Wyoming Books

This was my first Joe Pickett book. I found a lot of things to like about this book. The detailed, you-are-there veracity of the setting reminded me of the best of Tony Hillerman. I also loved the characters. Joe Pickett and his family seemed so real I felt I could reach out and touch them.

The central mystery here has to do with cattle mutilations which horrifically make their way to humans. While the subject was gruesome, C.J. Box structured the mystery in an exciting way that kept me turning the pages. I did solve the mystery before Joe did, which disappointed me a little. It's not something I try to do when I read a mystery, and I like to be surprised.

The resolution of this story was also very disappointing and felt rushed and ill-considered. While the identities of the killer(s) were telegraphed well before the ending, the solution was laden with loose ends, which were then explained by a combination of supernatural phenomena, New Age mysticism, and a dollop of corny old "Tales of the Unexpected" melodrama.

This wasn't at all what I had expected from the wry, realistic, and interesting first half of the book. From reading the reviews here, I think I will give C.J. Box and Joe Pickett another chance. It appears that "Trophy Hunt" was a misfire, but there are better books in which to follow more adventures of Joe Pickett, his families, and life on the Wyoming range.

I won't review the plot here or try to capture it's essence. But I will mention a point I don't see touched on in the reviews that preceded this -- and that's how Pickett, in this story, seems like a ball bouncing around a pinball machine. He doesn't really seem to take control of the investigation. Yes, he's only on a task force and yes, he has "issues" with some of the other task force members -- but he never seems that concerned about the whole situation until things start really getting out of control at the end. The scene where he confronts a man who he thinks might be behind the weirdness is very touching and shows Pickett's terrific humanity but once the end came rolling around I felt a bit cheated. In the end, I wanted more effort and passion and outrage. This left me feeling just a bit dry ... not CJ's best. Readers who enjoy CJ Box, however, might also enjoy an outdoor adventure in a neighboring state: Antler Dust

C.J. Box has again delivered an attention getting story with enough convoulution to make it extremely interesting and keep one's attention.

I agree with the previous reviewers. I have really enjoyed the first 3 books in the series, but this one veers off the tracks after the first half. I really had to slog through to finish it, as things kept getting either more absurd or more inexplicable. It's ok to have some mystery in a mystery, but some of the mysteries in this book (e.g. what causes the feelings of uneasiness in Joe and his daughters when they find the mutilated moose, why did Deena send Joe pornographic pictures of herself-and who took them, what was the sheriff's connection to the bad guys?) seem central to the story and are never picked up on at the end to at least offer some hint of the answers. I'm not giving up on Joe Pickett, but he needs a strong comeback next time around.

Slightly different approach than his other stories, but it kept things interesting. As the editorial says, Box touches on issues that affect the region, but he does it in a subtle way that adds to the storyline without hitting you across the head with a message of social justice that too many other authors seem to include in their writing.

I started the Picket novels on recommendation from Amazon after buying the Alex McNight series by Steve Hamilton. Both book series are easy reads that will draw you in before you know it. Not as complex as someone like Ludlum, but very enjoyable for a tired mind after a busy week of work. A good escape from the day to day routine.

I was a bit disappointed with this book. My expectations were too high after purchasing Photographer's Guide to Yosemite by Michael Frye and expecting the Yellowstone book would be as helpful or would at least come close to it. I specifically marked certain areas of the book to make sure to visit these areas at the times he suggested. Unfortunately after arriving there at the times specified he said were good times, I was greatly disappointed. Maybe his use of polarizers and possibly Photoshop to overly saturate his shots has lead him to believe that some of these sites at certain times are good times to go. I'm not against these at all because I use them as well but only to a certain degree. I would consider myself an advanced amateur photographer. This has been a serious hobby of mine for a few years now.

He was precise on where to go for wildlife shots and times of day to shoot them as I think any photographer who has been doing this even for a short period of time would know that softer light such as close to sunset or sunrise are the best times to capture these types of animals. But overall, I rarely used the book when out there on where to find my next location to shoot. We spent the first day and a half driving the roads throughout the park to get acquainted with the park. From then on, we based our shoots on what we had already learned of the park by driving through it the first days there.

This is a very helpful book when photographing Teton and Yellowstone. I was able to decide exactly what equipment to pack prior to the trip and it was exactly what I needed.

Good pointers for each geographic location.

Could be updated to add digital photography tips, but my long experience enabled me to accommodate for that.

