Wyoming Books

You will smile, laugh and cry reading this book. Upon finishing it, you will have been alongside Ted as he stumbles upon an abandoned puppy in the Utah wilderness, as the dog chooses to stay with him, and as the two get to know and love each other. Painstakingly written, this honest account of one man's love for his dog and vice-versa will draw you in and keep you. Months after reading the book, I still think of it's story, and lessons.

I read this book a few months ago and since I've bought it for several friends, They also loved Merle's Door so I bought copies for all my family to include with their holiday gifts. It is a most moving story about a special dog who seems to be an old wise soul in dog form (this time)written by his friend and companion who is pretty wise himself. It is the best book I've read in years and I recommend it the highest.

I cannot really add to what has already been said about this exquisite novel except to reiterate what many others have said...whether or not you love or live with dogs...this is a true treasure of a book. I have read many dog books and live with 3 beautiful dogs of my own (who might be considered "captives" in Merle's eyes!) and this is hands down one of the most impactful and insightful books I have ever read. The love felt between Kerasote and Merle is palpable in the pages; I really never wanted it to end.

But all good things must come to an end and the last few weeks of Merle's life were so beautifully written of. It was heartwrenching to read at the end but again Kerasote's gift for bringing the reader to his place was amazing. I hugged and cuddled my dogs for a very long time after finishing this book and I could not give it a higher recommendation.

I loved Merle's Door. It was well written book on a relationship between man and dog. A tear jerker, but one of my favorites.

I bought Merle's Door because the sub-title "Lessons from a Freethinking Dog" caught my eye. I was in Pet Smart buying a bag of Eukaneuba kibble for my nine-month old Standard Schnauzer puppy named Otto, who is about as freethinking a dog as you are ever going to meet.

Ted Kerasote leads the reader/dog owner-lover on a wonderful adventure into the hidden life of dogs; not simply "what dogs think," from a Pavlovian standpoint, but why dogs are the way they are.

On more than one occasion, this book brought a smile to my face, or tears to my eyes as I learned something new about dogs. This book will bring you closer to your companion animal in a way you never dreamed possible. Dogs are a lot more than pets we shape, mold, and train to our liking; they can be companions with whom we can connnect and share experiences with, if we will let dogs be themselves.

This is the original story by Annie Proulx as well as the movie script. Great for fans of the film as a collector item.

I had to purchase this book for a college course, otherwise I probably would never have read it. I found it boring and realized that it's probably better suited for either men who like cowboy stories, or people who are into studying how to create a screenplay from a move. The screenplay stays very true to the short story. The best part about this book is the essay in the back by Proulx. I suggest you read it before you read the short story as it answered my main question, which is why a straight woman in her 60s would write a story about rough cowboys who were having trouble accepting their sexual orientation.

This item took you through the entire life of the book to the screenplay to the movie. It was great reading what the writers said about the project and how it was a labor of love for everyone involved. It was wonderful reading how devoted everyone was to the project. Much how the two main characters were devoted to each other.

In an effort to check out my approach to writing a book adaption to screenplay, I thought it would be a good exercise to experience how others have done it. After reading the Brokeback Mountain short story, then reading the shooting script, then watching the film, I knew I was right on target. It is invigorating to experience and understand the progression from story to screenplay to film. The book also includes backround information from the short story writer, Annie Proulx and the two screenwriters, Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, which tops off the value of this book. Reading it is a great process, and once you've read the book, you'll appreciate the film even more.
-Catherine Busch-Johnston-

This is an excellent addition to anyone's book collection - not only do you receive Annie Proulx's wonderful story, but you can experience Larry McMurtry's and Diana Ossana's sweet, lilting and poignant screenplay. Ennis and Jack jump off the page, fictional characters who have somehow become real, as we are transported with them through the most beautiful twenty years of their star-crossed lives. No, it is not a story about gay cowboys....it is a story about two young men who find love and happiness in an unlikely relationship, and simply don't know how to handle it. The part of this story that always grabs me is that through a simple twist of fate, the entire ending could have been different.

I suggest this book couple with the movie - seeing the screenplay come to life through Heath Ledger's and Jake Gyllenhaal's performances is spell bounding.

It was a fascinating read to see the short story move from Annie's simple prose to screenplay. And the chapters at the end which discuss the story and the filming of this heart-wrenching story is worth the price. I highly recommend it. Thanks for listening.

