Wooing of Earth.

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Wooing of Earth.
Rene Dubos
Manufacturer: 0
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0485112094

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The Wooing of Earth
Rene J Dubos
Manufacturer: Charles Scribner's Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Human Geography | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Natural History | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0684165015

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The Wooing of Earth
Rene Dubos
Manufacturer: Charles Scribner's Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000V8XCH4

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The Wooing of Earth New Perspectives on Man's Use of Nature
Rene Dubos
Manufacturer: Scribner's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000R3BHOI

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Wooing of the Earth
Rene Jules Dubos
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PS0GFQ

Book Description

His horse gear, a bedroll and a warbag containing a change or two of clothes - these worldly goods were about all the old-time ranch hand could call his own. They were prized possessions, though, and together were usually referred to as "my forty year' gatherins."

The stories in this book are Spike Van Cleve's forty years' gatherins - cherished memories of rugged, honest living in the clean air and mountainous rangeland near Big Timber, Montana.

Spike was born, raised and lived until he died in this land he called "the prettiest country God ever made . . .heaven can't be any better than this." There, he and his family-like his Dad and Granddad before him-ran the Van Cleve ranch, now a 20,000 acre expanse under the Crazy Mountains in south central Montana.

Spike Van Cleve was a natural born storyteller who was educated at Harvard but received his "learning" on the Montana range riding his horses and doing an honest day's work. In this collection of true stories about the land, the people, the horses and the good old times, Spike shifts like the wind, as in his touching story of "Cody and Terry," when the fatal crack of Spike's rifle signals the merciful end to a close partnership between a tearful cowboy and his favorite work horses. This sensitive, poetic story earned Spike Van Cleve a Western Heritage Award from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame.

Customer Reviews:

A book for my permanent libary.......2006-01-14

I've met Spike's decendents, stayed at their ranch, and this is how I discovered these books by Spike Van Cleve around ten years ago. They are so good, I had to share them with friends and I loaned them out. Since they have disappeared, I need to buy them again! These are timeless stories that show the true flavor of the people and the country. I don't buy many books--but these I will buy twice.

HOME AND HUMOR ON THE RANGE.......2005-04-01

THIS IS A VERY FUNNY AND DANG GOOD READ IF YOU LOVE HORSES
AND THE WIDE OPEN COUNTRY OF MONTANA AND WYOMING. HE LETS YOU IN ON HOW HE UNDERSTANDS HORSES AND TELLS OF SOME WILD DAYS IN THE SADDLE.THERE ARE SOME GREAT DUDE RANCH STORIES ABOUT DIFFERENT GUESTS.IF HE WERE STILL ALIVE I WOULD DEFINITELY WANT TO GO TO HIS.HE IS A SPECIAL,COLORFUL AND DOWN HOME, HILARIOUS GUY.

In one book or less..............2002-03-02

This book describes the people, the attitude, and the lifestyle of Montana - from 1870 until today. The Crazy Mountains continue to evoke the same vast, colorful emotions from those of us who have had the priviledge to grow up beneath them. A must read for anybody who has lived in Montana - and a "should read" for anybody else. A colorful, vivid reminder of home - one of my favorites.

Outstanding.......2001-03-21

I lived in Montana for two years and a friend suggested I read this book. I bought a copy and could not put it down. After I finished it two days later, I bought his other book "A Day Late And A Dollar Short". Ten years later, I am still reading them. Spike doesn't just tell you a story, you live it. If you have any interest at all in ranch life, horses, family, humor, or Montana history; these should be on your list. You'll learn what "slaunchwise" humor and "going to the mountains" is all about.

It's unfortunate that he only wrote two books.

As your friend and fellow author put it, I too, "hope God gives you a horse" Spike.

An excellent story of everyday life in Melville, Montana~.......1999-11-18

This book is an excellent piece of work. I probably am somewhat biased as like the author, I too spent my formative years in the Big Open of Eastern Montana. I can certainly sympathize and relate to alot of what old Spike says about nature, family and ranch life in general.

