The Bad Old Days of Montana celebrates the state’s glorious and rowdy past. Many people born and bred here relish just how “bad” things used to be: the terrain, the inhabitants and especially the quality of whiskey. It almost goes without saying that Montana had all the characteristic wild west elements — and in abundance! The chapters focus on the infamous and notorious rather than the law-abiding and civic-minded settlers. These pages, like the state, recount the tales of people who came west seeking if not their fortune, at least opportunity. It is no secret that Montana was settled by the adventurous willing to brave the harsh conditions and to prevail. Whether on the right or the wrong side of the law, all settlers and pioneers made unique contributions to the state’s complex culture. Certainly, in the nineteenth century, Montana was not for the faint of heart. Beginning with the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804 as the origins of the mountain men, the book will offer a variety of strange tales, ranging from vigilanteeism to the heyday of the Copper Kings. Many such tales were influenced by too much whiskey and greed. This book is an account of the misfits, outlaws and rugged individuals who cast their mark on this most remarkable state. Populated by the native tribes before “discovery” by Lewis and Clark at the headwaters of the Missouri River, the land that would become known as Montana was traversed by mountain men, mined by gold and mineral seekers and ranched and harvested by the homesteaders. Throughout these varied waves of discovery and settlement, this book explores the less-than-savory dealings, the early attempts at law and order (which often failed or had questionable results), and the myriad of colorful characters and events that made Montana what it is today.

The Bad Old Days of Colorado celebrates the state’s glorious and rowdy past. Many people born and bred here relish just how “bad” things used to be: the terrain, the inhabitants and especially the quality of whiskey. It almost goes without saying that Colorado had all the characteristic Wild West elements—and in abundance! The chapters focus on the infamous and notorious rather than the law-abiding and civic-minded settlers. These pages, like the state, recount the tales of people who came West seeking, if not their fortune, at least opportunity. It is no secret that Colorado was settled by the adventurous willing to brave the harsh conditions and to prevail. Whether on the right or the wrong side of the law, all settlers and pioneers made unique contributions to the state’s complex culture. Certainly, in the nineteenth century, Colorado was not for the faint of heart.

This is the first book devoted to Montana's long history of industrial newspaper ownership and the consequences for democracy. The work also reveals the costs paid by owners and their journalists, whose credibility eroded as their increasingly constricted newspapers lapsed into ambivalence and indifference. The story offers a timeless study of the conflict between commerce and the notion of a free and independent press.

A wildlife biologist's journey of discovery through Montana's wilderness As young men, John Fraley and Terry McCoy were kindred spirits, drawn to Montana’s most remote, rugged, wild places. Tragically, one of them died young, his wilderness dreams cut short. The other went on to a forty-year career studying fish and furbearers in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. My Wilderness Life chronicles John Fraley’s lifelong love of all places wild and his obsession with uncovering what happened on the August 1974 morning when Terry McCoy’s airplane crashed in what would become the Welcome Creek Wilderness. Join Fraley on a frantic search to find his friend, and also on epic treks to traverse an impassable river canyon, snorkel with pure westslope cutthroat trout, retrace the footsteps of conservation icon Bud Moore, track lynx and mountain lions across the Great Bear Wilderness in winter, hike 42 miles through the Bob in a single day, and much more. At turns hilarious and heartbreaking, My Wilderness Life reveals how one man’s unfulfilled dreams can inspire another’s adventures. Wilderness risks and rewards come alive in first-hand accounts of daring escapades, solo treks, and a few foolhardy misadventures. An inside glimpse of the life of a fisheries biologist in the backcountry. Amply illustrated with 100 black-and-white photographs.