I would have given the Photographers Guide to Yellowstone & the Titons a 5 Star Rating if there was an index in the back of the book for easy reference while out in the field. It is difficult trying to remember what page the subject that your looking at is on. That being said, it is still a good reference book on the area and I do not regret buying it.

I bought this book to take along on a vacation trip to Yellowstone and the Tetons in mid-June 2007. I found it to be a great source to take photos of often photographed natural icons at different views and angles as well as some shots that the average traveler would not know about without this book. For instance I would not have known about the great shots that can be taken of the Mormon Row Barns with the Tetons in the background without this book. Perhaps more seasoned photographers may know about these different places but I for one would not have had a clue. I would have ended my vacation with the same shots of Yellowstone and the Tetons that everyone else has. The book took me off the beaten path where I got some great shots and expierenced the pleasures of getting away from the main road.

Other valuable information was the instructions on what time of day is best to shoot a certain shot, tips about exposure, and valuable tips about using filters that made my pictures stand out.

The book was concise, accurate, and very easy to follow and understand for an novice like me.

The Bloody Country, by James Lincoln Collier and Chris Collier, is an exciting book based on a true story about a family living in Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania during and after the Revolutionary War.

Ben is a 9-year-old grist miller's son. He lives with his father and mother. He also lives with his pregnant sister, Annie, and her husband Isaac. They also have a slave who is part Indian named Joe Mountain. During an Indian raid on Wyoming Valley, Ben's mother and brother-in-law, Isaac, are murdered and scalped while trying to defend the small mill. Several years later, the valley is being controlled by the Pennamites, cruel loyalists to the King of England. Patterson, a ruthless Pennamite lawmaker, begins evicting Connecticut settlers from their Pennsylvania homes falsely claiming that the Pennamites had claimed the land. Many farmers ran into the woods to escape being illegally arrested. Meanwhile, Ben, Joe Mountain, and father, formerly from Connecticut are not only worrying about Patterson but are also concerned about the mill and what the winter rains will bring. When Patterson visits them the next spring, Ben and his family are recovering from a flood that destroyed the mill. Does Patterson succeed in his quest? Will Ben and his family prevail? Read the book to find out.

Ben is very friendly, helping his father and playing with Joe Mountain. He is the one that prevented his entire family from getting killed by Indians. He is a fair, just person who treats everyone as his equals. He tries to free Joe Mountain, his father's slave.

Father is a mill owner in Wyoming Valley where he grinds wheat into flour. Curiously, the book never says his name. He is a good father to Ben, not treating him or Joe Mountain badly, although he does not like the idea of Joe Mountain being free. He is stubborn, and wants to stay in Wyoming Valley even through floods, Indians, and corrupt lawmakers.

Annie is Ben's older sister. She is as stubborn as her father, just not as tough. Throughout the book she talks of going back to Connecticut, especially after the beginning of the book, when Indians scalped her husband, Isaac, and her mother.

Ben and his family always look on the bright side of life. They are always positive. After a flood near the end of the book, when their mill had been destroyed. Ben's father said, "Well, we should start building, because no-one and nothing is ever going to force us out of our home for long."

I would recommend this book as a quick read (book is only 181 pgs) to anyone ages 11+ because it has some (not a lot) of use of the "nigger" word and several swears. It is a good book, interesting and holds to the plot, but not the best book I have ever read. I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it to my friends.

The book The Bloody Country is about a family that owns a mill. The main character Ben Meeker has a sister and a brother in-law. They live in the Wyoming Valley and the Pennamites are trying to take it away from the Connecticut people. Then one day comes a very big flood that floods the whole valley and covers half of the mountains. At the end of the book British soldiers kill the mom and the brother in-law.
People that like a good story with a little sadness and war would like this book. My favorite part of this book might be when the book was about was about to finish and his dad and mom give a whole lot of responsibility. My question on this book, The Bloody Country, was did the dad ever survive? No, the story didn't answer my question. You should read this book because it takes guts to be a real leader.

The Bloody Country is a great book because you learn a little about the British and the Indian war. The name of the people in the book is Joe Muntion, Ben, Ben's farther ,and his mother, and sister and her husband .So the hole story is about them trying to survive.