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A Day Late and a Dollar Short

A Day Late and a Dollar Short
Spike Van Cleve
Manufacturer: Lowell Press (OR)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0913504653

Customer Reviews:

A Day Late and a Dollar Short.......2000-06-17

This is one of my favorite books and I've recommended it to many of my friends. All of them have loved it. If you like horses, Montana, the west, or just plain good writing this book is well worth the investment. If you have never been out west read this book before you come because Spike will give you a good idea of what it's like to live out here.

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Cowboy Nostalgia
Becoming Unbottled
Disappointing Finish
Disappointing
McGuane's Continued Growth, one of his best

The Cadence of Grass
Thomas Mcguane
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0679446745
Release Date: 2002-04-30

Amazon.com

Thomas McGuane's The Cadence of Grass is a brawling, barrel-chested novel full of irreverent humor and outrageous characters and situations. Set in Montana, the story begins with the funeral of Jim Whitelaw, the family patriarch, who has cunningly crafted a will that ties up the assets of his bottling company until his older daughter reconciles with her estranged rogue of a husband. With Jim's ditzy yet determined widow; his wild younger daughter and her sweet but unbalanced husband; a cross-dressing rancher; a missing kidney; and a mysterious Bengali, it all adds up to a wild ride. But it's Bill Champion, Jim Whitelaw's old ranching partner, who wins our hearts. A throwback to the old days, Bill is full of Western wisdom and pungent sayings--he defines a "coyote breakfast" as "a piss and a look around." Eventually, Bill reveals a surprising secret as well as the identity of Red Wolf. Like his previous novels, including Nothing but Blue Skies, Panama, Ninety-Two in the Shade, and The Bushwhacked Piano, McGuane's The Cadence of Grass is a ripsnorting read indeed. --Susan Biskeborn

Book Description

In his first novel since his best-selling Nothing but Blue Skies, and thirty-three years after The Sporting Club established his reputation, Thomas McGuane’s trademark combination of high wit, low behavior, and hard-won wisdom has never been on sharper—or, ultimately, more moving—display. This is the story of the Whitelaws, a family whose values are as far-flung as the territory they helped settle, and whose most recent generations have pioneered the landscape of dysfunction.

The patriarch, Sunny Jim, exerts his perverse control even posthumously, by means of a last will and testament that binds the family fortune (a bottling franchise) to a marriage that ought, by general assent, to be rent asunder. The charms of this particular son-in-law, lately released from prison, are potent if short-lived; Evelyn Whitelaw, his estranged wife, is quite literally bedeviled by them. And as her mother and sister court this twisted inheritance, her own yearnings point toward a way of life once habitual on these western plains but now embodied only by Bill Champion, the family’s ranch foreman and Evelyn’s one true compass.

A novel charged with the relentless and often contradictory claims of blood, money, history, and love, The Cadence of Grass is at once a masterpiece of savage comedy and an elegy for what has been lost. Long one of our most compelling novelists, Thomas McGuane has written the most ambitious book of his singularly distinguished career.

Download Description

In his first novel since his best-selling Nothing but Blue Skies, and thirty-three years after The Sporting Club established his reputation, Thomas McGuane's trademark combination of high wit, low behavior, and hard-won wisdom has never been on sharper -- or, ultimately, more moving -- display. This is the story of the Whitelaws, a family whose values are as far-flung as the territory they helped settle, and whose most recent generations have pioneered the landscape of dysfunction.

The patriarch, Sunny Jim, exerts his perverse control even posthumously, by means of a last will and testament that binds the family fortune (a bottling franchise) to a marriage that ought, by general assent, to be rent asunder. The charms of this particular son-in-law, lately released from prison, are potent if short-lived; Evelyn Whitelaw, his estranged wife, is quite literally bedeviled by them. And as her mother and sister court this twisted inheritance, her own yearnings point toward a way of life once habitual on these western plains but now embodied only by Bill Champion, the family's ranch foreman and Evelyn's one true compass.

A novel charged with the relentless and often contradictory claims of blood, money, history, and love, The Cadence of Grass is at once a masterpiece of savage comedy and an elegy for what has been lost. Long one of our most compelling novelists, Thomas McGuane has written the most ambitious book of his singularly distinguished career.

