Book: Cowboys, Mountain Men & Grizzly Bears

Everybody loves a good Western yarn, and Cowboys, Mountain Men & Grizzly Bears: Fifty of the Grittiest Moments in the History of the Wild West (TwoDot Press, $17) compiles 50 of the best tales of our region’s rugged and ruthless past. This thrilling book relates everything from the legendary tales of Colter’s Run and the Donner Party, to lesser-known stories like Hugh Glass’s 350-mile walk of vengeance and Teddy Roosevelt’s run-in with a wild cougar. Author Matthew P. Mayo is the managing editor of Bozeman’s own Big Sky Journal, and this grounding in local culture seems to have contributed to his easy, campfire-tale writing style. The best part? Each story is summed up in a concise and action-packed 4-5 pages, so this book makes for great mini-sessions during meals, in bed at night, or around the fire at hunting camp.