The Bloody Country by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier is a great book! It is very informative at first but as the story unfolds it becomes a great story. This story takes place during the Revolutionary War and is about the Buck Family who moves into the Wyoming Valley. The Pennsylvania government says the land rigthfully belongs to someone else. The goverment forms allainces with the Native Americans and come to kick out the Buck family and everyone else in the area. The Indians and government battle with the people in the area and Ben Buck's uncle and mom get scalped. Later they get kicked out of the valley after they rebuild their mill (it was destroyed by a flood). After they get kicked out of the valley they figure out that the land was not given to anyone and come back to reclaim they're land.
The author of this book was very good and very descriptive. He almost made me feel like I was actually there. I would reccomend this book to anyone who wants to learn about the Revolutionary War and what it felt like to live in that time period.

The Bloody County is a magnificent book. Sometimes it gets boring by telling to much informantion at one time, but then becomes good by picking up the story really quick.The story is based on a young boy named Ben Buck and his family that move from Connecticut to a placed called the Wyoming River Valley. The government one day comes and tell them that they have to move because another family rightfully owns this land, but the family won't leave. The next week Indians that work for the government come and scalp Ben's mother and his sister's husband. This scares the whole family and they split up. This book has its ups and downs but in the end comes out to be a pretty good book. The best part of the book is when the river floods, pulling a family and their canoe into the raging stream and then the Buck family saves them. I recommend this book to a person this book to a person that likes to read about early settlement in the U.S.

I bought this book hoping to gain insite to the "Real" yellowstone wilderness. There are real tibits and treasures of this experience in this book that I thoroughly enjoyed. The major part of the book was devoted to the political rallying that goes on with the government and NPS and elk hunters. I believe that the hunting and salting issue deserve to be brought to the publics attention, but do not believe that so much of a book supposedly about a summer on Hawk's Rest should have been devoted to it.

Gary Ferguson is a very engaging writer and always delivers the goods on wonderful story writing and this book it no different. I just wish he had focused more on the wildlife and wilderness experience with short interjections on guiding and elk hunting.

The story of a summer spent in a ranger cabin located in the most remote spot in the lower 48, just to the southeast of Yellowstone National Park.

The book contains a number of evocative scenes and teaches quite a bit about what the wilderness is really like. But the main theme of the book is how bad the local outfitters are, catering to largely ignorant and uncaring hunting clients, they break the law with impunity and generally behave badly.

The most remote spot in the lower 48 is actually quite heavily travelled and usually travelled by unattractive characters.

The scene painted is undoubtedly true, but truth comes in many flavors and the focus on the bad makes this book a bit grim.

Yellowstone needs an Ed Abbey, it needs an outspoken and opinionated, brawling, ornery cuss. Someone who will say what is wrong and what is right. Unfortunately, Gary Ferguson isn't that person. His writing is fluid and occasionally graceful and there is no doubt he loves the land. But in this book he is rarely able to truly deliver a sense of wonder or transfer it to the reader. We can never close our eyes and see a grizzly sparring with a wolf pack or a fledgling bald eagle peering down from the nest. Having hiked and hunted in the Thorofare my whole life I was hoping for something more evocative.

Although he shines a light on the good-old-boy cronyism that transforms the Teton Wilderness into a collection of outfitter fiefdoms every year, he doesn't really get down and dirty and rake the muck. Sure he throws a few weak jabs here and there at the big commercial guides and their dour hands, but mostly he just steps out of the way of the issue. In the end, the book adds just a bit to our collected knowledge of the Yellowstone ecosystem.

More damaging than a few redneck salt licks up a drainage someplace are the trophy home subdivisions encroaching the park on all sides. These developments are grinding up the habitat in ways an outfitter could never accomplish, and they are being built by those who profess to love the country the most. Ferguson takes a brief stroll down that path before turning aside - perhaps in his next book?

Ferguson's book takes us to a corner of the US that not many people will ever see - - the Thorofare region in the southeast part of Yellowstone National Park. This region boasts the point in the lower 48 states farthest from any road-though if islands are eligible, the prize really belongs to Point Houghton on Isle Royale. Unlike Point Houghton, the Thorofare is a busy place despite its remoteness.

Ferguson is working for the US Forest Service for a summer in the Thorofare. He's staying at the USFS cabin, "Hawk's Rest," which provides the title of the book. Besides him and his National Park Service colleagues, three kinds of people show up in the Thorofare - - backpackers, outdoor leadership programs for teenagers and young adults, and outfitters with their hunter clients.

Ferguson discusses each group but gives most of his attention (and his vitriol) to the outfitters. If he is to be believed, the outfitters act as if they have property rights, and act as if they are a law unto themselves. They're rude to him, and they treat the other groups with contempt. Though the book is about the Thorofare as a whole, your reaction to the book will depend on your reaction to the outfitters in it.