Customer Reviews:

Cowboy Nostalgia.......2006-05-29

I had been hearing about Thomas McGuane for what felt like decades. Finally, a few days ago, I got the chance to read one of his books. The female characters were compelling, but the male characters were caricatures, which surprised me. There were only three types: the stoic, laconic "heroic" cowboy; the small-time hood; and the put-upon husband. The long passages displaying the author's familiarity with cowboy lore were VERY lazy writing-- and dull, dull, dull. There was some attempt at elegy...

Becoming Unbottled.......2003-09-16

Becoming Unbottled

THE CADENCE OF GRASS moves through the lives of the Whitelaw family who own a bottling company in Montana. After the death of the patriarch, Sunny Jim (who never smiled), the lives of the rest of the family shift as unpredictably as prairie grass in the wind. The uneven beat of the action and the jarring, Kafkaesque characters contribute to the uniqueness of the book. The characters are both weirder than life yet touchingly real, and McGuane is often laugh-out-loud funny. Stuart, the disparaged and underestimated son-in-law is described as "simple enough to hide his own Easter eggs."
For a person who has been on a horse three times in her life and who has stood in a working barn once for five minutes (phew) the descriptions of such are a delight. I loved reading about draft horse stanchions, snaffles, Kelly Brothers grazers, offside billet straps and coppermouth John Israels, even though I have only the haziest idea as to what they are. And reading how Evelyn maneuvers her pony to work the cattle is as good as watching a gold medal figure skater.
McGuane is a first rate writer, a keen observer of humankind, and lover of the Montana country. THE CADENCE OF GRASS: a memorable read.

Disappointing Finish.......2003-06-27

I read this book while spending some time out west. It has been awhile since I had read anything by McGuane. I enjoyed the characters and his prose. The story was compelling but the ending was disappointing. I'm not sure why he headed in that particular direction.

Disappointing.......2003-05-30

I found this book to be very diappointing. The plot was not interesting and the characters were dull. I feel like I must have read a different book than that described in the positive reviews below. In any event, the writing at times is quite good , so maybe I'll try one of McGuane's prior works. This one certainly does not live up to its billing or his reputation.

McGuane's Continued Growth, one of his best.......2003-04-16

I first discovered Thomas McGuane in a Paris Review interview in 1985. He is a man of eloquence of the type that answers to questions posed to him about his writing were so fascinating that I began immediately reading his entire body of work. So cherished are these novels in my cannon that I did not read them one right after another, but spread them out over years to properly savor each one. I would read Nobody's Angel, and delight in reliving it for a time, referring to it, quoting it, then when a year or so had passed, I read Panama, Bushwhacked Piano, Ninety-two In the Shade, etc., until I reached the point at which I was ready to read whatever new book came out. In 1992 McGuane turned away from the usual cast of kooky loners and boot-clad bon vivants and wrote about a family man, and his family, in Nothing But Blue Skies. This was a new step for a man who knew how to enjoy and savor the wilder side of life, but also was able to use dinstinct technical language in an entertaining way to describe cutting horses, fly fishing, or sundry ranching, as well as metaphorically tying the changes of the modern west into the changes of modern westerners, casting sentences and forging paragraphs that stand with the greatest of American literature.

In The Cadence of Grass, McGuane shows another step in his growth and finally, much to his chagrin, and despite all his attempts to demand otherwise, he shows us that age has brought him wisdom, as well as contemplation of mortality.

