Mary Clearman Blew's education began at home, on a remote cattle ranch in Montana. She graduated to a one-room rural school, then escaped, via scholarship, to the University of Montana, where, still in her teens, she met and married her first husband. This Is Not the Ivy League is her account of what it was to be that girl, and then that woman--pressured by husband and parents to be the conventional wife of the 1950s, persisting in her pursuit of an education, trailed by a reluctant husband and small children through graduate school, and finally entering the job market with a PhD in English only to find a whole new set of pressures and prejudices. This memoir is Blew's behind-the-scenes account of pursuing a career at a time when a woman's place in the world was supposed to have limits. It is a story of both the narrowing perspective of the social norm and the ever-expanding possibilities of a woman who refuses to be told what she can and cannot be.
The short fiction of Mary Clearman Blew, set in Montana, reflects the brutality of the region as seen in the mountains, the severe weather, and the personal hardships of the people living there. In each of these seven stories, the characters, driven to hurt or be hurt, reflect a range of violence--in their interaction with each other, their relationships with animals, or the effect the harsh environment has on their lives. Whether the turmoil is external (the snowstorm in "Lambing Out") or internal (the sisters’ memories in "Paths unto the Dead"), its toll on the person touched is clear and sharp. The result is an acceptance of--even a love for--the cruelty of the harsh environment.
Melding past and present into a moving narrative, Blew re-creates the dry, sparsely populated Montana of early homesteaders where her aunt chose to live. She writes of her yearning for independence, her marriage choices and recollections of her daughter. A blend of history, diaries and local legend.
Corey Henry is fired from her Montana middle school teaching job after striking a taunting student, 13-year-old Ariel Doggett. Heading into her 60s with diminished hopes, Corey faces further trials when her 80-year-old father, a decorated WWII vet and former rodeo star named Loren, commits suicide. Then Ariel's opportunistic father, Hailey Doggett, sues Corey for assaulting his daughter and turns out to be a lot more than merely greedy.
Blew's reflections on a woman's life in the Rocky Mountain West immerse readers in the landscape of mountains and prairies and of blizzards and scorching sun. "Blew again demonstrates her artistry and strong connection to the Western terrain of her past and present homes in Montana and Idaho".--" Publishers Weekly". 9 illustrations.
In language reminiscent of the wild beauty of Big Sky Country, the author gives readers a glimpse into the lives of her family as she traces their connection to Montana's natural and human landscape. Beginning with her great-grandparents' arrival in 1882 in Montana--still a territory then--Blew relates the stories that make up her life. Illustrations.
A romance novelist returns to Montana and her family’s homestead to restart a life among neighbors who like to fire automatic weapons, a son who hates her, and the father of that son, who may hate her even more.
Topics ranging from escaping forest fires and smoke jumping to fighting house fires and making campfires are featured in this collection of essays--by a number of talented Idaho writers--that explore fire from various perspectives. Original.
Diaries of an unmarried schoolteacher in World War II-era Montana ranch towns and small Washington cities capture rural life and the steadfast tenacity of an independent woman.
Midwife Mildred Harrington is riding back home one evening after checking on one of her pregnant neighbors when she stumbles upon an injured stranger. She soon realizes it's her old sweetheart, Pat, from country school--and he may not be telling the full truth about how he was injured. Set in rural Montana in 1925, Waltzing Montana follows Mildred as she grapples with feelings for Pat while also trying to overcome the horrific abuse she suffered as a young teenager. Ultimately Mildred must decide whether to continue her isolated life or accept the hand extended to her. Inspired by the life of midwife Edna McGuire (1885-1969), who operated a sheep ranch in central Montana, Blew has turned the classic Western on its head, focusing on rural women and the gender and diversity challenges they faced during the 1920s.
In language reminiscent of the wild beauty of Big Sky Country, the author gives readers a glimpse into the lives of her family as she traces their connection to Montana's natural and human landscape. Beginning with her great-grandparents' arrival in 1882 in Montana--still a territory then--Blew relates the stories that make up her life. Illustrations.
Corey Henry is fired from her Montana middle school teaching job after striking a taunting student, 13-year-old Ariel Doggett. Heading into her 60s with diminished hopes, Corey faces further trials when her 80-year-old father, a decorated WWII vet and former rodeo star named Loren, commits suicide. Then Ariel's opportunistic father, Hailey Doggett, sues Corey for assaulting his daughter and turns out to be a lot more than merely greedy.
A romance novelist returns to Montana and her family’s homestead to restart a life among neighbors who like to fire automatic weapons, a son who hates her, and the father of that son, who may hate her even more.