Ferguson starts and ends the book with a discussion of the route he took there and back. The route there, beginning at his home in Montana, is a wonderful journey for the reader. His return route is not very interesting for the reader nor, it seems, for him. At that point he was glad to be going home. That's too bad, because I wasn't ready for the book to end. He writes very well, and his story is engaging throughout.

I visited Yellowstone a few months ago and picked up Hawks Rest at a local bookstore. I was thoroughly awed by the beauty and majesty of the park but was disappointed by the crowds that I just couldn't get away from. I was hoping that Hawks Rest would give me insights into the "real" world of Yellowstone.

Given these expectations, the book truly did satisfy my purposes and I was pleased. But it also turned into a political screed. Although I very much believe in Ferguson's cause of alerting the public to the abuses of the elite hunting culture in Yellowstone, I feel that he devoted too much of this book to this cause. Hawks Nest is subtitled A Season in the Remote Heart of Yellowstone. I wish this, rather than promoting a political agenda, had been the focus of the book.

In this non-fiction novel, Fuller somberly tells the story of an unsung American hero, a young oil drill rig worker; one of many who support this country's oil industry. You might call this a true crime novel--the crime being capitalistic greed and unfair treatment of workers; or you might call it a modern western for all the broad sweeping Wyoming landscapes, and the timeless struggle of its inhabitants ("who appear as tiny dots against the great swell of land") to work and prosper.

Getting into this book was really slow. It was kind of like watching a boring documentary...There is no plot focus at first, just short snippets of people and scenery. And I couldn't get past the pretentious writing. We are told Colton had a walk "like he had never really found the difference between sky and earth." I stuck with it because my friend liked it, and the chapters are short.

I was indifferent to Colton's character for the first half of the book. This is a boy who "put ketchup on his ketchup" and almost froze himself to death--twice. Things started to pick up when his horse runs away and he looks everywhere for her. But mainly I thought he was a goofball.

What saved this book for me is that Colton grew as a person into a responsible husband and father. I liked the last third of the book, and also the descriptions of the weather. But I can't say I liked the whole book since the first half annoyed me so much. It took me six weeks to finish it, because I could only take so much at one time. Even so, I would say that Fuller is a good and effective writer. Even though her writing don't get an enthusiastic "Whee-haw" out of me, it got the job done.

Where's the legend in this book? By standard definition a legend is a story of the past, a myth, a thing that inspires. This book did not qualify on any account. This story of "oil field trash" addresses a young person you don't want to be in a place you don't want to go. It speaks of a class of people that think lightly and feel deeply. The characters have extreme loyalty but not much sense. The protagonist did not reach notable proportions although his demise was touching in an overly sentimental way. His issue of personal success in the light of special needs in school was perhaps the message that stayed with me most. All in all, an average read.

This is easily one of the best books I have read in a long time. Fuller's descriptive prose drew me instantly into the lives of the Bryant family and made me long to see this region of the US. As in her other books, her ability to bring to life the commonalities that exist in places and situations uncommon, is engaging and thought provoking long after the book's end.

I particularly appreciate the way she describes people and situations in ways that do not marginalize or villainize despite pain and culpability.

Excellent read!

I devoured this book. It is an amazing read. Of course, I knew how it ended (by the introduction and also the review in the newspaper) ...still, the end of the story broke my heart into a million pieces.
The reader gets to know Colton and to embrace his sweet and enthusiastic life of dreams and unfufilled hopes. He never gave up and never grumbled about his lot in life.
What really made my heart break though, was the small portrait of Colton at the very end. A sweet faced boy, his face haunted me as I read the book and long afterwards, too.
I can't be sure that Colton wasn't an angel on earth when he lived, but he is certainly an angel now. I heartily recommend this book.

Alexandra Fuller is an extraordinary author who's done it once again. This book tells a story that affects every single energy consumer in America from a painfully human perspective - and does it with grace and amazing talent. Colton H. Bryant walks off the page from the first chapter of this book into the life of the reader; by the end, it's nearly impossible to not want to do something about the state of the oil and gas industry in the American West. Beautiful, touching, moving and inspiring - an absolute read.

I like this book very much because of the unusual story line which still involves romance. It's a story about Jenny, who rescues her younger sisters from abuse from her older sister and brother-in-law, moves out west to teach at an Indian school that had a crooked Indian Agent in charge. It's about getting settled in a new place, accepting help from others, helping others and finding romance. I think this is one of Garlock's best!