Most enjoyable. Takes you right back into the 1950s memories of two brothers looking back from 1995. It really isn't a Vietnam War book as much as a character study of growing up in the 50s...really fun stuff if you did or didn't live in that time. I was born in 1947, one of the brothers in 1946 so it was also a trip down memory lane in a time less complicated. Highly recommend. All the five stars can't be all wrong!

If any of us have forgotten that a war doesn't end when the last shot is fired, this book is a reminder that a war isn't over until the last survivor is dead. Angel Fire is a beautifully written novel,twisting several plotlines together. Entwined with the story of the present-day journalist trying to rebuild his life are flashbacks of two brothers growing up, a journal from Vietnam, and touches of local mythology. Don't miss this one. Franscell deserves to be widely read.

I was introduced to Angel Fire as part of my university's Western literature course last fall. It is one of the most moving books I have ever read as part of my classroom work which is usually pretty boring and hard to manage. But this book was totally different and is an awesome example of symbolism, totally real characters and had a beautiful message all wrapped up in a story I couldn't put down! The Vietnam parts were really graphic and made it hard for me to sleep for a few nights, but it wasn't there for a thrill because it ended up being an important part of the total story. My mother died one year ago and when Cassidy MacLeod loses his mother i literaly started crying because it was a perfect expression of a child's grief. In the end, Ange Fire helped me comprehend life and death in a way I might never have seen on my own. This is a book I will read over and over again as I grow older because there is a lot of good lessons for living a good life where "pain is the price we pay for memory." Thank you, Mr. Franscell, for this book. I hope more people read it again and again.

I discovered Angel Fire and Ron Franscell quite by accident recently and soon realized that I had struck gold! Ron's descriptions of small town life and brotherly love were so real and touching I had to keep reminding myself that I was reading fiction. This is a beautifully written book that I will keep and treasure and read again.

A story of such poignancy that it quite nearly made me weep. An amazing depth of understanding of the human condition from a man who is entirely amusing and can find humor in almost any aspect of life. There's more to Ron Franscell than first meets the eye. Angel Fire finds the gaps in the walls and attempts to fill and mend them. This story demonstrates so well that life is not tidy - it is merely all we have.

What an unrelentingly gripping series of stories -- life, death, animals, boys, girls, men, women, horses, snakes, water, wind, earth, blood, fire and sky. Mark Spragg's style is a bit like David Hockney doing his photograph collages. He doesn't show you everything, just bits and pieces to make the whole. He lets you put some of the pieces in place. What a style. It's shot through with his own strong character and some compelling scenes of raw Wyoming life. The stories follow an amazing arc that you don't see coming until the last chapter and then you just kind of want to start all over again, and meet the boy that became the man. Beautiful stuff. Look, I'm not really out here trying to sell my book at every corner but the people who told me about Mark Spragg are readers of my book, "Antler Dust." I had three recommendations from "Antler Dust" readers to check out Mark Spragg, mostly because, I believe, of the detailed outdoors action and the fact that my book takes place in a neighboring state, Colorado. I am going to read more Mark Spragg but for others who like him, please also consider Antler Dust.

Mark Spragg writes beautifully, even poetically, of teenage life in a Wyoming family struggling to make ends meet by catering to "dudes" come West for the seasonal fishing and hunting. His collection of stories is varied, but all are tied to the splendor of unshod love for the land and for the horses he rides through a journey that will steal your heart.

These are two feelings I got from reading this memoir. Life in NW Wyoming is not easy. Days are spent with horses and one's life is taken by horses. In fact, if you love horses this is a great book.

One thing that kept creeping into this book is the distance the author had toward his parents, especially his father. Little but dialogue is written about the father, but he comes across as callous and more worried of turning the boy into a real man. The boy, in turn, writes about his concerns about the man he will become. At times that dragged on too much.

Still, it's wonderful prose written in a manly tone. For rugged cowboys and ranchers it's a perfect read.

I'd worry about peope who don't hurt themselves laughing while reading Wapiti School. My goodness, these stories are terrific, sometimes tough and bitter, sometimes perfect poetry. Just wonderful.

The author writes excellent prose with innumerable well turned phrases and descriptions. The subject matter is primarily his adolescence on a Wyoming dude ranch and hunting guide service that his family, Pennsylvania expatriates, operated in the 1960s, some vignettes from his adult life and descriptions of friends and conditions in windswept Wyoming. The chapters are actually a series of essays rather than a progressive narrative with the ones about life and work on and around his father's ranch, where he essentially lived as a hired hand in the bunkhouse with hardened wranglers from about the age of fourteen, being the most interesting.

