--- Reviewed by Bethanne Kelly Patrick

I picked up this book because it had Robin Lee Hatcher's name on it. I'd been very impressed by her story in Leisure Books "A Frontier Christmas" romance anthology, so I thought I would give her full-length novels a try. Please note that this review is for the original mass market paperback printing by Harper Collins in 1998, and not for the revised inspirational romance edition.

While the plot of this book was fairly interesting, my problem was with the characters. They felt very flat. Mary is a loving mother who would do anything for her son. She has fallen on hard times, and is running from an incident in her past that could ruin her life. Carson a tortured man who is trying to get past the hurt he suffered as the unwanted child of a prostitute. This could have been interesting, except that the author never probed the characters any deeper than these initial descriptions. I wanted to know what really made them tick. I wanted to know why they should fall in love with each other. The author didn't show me.

After the interesting beginning, the plot began to slow down until it was dragging. I had to keep bargaining with myself to keep reading this. I kept saying, 'well, I'll just read until page 100 and see if it picks up'. Then 'I'll just read until page 150 and see if it picks up then'. Then 'I'll just read until page 200' etc, etc. A good book shouldn't made a reader do this. A good book should have you zooming through it so fast that you're surprised (and sad) that it's over already.

I finally gave up on this, wanting to move on to something better. It seems that this author can write excellent novellas, but not entertaining full-length novels. This is the second of her full-length novels that I've tried, and as both were disappointing, I don't think that there will be a third.

As a reader of Christian Fiction I found this book to have immoral, sexual content. I had stop reading it.

I couldn't disagree more with the reader who said she struggled to finish and finally gave up. When I finished this book I immediately went to amazon to order the other two books in the series. I wanted more of Hatcher. She gave me what I always look for in a novel. Good people who are human and struggle with the same types of sins that I do and evil people who either repent or pay the price.

I read only Christian novels and this is an excellent example. I look forward to more books by Robin Lee Hatcher. She's great.

Mary Emeline Malone is looking for everyone else is seeking - love, family and a place to call home. When in Ireland she gave her heart and body to a man who said that he loved her and promised to send for her once he got settled in America with a job. They were to be married and live happily ever-after but the situation changed when Mary discovered that she was pregnant and couldn't wait to hear from him. She set off for America on her own to search for her to-be-husband only to discover once she arrived that he had already married another and had died in a miner's accident. Now Mary is left in New York to raise her baby boy on her own. But when an employer makes advances towards her with plans to make her his mistress, Mary does the only thing she knows to do and that is defend herself from him by hitting him on the head one afternoon when interrupted from cleaning in his study. Now she fears going to jail for murder and rushes to get her baby and head get out-of-town on the next train. While on the train, she meets up with a Madame who owns a saloon in Whistle Creek, Idaho but is dying of cancer. Trusting her instincts, Mary is offered a place to live and a job as bookkeeper at the saloon and Mary agrees. The first person Mary sees when she gets off the train is Sheriff Carson Barclay of Whistle Creek and Mary realizes that she is going to be running from the law the rest of her life. She has to avoid the sheriff or possibly be arrested for murder. Sheriff Carson Barclay has nothing for the saloon/whore house and "sees red" when he realizes that the beautiful woman with a son thats getting off the train is a new "girl" for the madame. But no matter how hard he tries to stay away- Carson is drawn to her only to lose his heart to a head strong woman with an Irish lilt and a past that is soon to catch up with her.

It was my first RLH book to read and is a good one though a little slow at times. The characters came to life for me and I really liked Mary and Carson but I also enjoyed the sub-characters as well. Yes, its a good story and one I would recommend it to read.