This is my first Dorothy Garlock book and I will be looking for her other books to read. I got a little tired of the bad language in the book and the end was a little disappointing. I would have liked for her to have gotten them married and for the other brother to have come home. However, it kept my attention all the way through and I read it in two days. She is a good writer and I am looking forward to her other books.

I just finished this book and loved it...all the different charactors kept the book interesting I couldn't put it down. The ending was a little disappointing, but the rest of the story made up for it. I hope that there is a book to follow about Cassandra and Whit.

I am a big fan of Mrs. Garlock. I read Midnight Blue and can say, it's one of the best. I was a little dissapointed with this book. The story initially was about Trell, but soon became about Trevor. This story failed to keep my interest, but I loved the characters.

As another reader put it, I would like to see something about Cassandra.

Wow! This was one excellent story! I loved every word of it, and was thrilled to discover it was the story of the wonderful twins, Trellis and Travor, first introduced in Midnight Blue by Dorothy Garlock. Pack and Shannon Mara Gallagher are mentioned throughout the book, and my only complaint is that we didn't get to read about their arrival at the end - since we knew they were on their way to meet the twins' new wives! After reading some of these reviews, I wondered if this book would be as good as the other books I've read of Ms. Garlock's... it was as good or better than any of them that I've read!! The arrival of Travor, Trell's twin, did not arrive as corny as another reviewer mentioned... he arrived before Jenny and Trell spoke their love for each other. This was an excellent book!!!

After reading Ross' books Blaze and liking it, I thought I would enjoy this one as well. Wrong! This book just downright sucked. There wasn't a single aspect of this book that I bought into at all. So it kinda shocked me to see all positive reviews on Amazon and BN. I don't know what book those people were reading because I didn't find anything redeemable about Impulse.

Right from the beginning I had problems. Ross sorta just plops you into the situation where all these nuances and and events that already exist. It made me feel like I'd missed a quarter of the book, like there were preceding chapters I should have read. Only there weren't, and I found the beginning irritating and somewhat confusing because of the way you are just plopped in there. There was a similar issue throughout the book. Ross skipped over a lot of scenes that, in my opinion, really needed to be written out. You'd be waiting for this scene, and then she'd skip right over it and give you a sentence or two recap. It sucked the life out of the book.

As for the rest...I thought the identity of the antagonist was obvious, and his whole "backstory" you might call it, made no sense to me. The romance between Will and Faith was lame. The ending was too curt. The overall flow of the story was choppy and stunted. I didn't care about the characters, the romance, or anything. I pretty much couldn't wait to finish the book once I started.

Basically, reading the book, I felt like Ross didn't care about the story; that she was just wanted to rush and get it over with and didn't put much effort into it. It made for bad reading. Why there were only positive reviews of this book online beats the heck out of me.

Will is back in Wyoming with his son in tow. Waiting in Wyoming is a woman from his past...maybe she's a woman for his future? Unless that future is cut short by a killer.

As always, Ross mixes a gripping plot with a sizzling romance! She never disappoints!

This was the first JoAnn Ross book that I have purchased. I thought that the book was well written and flowed well. The story had quite a few plot holes and flaws and since I am a novice Ross reader, I do not know if that is typical of her writing or if it is a one time occurance. This is definitely worth reading and I will pick up another of her books in the future.

I must be missing something the other reviewers are reading. I haven't finished the book yet, and am not sure I want to. I have many problems with the book:

1. The background story between Faith and Will was only touched on, therefore I didn't get any chemistry between them or see anything but the sex pulling them together. There needed to be more to their relationship to be believable or for me to care. I was rooting for Faith and her husband to get back together after his confession.

2. The whole sub-plot of Faith constantly on the run, changing her name, in fear of her husband finding her was just silly. When he finally did find her that plot fizzled right out. Suddenly she had spent 18 months in fear for nothing. And there was not nearly enough background story for that sub-plot. It just felt like it was thrown in there. And for a man who loved his wife and was chasing her down he gave her up awfully quick and easy. I didn't get this.

3. Will got over Faith being married and keeping her past from him too quick. His reaction to her confession of her sordid and tragic past was to basically say "oh, well, let's have some more sex." No emotion tied to it whatsoever.

4. Faith's personality seemed to be inconsistent with her past and what she had to go through to survive to adulthood. Right off she was giving Will advice on parenting his troubled teenage son. Where, in her running from town to town and job to job did she gain parental experience and knowledge and insight? Then she is quoting Rudyard Kipling like she was a well educated, well-bread adult. At the beginning she is a scared, vulnerable person, just hiding out and trying to lay low, then suddenly she is all confidence and comfortable and wise beyond her upbringing. Her speach patterns and dialogue just didn't fit. Think Eve Dallas, and that is more what I expected from Faith.