I enjoyed the book principally due to the excellent writing and colorful recounting of the author's experiences as a real "cowboy" in an era when most of us male baby boomers only experienced the same thing through ubiquitous western TV shows and movies of the 50s and 60s. It was a life in another era when so many of us grew up in boring suburbia. I recommend it for these reasons.

But maybe I missed something because I never came across any explanation for the author's seeming sense of hurt, isolation, melancholy and general unhappiness that begins, for unstated reasons, during his college years.

Reviewed by Anne Marie Medema (age 12) for Reader Views (7/08)

Mary O'Hara is an excellent author because she ties in real things that happen into a fictional family. The breeds of horses O'Hara writes about are real and it is obvious she is educated in each horse's individual characteristics. O'Hara writes using authentic western language terms. In "My Friend Flicka" the story comes alive to the reader as O'Hara writes with much description about the farm, the horses and life out West. O'Hara weaves into her story punishment and reward in real times -- the reward of a boy's joy when he finally receives his filly.

Can you tame a wild heart? The cover states it well. This question explains "My Friend Flicka" to the reader. It is a book about taming both a young boy and a horse. The storyline begins with Ken on a horse ride. While riding, Ken loses many different horse articles. Ken's father had been an army officer and thus raised Ken with firmness and strictness. He demanded respect. Ken has always been dreaming of a horse of his own.

Due to poor grades in school and a missed assignment about horses Ken must repeat a grade in school. His father requires Ken to complete an hour of homework a day throughout the entire summer. Ken's brother gets him in trouble by asking many questions that Ken must answer and tell the truth.

One day Ken scares his father's horses towards a landslide. One horse cuts the other horses off so none of them fall off and are saved. Ken's mother encourages his father to give his son a horse. Ken's father finally gives him a chance to care for a colt or filly. Ken chooses a colt that is a yearling. Since there are many yearlings to choose from, Ken anxiously awaits to make a choice.

The doctor arrives at their farm because four horses need to be gelded. Gelded means the horse can not reproduce and is done to the stallions. The procedure was so horrible and so much blood lost that one of the horses dies due to the gelding. The colts act sad after the gelding. Ken is greatly disturbed by it. This incident means Ken will choose a filly for his horse.

Rocket is a wild horse who has a filly named Flicka. Ken sees Flicka and falls in love with her and wants her. Flicka is caught for Ken. One day Flicka falls sick. After she is sick, Ken finds Flicka in a river lying down ill on a cold night. By the morning, Ken is sick and Flicka's fever is gone. Ken's father wants to kill Flicka but decides against it. Flicka turns into a well-bred horse and a companion for Ken. Flicka and Ken grow up together and learn life lessons from each other.

"My Friend Flicka" by Mary O'Hara is a great book I would recommend for young and old alike. Boys and girls who have a love for ranches, horses and the outdoors would particularly enjoy the storyline. I have read many books in my life time and I rank this one as one of the best. Break-in a book called "My Friend Flicka" and gallop away from the world.

I have to give this book 5 stars. Mary O'Hara wrote an incredibly beautiful story about a struggling family. Many of the details of the story are so true to life. As an adult reading this story, I found the details about the parents to be more interesting than the story of the horse and the boy. O'Hara really understands the concerns of a parent for a struggling child and it's very true to life in the book. Many important issues are touched upon in this book too; responsibility for our domestic animals, love for people and animals, doing our duty in our every day life are all there with out being mushy and sentimental. O'hara also paints a vivid picture of Wyoming and old-time ranch life. It makes me wish it was still like that, so I could visit it. This is another great book for a read aloud family time.

This is a very good book. My granddaughter really enjoyed it.

Although he made his audio book debut just two readings ago, stage, screen and television actor Michael Louis Wells is in full command of the metier with his narration of the classic My Friend Flicka. Many will remember the story as a film with Roddy McDowall, as a TV series or as a current film. Wells is on a par with all of the actors who have undertaken bringing this touching tale to life. The reason for the story's many incarnations is obvious - it is one of our best-loved books and well deserves its place among others that are enjoyed from generation to generation, such as Treasure Island and Mutiny on the Bounty.