A New York Times Notable Book of the Year Winner of the Mountains and Plains Book Seller's Association Award "Sprawling in scope. . . . Mr. Egan uses the past powerfully to explain and give dimension to the present." --The New York Times "Fine reportage . . . honed and polished until it reads more like literature than journalism." --Los Angeles Times "They have tried to tame it, shave it, fence it, cut it, dam it, drain it, nuke it, poison it, pave it, and subdivide it," writes Timothy Egan of the West; still, "this region's hold on the American character has never seemed stronger." In this colorful and revealing journey through the eleven states west of the 100th meridian, Egan, a third-generation westerner, evokes a lovely and troubled country where land is religion and the holy war between preservers and possessors never ends. Egan leads us on an unconventional, freewheeling tour: from America's oldest continuously inhabited community, the Ancoma Pueblo in New Mexico, to the high kitsch of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, where London Bridge has been painstakingly rebuilt stone by stone; from the fragile beauty of Idaho's Bitterroot Range to the gross excess of Las Vegas, a city built as though in defiance of its arid environment. In a unique blend of travel writing, historical reflection, and passionate polemic, Egan has produced a moving study of the West: how it became what it is, and where it is going. "The writing is simply wonderful. From the opening paragraph, Egan seduces the reader. . . . Entertaining, thought provoking." --The Arizona Daily Star Weekly "A western breeziness and love of open spaces shines through Lasso the Wind. . . . The writing is simple and evocative." --The Economist

Whether winning championship belt buckles or dealing with Hollywood types for endorsement deals, former rodeo star Tyler Creed can handle anything. Except standing on the same patch of land as his estranged brothers. Yet here they are in Stillwater Springs, barely talking but trying to restore the old Creed ranch—and family. Lily Kenyon knows all about family estrangements and secrets. The single mom has come home to set things right, to put down roots for her daughter. What she doesn't expect is Tyler Creed, whom she's loved since childhood. Now the handsome, stubborn cowboy who left home to seek his fortune just might find it was always under the Montana sky.…

Seasoned travel writers Judy Jewell and W. C. McRae share the best ways to experience all that Montana has to offer, from the Yellowstone's rugged wilderness to the rolling prairies of the eastern region. Jewell and McRae lead travelers to the highlights of Big Sky Country, with original trip ideas including "A Lewis and Clark Expedition," "Fishing Southwest Montana," and "Soak It Up: Hot Springs of Montana." Complete with tips for cross-country skiing at Glacier National Park, observing elk at Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, and finding the best watering holes in Missoula, Moon Montana gives visitors the tools they need to create a more personal and memorable experience.

W. C. McRae and Judy Jewell, outdoors enthusiasts and former coworkers at legendary Powell's Books in Portland, have covered some of the most rugged destinations in the U.S.: Montana, Utah, and Zion & Bryce. They continue their tradition with the latest edition of Moon Montana. From the wilderness of Yellowstone to the eastern prairies, McRae and Jewell lead travelers to the best of the Big Sky Country, offering unique travel strategies such as the Hot Springs Tour of Montana, and for the history buff, Following Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery. Whether it's cross-country skiing at Glacier National Park, observing elk at Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, or finding the best “watering hole” in Missoula, Moon Montana gives travelers the tools they need to create a more personal and memorable experience.

Dashiell Hammett, like most successful writers, honed his skills in the trenches. Long before The Maltese Falcon and The Thin Man made him a household name, Hammett developed his technique writing satirical magazine pieces, then moved on to churn out tales of sex, crime and adventure for pulp magazines. Characters like Sam Spade and Nick and Nora Charles made him famous, but Hammett perfected his style--and created the first hard-boiled detective fiction--writing stories and novels about an anonymous, middle-aged detective, known as the Continental Op. This detailed examination of the early works of Dashiell Hammett takes a new look at one of the 20th century's most influential crime writers and his creation of the hard-boiled detective story. Each chapter covers an element of Hammett's early writing career--his magazine fiction; the Continental Op's development as a character; the Continental Op novels; and the last Continental Op stories. A concluding chapter provides afterthoughts on Hammett's career, style and place in the history of detective fiction. A chronology of works cited, a bibliography and an index supplement the text.