5. Finally, I stopped reading when Josh walks in on them after they had sex and being troubled and unsure of his fit with Will, stomps out angrilly. Will's response was "He'll get over it" and goes back to kissing Faith. Will had been a parent for all of 3 months and suddenly he is knowledgeable and confident in his response to Josh's upset. Will finding out he has a teenage son and trying to parent him could have been interesting reading and would have given the characters more depth, but for most of the book Josh is off with his grandpa and not even part of the story.

Will and Faith are just silly characters and there are too many red herrings that just seem in the way. I may finish the book, but I know who the killer is. Though, I can't fathom how he is made who he is from what he was supposed to have come from also. But that would just match the rest.

I liked Ross' Irish stories and her Louisana Bayou trilogy. I even liked Blaze. This one just seemed uneven.

I won't go into the plot as that's already been covered. This was definitely suspense/thriller at its very best. The chemistry between Will and Faith was intense.

There were a few things that could have used more background information:
1. The boy raised by wolves.
2. Will and Faith in Georgia.
3. Faith's life in Las Vegas.

I live in Wyoming and I had to read this book for my American Government class. Not only is it extremely boring, but all the guy does is trash Wyoming and its people. His entire book relies on the point that the Wyoming people maintin a "cowboy" state of mind and think that big business and money are evil. Though many wear cowboy boots around here, nobody thinks they are still a genuine "cowboy". He also, for some reason, suggests that the solution to our problems is to build another University (appearently so that we'll have twice as many graduates leaving the state). Good job on that one Sam Western. Next time take the time to learn [...]a state.

In conclusion, go ahead and read this book if you want to know some out-of-state whiner's opinion on something he has no idea about.

This book, by an economics reporter who has transplanted his family to Laramie, has a misleading title. It's not really about Wyoming's soul but about its poor economic performance, lasting well over a century. Western argues that this poor performance reflects bad state policy, which is certainly reasonable enough. He also maintains that this policy reflects Wyoming's belief in several "myths" about the state, especially the virtues of agriculture and ranching.

Western makes his case with a breezy summary of Wyoming economic and political history, with some critical comparisons to Montana and some other states that are more successful. Wyoming's political institutions give ranchers an incentive to maintain their "property rights" to *public* lands and water, for example. Its myths encourage politicians to believe that the state will grow if it can just extract more resources, and if the federal government will get out of its way. This reflects a colonial way of thinking, according to Western: a state grows wealthy because of the skills of its people, not by performing low-wage work extracting resources that get shipped to the outside world.

The book makes a decent case, though it's repetitive - - Western uses some statistical soundbites over and over again. He also has an annoying habit of presenting some aggregate number for Wyoming and then comparing it to Mississippi or California or some other state. Given the huge differences in population, a comparison of per capita figures would certainly be much more illuminating.

Western's solution to Wyoming's problems is almost purely voluntaristic: Wyoming needs to reject its myths. This seems an unrealistic political strategy to me, since you need to address the institutions that keep ranchers and the extractive industries in power. The elements of an alternative political coalition are there: an economic base in tourism in Jackson, Lander, and Dubois; a mythology that draws from outfitters (and dude ranches); and a potential high-tech sector at the northern end of Colorado's Front Range and into the University of Wyoming at Laramie. This alternative coalition could then try to tilt the political balance in swing towns such as Cody, Pinedale, or maybe even Thermopolis.

Western's analysis also makes almost no mention of the Arapaho and Shoshone of the Wind River Indian Reservation. These people are even more steeped in poverty than their white neighbors, yet they hardly buy into Euro-American mythology. The reservation has some ranchers but also has strong tourism potential; it tried a few years ago to gain control of the instream flow of the Wind River for ecological, tourism and fishing purposes but ultimately lost a Wyoming Supreme Court case (that was, incidentally, shockingly open in its racism). The tribes, too, should be part of an alternative strategy for Wyoming.

Samuel Western, in identifying the myths of Wyoming's past, has laid out excellent ideas for how to change the future of the state. While many residents of Wyoming might feel that the small population is one of the greatest benefits of living in the state, the fact of the matter is, Wyoming suffers greatly not only from brain drain, but also from youth drain as well.