Pivotal to O'Hara's story is Ken and his seeming laissez faire attitude. Where his mind is his father, Rob, certainly doesn't know. He's a young boy who would much rather just look out a window than study his arithmetic. He should have studied because his report card is so poor that he's doomed to repeat a grade. Rob undoubtedly wonders whether he'll even catch on the second time around.

Their home is Wyoming's Goose Bar Ranch and Rob is working hard to make a go of it. He doesn't need a son who seems given to daydreams. Then, along comes Flicka, a beautiful chestnut filly, with a wild streak inherited from her sire. Ken is certain he can tame Flicka, and so begins the unforgettable relationship between a boy and his horse.

O'Hara wrote a follow-up to her story, Thunderhead, but it never achieved the popularity of My Friend Flicka, a timeless story to be enjoyed over and over again.

- Gail Cooke

I am in the middle of lstening to this book. Its detailed descriptions of ranch life and horses are quite compelling. But what surprised me was the absolutely accurate description of a boy with ADD. This book was written some two decades before attention deficit disorder gained anyone's attention, but O'Hara's descriptions of Ken's behavior are absolutely consistent.

And then O'Hara answers the question of what to do about the condition: give the kid something he really wants to do and stand back. Of course, it helps that Ken has two wise and good-hearted parents; but then, maybe that is the start to solving most problems that children have.

A fine book on many levels, and a fine companion on the road for adult and child.

Under Cottonwoods is a sweet book. Mr. Grace is Monet with words. I felt like I was there. In fact, I had to get my fly rod out, and cast for awhile. Very excellent read.

I was a worm fisher..
but have high respect for those who tie flys and
cast...

I just finished this great book.

So well written, I could almost visual the flies
that the main characters used
and the 'why's'... the watching of the hatch and
finding just the right stage of the insect.

Most of the book takes place in Wyoming, but also
in Utah, and they mention
Island Park Idaho, too -- (My favorite place on earth)


The search for magical trout ponds.... following
the verbal directions from folks they meet and
several legends.

Two young men, both needing each other, though
your thoughts switch during the book, on who leans
on the other more...

A great, kind, fun read.

Making me wish I had paid attention more to the
swish of the bamboo pole my
father, uncle, grandfather, and great-grandfather
used..

*sheri*

For those people who are sensitive to another person's troubles or handicaps, this book is a must-read. Stephen Grace integrates both the dependence and independence the two protagonists experience in their relationship.

Having spent some time under cottonwoods in a different setting, I can vouch for their steadfastness and sheltering nature.

I applaud Stephen Grace's first effort, and look forward eagerly to his next book.

Stephen Grace has received high praise for his first novel, Under Cottonwoods. Every word of praise is richly deserved. This is an amazing first book by a gifted writer. The characters are fully developed, the prose pure and natural. Mr. Grace is a born storyteller.

By chance, Mike and Walter have formed an unlikely friendship. Mike is physically strong and healthy. His father taught him how to fish, fight, and ski at a young age. He's living on an inheritance received following the death of his parents. Mike is not emotionally invested in his marriage and refuses to get a job. Walter has been physically and mentally impaired by a head injury, but in many ways he sees life more clearly than Mike. Despite debilitating seizures and motor impairments, Walter holds down a full time job and struggles to maintain what independence he has left. Once handsome, hopeful, and whole, Walter now calls himself "broken." His mother is dead; his father refuses to acknowledge him. His friendship with Mike provides the acceptance and camaraderie Walter craves. He's astute enough to recognize that both men are broken in their own way.

Their story is revealed in increments as the men hike, fish and ski the wilderness areas of Wyoming, Utah and Idaho. Mike watches over Walter with a poignant tenderness and concern while gently prodding him beyond physical limits. He does not baby Walter, but treats him like a man and equal. In turn, Walter's sly observances of life, his drive to find love, adventure, and independence inspire Mike to examine his own short comings.

Under Cottonwoods is inspiring without being maudlin, exciting but not contrived. Wilderness areas are beautifully described in well drawn prose other writers may envy. You don't have to be a fly fisherman or outdoorsman to enjoy this one. If you appreciate a good story, enhanced by excellent writing, this book is a must read. It has my highest recommendation.

I know Steve Grace and can vouch for his earnest heart, which is what comes through in his writing. Steve is the real deal--a genuine sportsman who lives the world he writes of. Please buy this book so Steve can eat. If you don't love it, I'm pretty sure Steve'll give you your money back.