Is this his novel about death? No, death was dealt with face-to-face in Nobody's Angel, McGuane's cathartic wrestling with his sister's death in real life. The Cadence of Grass is about the events leading up to death. That we all die is of course a given, and although a patriarch's death is the McGuffin for this story, it is the events that lead up to and directly lead to death that he deals with for the first time in his writing. Until now, there was always a pervasive sense of immortality in McGuane's characters, even when some of them died. Cadence takes us up close to the events, and even the moments, that precede death, including the acknowledgement of those about to die that they are living those preceding moments. McGuane exposes his own vulnerability, his own personal weaknesses through his characters in this book, and one gets the feeling that unlike other of his novels, in which his feelings usually occupy only one character, in Cadence he spread out his feelings among all the characters, perhaps as a way of making the expression of those feelings less burdensome. I feel that if he graced one character with all this contemplation it would have made the character too intense and maudlin to let the story breathe. As it is, McGuane keeps honed his clever, sometimes cryptic dialogue and hilarious descriptive powers, but lets more of the weaknesses of humanity come through and rather than using them for comic effect, he sympathizes with those who show weakness and vulnerability, as if to finally say "I know I've made fun of all of you in the past, but I really do know how you feel."

Customer Reviews:

A Unique Woman Who Made History.......2000-11-09

Catherine McCarty's autobiographical account of part of her life (1915 to 1939) is an eye-opening look into American history from a trail-blazing woman's perspective. Moving from her home in Kentucky to homestead in Montana as a single woman, she married (after several years on her own), raised a child, dealt with wolves, rattlesnakes, and wild Montana weather, and served in the Montana state legislature for several terms (with infant in tow!) This astonishing dynamo was also active in the Red Cross. On her 100th birthday (she died at age 106), people from all over the country celebrated with her. This book vividly portrays the barriers she overcame and the people she loved. Any student of history, especially those interested in the history of American women, should read this book.

Bonner School A Grass Roots Tribute: The Story of Bonner, Montana

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Bonner School A Grass Roots Tribute: The Story of Bonner, Montana
Bicentennial Committee
Manufacturer: Gateway Printing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NZXZPO

Chromite deposits in Central part Stillwater complex, Sweet Grass County, Montana (Geological Survey bulletin)

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Chromite deposits in Central part Stillwater complex, Sweet Grass County, Montana (Geological Survey bulletin)
Arthur Lloyd Howland
Manufacturer: U.S. G.P.O
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007FDSEI

Final Sweet Grass Hills resource management plan amendment and environmental impact statement (SuDoc I 1.98:SW 3/FINAL)

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Final Sweet Grass Hills resource management plan amendment and environmental impact statement (SuDoc I 1.98:SW 3/FINAL)
U.S. Geological Survey
Manufacturer: The District Office
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00010WZQQ

Free grass to fences;: The Montana cattle range story

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Free grass to fences;: The Montana cattle range story
Robert H Fletcher
Manufacturer: Published for the Historical Society of Montana [by] University Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Production & Operations | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Animal Husbandry | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007EGNWI

Geology, age, and tectonic setting of the Cretaceous Sliderock Mountain volcano, Montana (SuDoc I 19.16:1602)

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Geology, age, and tectonic setting of the Cretaceous Sliderock Mountain volcano, Montana (SuDoc I 19.16:1602)
E. A. Du Bray
Manufacturer: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00010VTNQ

Book Description

Includes 69 of the best rides from the coastal bluffs of Morro Bay to the deserts of San Diego.

Customer Reviews:

Great variety of trails........2001-01-07

I found this book to very informative and opened up a lot of new riding experiences for me. As a Ventura/Los Angeles local, I got bored with the same old trails. This book provided me a good foundation to begin exploring a world of new trails, all within a few hours of my own home. The best part is that with one book, I was able to find trails in towns like Moro Bay, Santa Barbara, Big Bear and San Diego where I can now take weekend trips and know where to ride. The trail descriptions gave me a strong sense of the terrain and level of dificulty and I found them to be very accurate.

A colorless, forgettable, unremarkable guidebook........2000-01-05

This book is quite disappointing. The maps are okay, the elevation profiles are helpful, but otherwise it's utterly bland--and one thing mountain biking shouldn't be is bland. There's no sense of what makes these mountain bike routes special (and if you've ever ridden in Southern California, you know how special the riding is). I think there are other guidebooks about Southern California that give you a lot more bang for your buck. There's no reason to settle for something as lazy, mundane, and obviously-tossed-together-just-to-make-some-cash as this.

