Montana Required Reading, Part II

Mud-season must-reads.

“You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.” –Ray Bradbury

People and places change, and that’s not all bad. But what would be bad, disastrous in fact, would be the destruction of a culture, the neglect of the past, and the blind acceptance of the new and trendy. To avoid that, we must utilize the resources available to us. Go back to historical accounts, decades-old novels, and ancient articles. Heed their advice and apply their wisdom. Incorporate the sentiments held within into your daily lives where appropriate, and do away with antiquated notions; mine for the golden nuggets within their pages. This is Montana Required Reading, Part II.

The River Why, by David James Duncan
When you think about fly fishing in Montana, The River Why is most likely the second novel that comes to mind. But this book holds its own, sans Brad Pitt. A coming-of-age love story told through the eyes of a fisherman, it will instantly rank among your favorites.

Grizzly Years, by Doug Peacock
In this cult classic, Peacock brings Montana to life through almost 20 years of grizzly tracking in Glacier National Park and the surrounding Rocky Mountains. After serving as a Green Beret medic in Vietnam, Peacock took to the mountains of Montana, using our wild spaces and the creatures that call them home to help him heal

This House of Sky: Landscapes of a Western Mind, by Ivan Doig
This poetic memoir of life in the wilderness of western Montana speaks of the landscape as if it were a character itself, relating a sense of deep connection, family values, and the process of acceptance on the Rocky Mountain Front. An emotional read, This House of Sky will touch native Montanans and transplants alike.