I love these Wyoming stories and the stamna and determination of the women.
It came in good time so the service was good and the books in good condition.

Wonderfull stories actually written by Elinore Pruitt Stewart. The woman was a tireless worker with a special kindness to her fellow man. You can picture in your mind just what she lived. Her descriptions are as good as they can be. Her kindness will melt your heart. She makes me wish I had lived in the area at the same time. It's such a world of difference from todays progression. I'm not so sure we have progressed to a better life. Even though it was a hard life and a short one I think it may have been a slice of heaven back in old Wyoming. She will tug at your heart at times and make you smile at others.
A great easy enjoyable read. I highly recommend it.
Steve from Boulder Creek, Ca.

The audio version of this book is so well read -- it is well worth the cost. You cannot help feeling cheerful and energized about your own life, as you hear it. I gave the paperback version to a couple of discouraged women friends who prefer to read rather than listen to books. Both women loved it, and were inspired to face their own hardships more buoyantly. The very gifted author has blessed us with a wonderful history and narrative!

Genuine substance and sincerity describe Stewart's letters from the early twentieth century while homesteading in this remote corner of Wyoming. Whereas most women would not even consider putting down roots in such an isolated area, Mrs. Stewart was determined to make a life for herself in this territory. And she did just that. It took a special kind of person to live in this far-removed landscape.

Her writing, subject matter and approach to life were most admirable. Hard working and always enthusiastic for adventure, she writes of various encounters with surrounding neighbors and experiences into the countryside. If she had any dull moments on the ranch they must have been few and far between.

Very optimistic about life, Mrs. Stewart affirms, "...all my own efforts have always been just to make the best of everything and to take things as they come."
To further quote, "It has always been a theory of mine that when we become sorry for ourselves we make our misfortunes harder to bear, because we lose courage and can't think without bias."

A wonderful read furthering an appreciation for life in the homesteading era.

Dear fellow Book-lovers:
I found this little gem at the local library today and I can't put it down. It is so good--easy to read (perfect for a busy Mom of 5 like me), inspiring, wholesome, funny, and informative. I am fascinated with this woman: her love for people, her giving heart, and her passion for fun and for life. I'm only on page 81 (out of 282) but I can already sit here and tell you to buy this book and enjoy it! I'm buying myself a copy and also one for my best friend. Christmas is coming!

I happened on this book in the library and thought it was the best travel book I have ever used. This is nothing missed in this handbook. Great maps and advise.

Most of the "name brand" travel guides are for fly-by tourists (though I do appreciate Frommer's guides much more than the rest of the big names). Well, if those books are for tourists, then Moon's handbooks (along with Lonely Planet's guides) are for TRAVELERS. And Moon's Wyoming Handbook is, as others here have said, one of their best. It's thick, it's juicy, it's meaty, it's expansive, it's authoritative and wry. So wherever you are in that great big "empty" terrain, it's got some practical information for and historical and cultural insight into places all around.

Wyoming has fewer people than any other state (yes, fewer than Rhode Island and Alaska). But it's places of interest are many and varied, though scattered far and wide. You need a good guide and a GOOD READ to cover the miles and the days. I admire author Don Pitcher's efforts here.

If you choose one guidebook, make it Moon's Wyoming Handbook. If you'd like to get a second general guide to the region for comparison and cross-reference (including more descriptive listings of selected accommodations), I'd add Frommer's guide to Wyoming, which includes Montana as well.

By far the best guidebook to the entire state of Wyoming, with excellent detailed sections on Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. The book, which is superior to some others in the Moon series, is a labor of love by the author for the land, people, and small towns of the state. Pitcher provides great detail on what to see everywhere; colorful local and regional histories; and affectionate, slightly tongue-in-cheek descriptions of small towns. Sure to enhance a visit of any length.

In preparation for our two-week trip to Wyoming, I purchased this book and read as much as I had time for beforehand. During our trip, I found it to be a handy reference for whatever area we were in (mostly Yellowstone/Grand Tetons). The detail is great and some of our lodging choices and attraction choices were made with reference to the book and it was always accurate. I highly recommend it for those heading to Wyoming.

An outstanding guide to a wonderful state. One book, of course, cannot cover all there is about any area this big, but this book does an outstanding job for Wyoming's history, lodging, attractions, background information, etc.