Mountain Biking Southern New England (America By Mountain Bike Series)

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Was an excellent source

Mountain Biking Southern New England (America By Mountain Bike Series)
Paul Angiolillo
Manufacturer: Falcon Pr Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1560444150

Book Description

No matter where you live or vacation in southern New England, you're close to dozens of spectacular mountain bike rides. From scenic dirt roads in secluded state forests to rugged single-track trails, this book will help you choose the "classic" fat-tire rides in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Written by Paul Angiolillo, veteran mountain biker and author of The Mountain Biker's Guide to Northern New England, this new guide to southern New England describes many rides within a few miles of Boston, Hartford, and Providence. Mountain bikers of all abilities will enjoy the assortment of rides-varying in length and difficulty and appealing to a variety of moods, skills, and fitness levels. Detailed route descriptions, maps, and listings of mountain bike shops in each area will guide you to the best trails around. Mountain Biking Southern New England, formerly The Mountain Biker's Guide to Southern New England, provides easy-to-use information to help make mountain biking adventures safe and memorable.

Customer Reviews:

Was an excellent source.......2006-11-17

Be aware that this book was great, about 5-6 years ago. Due to rapid development in the suburbs around Boston, I know of at least two excellent trails that are now, no longer rideable. Have not been disappointed with any of the trails in the book, rode about 10 of them. Just look before you ride.

Vermont Mountain Biking: The Best Back Road and Trail Rides in Southern Vermont

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Vermont Mountain Biking: The Best Back Road and Trail Rides in Southern Vermont
Dick Mansfield
Manufacturer: Acorn Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

North America | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
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Mountain Bike America Vermont: An Atlas of Vermont's Greatest Off-Road Bicycle Rides (Mountain Bike America Guidebooks)

ASIN: 0937921483

Book Description

Stony Clove, a little town snuggled in a rugged mountain pass, was cleared and farmed by Dutch settlers one hundred years ago. It was rumored amongst the townsfolk that the solid rock of the area had been forged by the Devil himself who, in a fury, had fashioned it after his own cleft foot.

Asher and Ginny were born and raised in this town, with its old fashioned traditions and tales. The most famous was the story of the ghost of William Sutherland and the legend that had grown around his life--and death--at Stony Clove. The mystique of the Sutherland homestead captivated Asher and Ginny, leading them to discoveries about the legend, and themselves, that would bond them together for an eternity.

Customer Reviews:

Great book!.......2000-01-26

I thought this was a great book. It was exciting and made you want to keep reading.My favorite part is when they go to the clove.It is a great book for people who like adventures. Everybody should read this book.

A Love Story in a Mysterious Setting.......2000-01-26

First and foremost a love story, The Ghosts of Stony Clove takes place in 1809 in the Catskill Mountains of New York. Innovative style of writing; unpredictable plot. A decent time-killer.

A real ghost story with just a touch of romance.......1998-05-14

This one begins in the year 1809. It is a story of a girl and a part indian boy who begin a shaky friendship. They hunt the ghosts of Stony Clove. The legend of the ghosts are true. The author writes her story around it. The ghost of a young girl and her white dog, haunt an old man since he caused her death many decades ago. Asher and Ginny help the ghosts find release and the man to find forgiveness. Asher then leaves to head West in an attempt to find his family among the Indians. He returns four years later to find Asher grown. The old man had died and left her his land and money. ***A real ghost story with just a bit of romance. Perfect reading!***

A sweet, delightful tale told in a fast-paced, fresh style........1997-07-12

This sweet, delightful tale begins Charbonneau's trilogy revolving around Ginny, Asher, and their family. Charbonneau's style is fast-paced and fresh, her characters fully developed, the story original and arresting, and the time and place--the Catskill Mountains in the early 1800s--well evoked. Charbonneau deftly explores issues of trust, loyalty, and multiculturalism as Asher, a Metis of French and Indian blood, and Ginny struggle to find their place in a Dutch-Yankee community. Readers see Asher and Ginny grow from children to young adults, starting a family of their own. Teachers will appreciate the book's important themes, and young readers will enjoy the ghost story woven through the fabric of this fine book

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