The ideas that Western presents are excellent ideas that would enable the state to develop appopriately while preserving its rich wilderness and public lands. In order for these ideas to take a foothold in the state, it is critical that people reeducate themselves and that the teachers of Wyoming history accept that we have some deep rooted myths that are now accepted as facts. Until this occurs, the ideas the Western presents, while excellent, will remain in this book, rather than in the actual development of the state.

Sam Western's book addresses the ecomomic stagnation and the loss of the young people that have constantly plagued Wyoming. He traces the origins of myths that have influenced the development or lack of development in the state from the area's territorial days to the present. He uses facts and figures, but he also uses anecdotal information and profiles of important people. His style reads well. He is concise. Western says that he wanted to write something that was the size of "Elements of Style" by Strunk and White. He has succeeded in packing a lot of information into a small space, while at the same time keeping it interesting. He has made decisions to leave out some information that might have been helpful because of his goal. I have used this book in college composition classes at a Wyoming Community College and have found that students respond well and that it provides great material for discussion.

This book gives a lot of useful background and information about Wyoming; however it is presented from the point of view of a leftist academic.

If you are a leftist, or a mainstream Keynsian, or of a similar ilk, then you will find nothing to argue with in this book. If you are more conservative or libertarian, or follow the Austrian or Chicago schools of economics, you will be grateful for the background information while irritated at the sometimes absurd interpretation Western puts on things. For example, he constantly snipes at the ideal of independence that he says Wyomingites generally have. Only a collectivist would look at independence as a vice.

Also, there are some errors here and there, such as the comparison of states using a measure that is not a per-capita one, or a really strange idea of what the U.S. Constitution's Commerce Clause is about.

One gets the overall impression that Western secretly thinks, "If only Wyoming were more like California," that deep down he doesn't really like Wyoming very much (exemplified by his absurd irritation about the Wyoming Stub-on-Steamboat license plates). Well, Wyoming is not California, and never could be, because it does not have the productive soil or great seaports or huge population or substantial wartime-built economy and technology or the great Congressional clout. The Wyoming economy is the way it is because of the physical situation of the state, not because of character "defects" in the people such as too much independence (in fact the citizenry, not the scenery, is the best thing about this state, if you ask this newcomer). Wyoming has its own set of vices and virtues, lucky breaks and unfortunate realities, just like any other state does. People should live in the states that suit them, not try to make them into something they are not and can never be (and shouldn't be).

Read it for the backgrounder aspect, and even for some of the critiques of the good-old-boy network; but if you are like me you will be scribbling irritated notes in the margins through the book.

I found this book on a remainder table at Stanford. Thought it would be fun. Turned out to be compelling, hard to put down, especially after being hooked in by the author's, er, "relationship" problems in the opening chapter. Spurning "traditional values," she falls prey to the romanticized ideal of a "Western outlaw" life and men to her regret with that last relationship. Overall a gripping memoir. I found amusing that "the counter-culture girl" couldn't cut it in SF's Mission District, the haven of SF counter-culture types. Perhaps as she raises her child she'll learn that there are a thousand gray areas between "boring" and "outlaw"...and there is a reason outlaws are outlaws!

I am from Laramie, Wyoming and I know this author personally. I thought Karol did a fine job of portraying the town and area and the blend of tattoong history interspersed with incidents of this author's life made a rich tapestry of a tale. I could identify with this girl who didn't quite fit in so she finds herself in an unusual job, living a nonconventional lifestyle. Yeah, she has a little attitude problem but thats half her charm. The book read like fiction rather than nonfiction with vivid scenes and well-drawn characters. I'm not into tattoos myself, yet I enjoyed a look into this very different subculture and this authors personal take on it.

Karol Griffin takes the myths of the West (and surrounding the outlaw image) on faith in Skin Deep as she encounters a body art workshop in Laramie Wyoming, only to find a new vocation on the fringes of polite society. Griffin's newfound career as a tattoo artist leads to plenty of social insights and commentary in this lively unusual, "reader engaging", and very highly recommended discourse.

The last three people who posted reviews didn't bother to read the book first. At least I did my homework. I usually dont like nonfiction accounts of peoples lives but I found this to be a very interesting book. This writer seems sincere in her desire to tell her lifes story as a tattoo artist. It appears she got the bad end of the stick a time or two even though she brought a lot of it on herself. Though I can't figure out if this chick is for real or a poser, that doesn't really matter. The book was well written and she comes off as a person trying to make some sense of her nonconventional life, mistakes and all and she should be respected for her candidness.