As for any area, it's good to supplement with other specialized topic and / or area guides, but for a general guide to a large state, this one does a great job.

Logically arranged, well-written, and very readable, you can almost read it straight through; it's one of the better travel guides available.

My 3rd grade daughter is a horse lover, and we were looking for a horse book that featured a girl when we found this one. We loved this story. I wasn't quite sure what the connection was with Artemesia at the beginning of the story. Maya's lying bothered me quite a bit as well. But I loved how it all turned out.

To my daughter it was just a neat story with horses and scary parts and a happy ending. To me it was a work of art, weaving life lessons and even great art into a beautiful tapestry.

Paint the Wind features a young girl who has lost her parents and her primary caregiver, her paternal grandmother, before coming to live with her maternal family. Maya's grandmother was very protective to the point of sheltering her from the world. When she goes to live with her mom's family, she learns a whole new way of life, rides horses, and is caught in a survival situation in the woods after an earthquake. The story is fast paced at times, while also being slow and descriptive in places.

I learned so much about horseback riding by reading this book. Maya's bravery was amazing to me as I've just begun to ride horses again in the past year. It is a humbling experience and I am in awe of young children who ride with Maya's skill and grace. A look inside the training was very interesting.

In the classroom, I would share this book with any horse-lover. It would be a great book for adventerous young girls looking for survival stories with strong female characters. In addition, a study of earthquakes might occur as an offshoot of this reading. I would certainly show the location of the story on a map and investigate the earthquake history of the region.

My husband and I took turns reading it to our kids, age 6 and 8. We all enjoyed the story. The writing is quite nice, and the vocabularly is just right for an 8-year old, and OK for a 6-year old. There are quite a few "big" words that are good to explain to kids, but not so many that they can't understand the compelling story. I recommend it!

Eleven-year-old Maya has lived in the sterile and cheerless environment of her grandmother's regime for the past six years, ever since her parents died. And every single day she is reminded of her father's lost life by her grandmother who mourns his death with a crippling grief. Maya's mother, on the other hand, hovers only in the shadows of her memory, while her grandmother occasionally utters a horror or two about the woman who ruined his life.

Maya only has a faded photo of her mother astride a beautiful mustang horse and a few small horse figurines as remembrances. Maya must keep these items hidden from her grandmother or risk losing them forever. They are the only light she has left in an otherwise bleak and lonely life.

The household, which includes Maya, her grandmother and an ever-changing rotation of housekeepers, is void of laughter, joy, warmth or improprieties of any kind. Maya lives in a prison of prosperity, with a fancy house and an expensive education but no friends, freedoms or fairy tales. Maya's one treat every week is her trip to the library, where she devours books on horses. And though she knows all about the different breeds and interesting facts about them, she can't remember ever having met one face to face.

This all changes rather abruptly when Maya's grandmother suffers a massive stroke and dies. The lawyer shows up and announces that she will be living with her mother's family. He is shocked to find out that she hasn't been visiting that side of the family every summer as the courts had decided; her grandmother lied to them about shared custody.

All too soon, Maya finds herself on a plane bound for the wilds of Wyoming and the family horse ranch. She is torn, feeling curious about her mother's side of the family and nervous because of the off-color remarks from her grandmother. But what Maya discovers soars beyond her wildest dreams, and as she gets to know one of the wild mustang horses living near the camp, she finally begins to shed the prison walls installed by her grieving grandmother.

PAINT THE WIND is a beautifully written story filled with spirited characters and colorful descriptions of the amazing Wyoming landscape. Award-winning author Pam Munoz Ryan delightfully weaves two stories together --- that of strong-willed Maya, forced into hibernation and just begging to bloom, and the beautiful tobiano Paint horse, Artemisia, forced into isolation due to a wild horse roundup and desperate for love --- to create a charming novel.

--- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, author of FINDING THE LIGHT and THE BLACK POND

I LOVED this book!!! It has enough "horsey person words" in it that you can tell a horse person wrote it. I highly recommend it to anyone under the age of 17.

Rarely do you come across a book so well-written that the characters become your friends. While I read, I laughed, I cried, I held my breath and signed in relief as the characters vividly faced life's challenges.

This book grabbed me right from the start. I felt like I knew the characters. Ms. Gilbert paints a picture with her words in such a way that, even having never been to Wyoming, I felt as though I had. This book took me on a journey that made me feel good. It brought up spirituality in ways that made me pause and consider my own faith and what role it played in my life. I highly recommend this book and I can't wait to read her next one!

Safe Pastures is a first novel crafted with some of the best writing I've seen, even in seasoned writers. The characters are alive and real, and the story is compelling with plenty of depth and tension to hold the writer's interest. But what most impressed me was the multilayered style of Ms. Gilbert's writing. She uses natural, flowing, complex sentence structures that pulled me along in the story, yet made me want to stop, re-read and relish a turn of phrase. Her writing is full of lush yet efficient description that manages not to get in the way of the story. I enjoyed wandering along through paragraphs with plenty of rich details but no unneeded snags to trip me or distract me from the plot. It's good literature and a good story in a perfect fit. Read this book! You will stay up late, saying to yourself, "Just one more chapter and then I'll turn out the light."

I have read a lot of books -- some very bad and some very good. Safe Pasture is one of those "Very, very good books". I would highly recommend this book to young couples just beginning their lives together or to older people who have lived much of their lives. This is an inspirational book for all ages.

I have been in contact with others who have read this book and their response always is: "I wish Mrs. Gilbert would write more about this family" or "when will she write another book?" I think all libraries should carry this book on their shelves. It is a clean, lovely story about a young woman with a child striving to do the right thing in the eyes of the Lord.

Susanna Parker, the main character of our story, is a young widowed mother. At the onset of the story Susanna is fired from her job and decides to take up her Aunt Ora's invitation and visit with her for a while in Wyoming. Her son Rusty is overjoyed and can't wait to begin the adventure, but Susanna is only looking forward to some quiet relaxing time.

Aunt Ora is a believing woman, setting her hopes on the Lord for her everyday existence. Susanna loves and respects her aunt but does not share the devotion and commitment to the Lord that she does. However that would soon change. And you know, without being told, that Aunt Ora was inspired by a higher force to invite her niece to spend time with her. Realizing this, you are aware that God has a plan for this young woman's life and you await to see it unfold before you.

On Aunt Ora's insistence Susanna and her son accompany her to church where Susanna meets and is befriended by Beth O'Connor. She also meets Mark, a man she finds quite appealing despite Aunt Ora's disapproval of him, and is one of our colorful sinister characters in this work. The author did a good job using this character to show how the enemy sends counterfeits along our path to sway us from God's ultimate purpose. But the Lord is at work in Susanna's life and things are about to change as he turns her to him.
Her conversion takes place when her son is missing and Susanna promises the Lord that she will change if he is returned safely to her.

We are introduced to Zeke McCall, a rancher that is in need of a cook. Aunt Ora thinks this would be the perfect opportunity for Susanna to pick up some extra funds and for Rusty to enjoy ranch life for a while. Susanna is not so sure but agrees to at least meet the man and discuss the possibilities. Their meeting does not go well and instead of making Susanna pick up and leave she decides to prove to this man that she can indeed take on the responsibility of cooking for the likes of him and his men.

Zeke is a widower with a young daughter named Laura who has not spoken since the tragic death of her mother in a car accident.
This is where the true meat of the story begins as the author introduces you to colorful ranch hands that challenge Susanna to battle for her acceptance as one of them; you will smile at their playful antics towards Susanna, but you will also
cringe as the author has woven in some very distasteful characters that almost destroy Susanna's life. Good mix.

The author takes you on a journey in this read of this woman Susanna, this man Zeke, both struggling with their inner hurts and fears. Both feeling the force that is drawing them together and both battling against the tide. Susanna's faith is growing and Zeke has not yet accepted the Lord, this is not acceptable to Susanna who could never have a relationship with a man who does not have the Lord in his life.

The story takes you through many trauma's, from a near rape of Susanna, the near loss of the ranch for Zeke, to the desperate search for the children during a blinding blizzard, which leads to Zeke's acceptance of the Lord. The author shows through each and everyone of these the saving grace of God.

Safe Pasture is a work that takes the lives of two people and shows how God is able to intervene to bring them to the place he wants them to be. It is a work that is filled with raw emotions, tender love, nail biting suspense and deep inward faith all interwoven in a great storyline. One that will keep you reading, and will encourage you in your walk as you see how the steadfastness of one believer can indeed move mountains and change lives forever.
Very highly recommended.
Shirley Johnson
Senior Reviewer
MidWest Book Review