Karol Griffin? If you only knew her from this book, you'd think: Great writer, awful attitude problem.

If you've ever gotten a tattoo or piercing, you know that the Gods of Body Mod can be, shall we say, a little snotty. If you're not the "right" kind of client, you get icy treatment. I made the cut, as it were (I had 25 piercings by 1991, and back then, maaaan, that gave me The Cred), but I always hated hated hated that McOutlaw audition process you had to go through. "Are you a non-conformist just like us? Well, okay then! If not...hmph."

Griffin drips contempt for every deb, dude, novice, suburbanite, sorority girl, or otherwise non-hipster damaged person who crosses her path, and who crosses the threshold of the tat shop. Mix that with her hue and cry over the corruption of the West (oh GOD, that cliche again?) *and* the corruption of the sanctity of tattooing and you've got a great writer who you can't stand! Shame. She's got some real chops.

Only in the afterword does she a) pretty much confess that she herself is a whitebread exile in the McOutlaw world or b) show any thoughtfulness and generosity toward others regarding external markers and what they mean about identity (she finally realizes they don't mean much at all. welcome to adulthood, dollface.)

It's savagely ironic for someone who sells their tattoo skills to whine about the increasing popularity of tattooing. If you want to stay pure, stay out of the marketplace and stay in your tidy, kooler than thou bubble. It'll be lonely as hell, but at least you'll be assured that everyone around you meets your exacting alterna-snob standard.

Her use of language is fun and alive, but what she's choosing to communicate is petty and ugly and, frankly, about as tired as a tribal tat on the lower back.

After reading the reviews for this book, I purchased it as I went on a quick tour through Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. I was very disappointed. The trips are listed from point-to-point around the Grand Loop. However, if you are driving the loop in the opposite direction, the book is very difficult to follow. It doesn't give driving distances for the points of interest. The book gives an estimated driving time from one (i.e. Mammoth to Old Faithful) to another, and mentions some points of interest along the way, but the reader is left to guess where along the drive it might be.

Be aware that the park access fees have changed since the book was printed. Other than that, I did not notice any major discrepancies.

Another minor gripe is that none of the pictures are in color, but are clearly color photos printed to black and white. For the price of the book, they should be in color; heck, even the Lonely Planet series uses color pictures. If not using artistic or color photos, I'd rather have more substance to the book itself.

I always travel with multiple guides and was glad that I did, especially for the Yellowstone portion of the trip, and would recommend the "Yellowstone Treasures Travelers Companion" instead. It had the same or more information than this book, listed mileage to each point of interest from either direction, and had color photos.

http://www.amazon.com/Yellowstone-Treasures-Travelers-Companion-National/dp/0970687311/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1213397462&sr=1-1

I used this guide extensively on a 3-day drive through both parks. It's packed with information and is well written and organized. Highly recommended.

This second edition adds two new drives, and updated information from the 1999 edition.

Most surprising, for a guidebook, is the intimacy of tone, and enthusiasm for the parks and the beauty of the surrounding areas.

This book contains substantial, and well researched information on the historical, geological and natural features of the parks, and the tone is that of a close and intimate friend, sitting in your passenger seat, pointing out the window and exclaiming, "Hey! Look at that!"

Far from the staid and removed tone of many guidebooks, this book is truly an "Insiders' Guide," and makes me want to check out the other books in the series.

This book was right on the money with all the things to see while driving through the parks. In combination with this book Outdoor Family Guide to Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks (Outdoor Family Guides) and the Trails Illustrated maps of both parks:
Trails Illustrated Yellowstone Map Old Faithful
Trails Illustrated Mammoth Hotsprings Yellowstone National Park NW
Trails Illustrated Tower Canyon Yellowstone National Park NE
Trails Illustrated Yellowstone Lake Yellowstone National Park SE
National Geographic Trails Illustrated Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA: Topo Map (Trails Illustrated - Topo Maps USA)
(which can also be purchased at http://www.ngmapstore.com), we had a very easy time getting around the park and where things were located. It made planning a whiz!

We used this book every day we were in Yellowstone. It was such a help in planning each day, knowing where to stop, what to expect in terms of how long hikes were, finding restaurants and shops, etc. I would read the information about each place aloud to the kids, which helped pass the time between stops. One word of caution, though. We are not the type of family that does a lot of hiking, camping, climbing, etc. We did find that some of her descriptions of the difficulty of the hikes and trails were a bit underestimated. Between the heat and the altitude, this is important to keep in mind! Other than that, I think this is a must have!