Set in central rural Montana in 1925, Waltzing Montana follows midwife Mildred Harrington as she grapples with feelings for her old sweetheart while also trying to overcome the horrific abuse that she suffered as a young teenager.
Blew's reflections on a woman's life in the Rocky Mountain West immerse readers in the landscape of mountains and prairies and of blizzards and scorching sun. "Blew again demonstrates her artistry and strong connection to the Western terrain of her past and present homes in Montana and Idaho".--" Publishers Weekly". 9 illustrations.
Mary Clearman Blew's education began at home, on a remote cattle ranch in Montana. She graduated to a one-room rural school, then escaped, via scholarship, to the University of Montana, where, still in her teens, she met and married her first husband. This Is Not the Ivy League is her account of what it was to be that girl, and then that woman--pressured by husband and parents to be the conventional wife of the 1950s, persisting in her pursuit of an education, trailed by a reluctant husband and small children through graduate school, and finally entering the job market with a PhD in English only to find a whole new set of pressures and prejudices. This memoir is Blew's behind-the-scenes account of pursuing a career at a time when a woman's place in the world was supposed to have limits. It is a story of both the narrowing perspective of the social norm and the ever-expanding possibilities of a woman who refuses to be told what she can and cannot be.
Diaries of an unmarried schoolteacher in World War II-era Montana ranch towns and small Washington cities capture rural life and the steadfast tenacity of an independent woman.
THE WINE OF ASTONISHMENT brings us a selection of thirteen stories containing a carnival house of characters: impetuous brides, immigrants struggling in a new land, suburban witches, rough and tumble low-life, a father "drunk on Tolstoy". A charming and magical book. Cuttingly real.
“A heart shot is what every big game hunter hopes for,” Editor Mary Zeiss Stange explains in the introduction to Heart Shots, “that perfect shot placement, whether of bullet or arrow, which ensures a quick, humane kill. A heart shot is also what the best hunting writing has always aimed for—that certain image, or theme, or turn of phrase that strikes to the core of our flesh-and-blood humanity, piercing the tissue-thin membrane between life and death.” Hunting and writing about it have not commonly been thought of as women’s work, but today women are hunting and writing about it in unprecedented numbers. This collection of stories by 46 hunters who happen to be female shows us that in fact some women have always hunted, and some have written dazzling accounts of their experiences. What you’ll find in k to nature and basics and to express in narrative, image, and metaphor the complex meaning of being predator, such impulses are ageless and genderless. There are differences in the way women go about hunting and telling its story. Some are subtle and some are startling. In this marvelous collection a full range of writers from hard-edged realists to contemplative naturalists express the complex thought and emotion that constitute hunting with intelligence and insight. These women are aware of the fact that they are doing something distinctly out of the ordinary. And this is a book distinctly out of the ordinary as well, to be enjoyed, pondered, and savored by women and men alike, all who appreciate a good story well told. [Stories and essays written by Mary Jobe Akeley, Kim Barnes, Nellie Bennett, Durga Bernhard, Courtney Borden, and many more.]
An account of one woman's life in the West during the second half of the nineteenth century from growing up on the Montana mining frontier to her ascent to young womanhood on a farm in southern California.
Melding past and present into a moving narrative, Blew re-creates the dry, sparsely populated Montana of early homesteaders where her aunt chose to live. She writes of her yearning for independence, her marriage choices and recollections of her daughter. A blend of history, diaries and local legend.
The short fiction of Mary Clearman Blew, set in Montana, reflects the brutality of the region as seen in the mountains, the severe weather, and the personal hardships of the people living there. In each of these seven stories, the characters, driven to hurt or be hurt, reflect a range of violence--in their interaction with each other, their relationships with animals, or the effect the harsh environment has on their lives. Whether the turmoil is external (the snowstorm in "Lambing Out") or internal (the sisters’ memories in "Paths unto the Dead"), its toll on the person touched is clear and sharp. The result is an acceptance of--even a love for--the cruelty of the harsh environment.
To many, the task of writing about one's life seems daunting and difficult. Where does one begin? What stories will inspire your children and grandchildren, and which will simply amuse them? Writing Your Life: A Guide to Writing Autobiographies breaks down the barriers of personal narrative with an easy-to-follow guide that includes thought-provoking questions, encouraging suggestions, memory-jogging activities, tips for writing, advice on publishing one's stories in print and online, and examples of ordinary people's writing. Writing Your Life has already helped thousands write their life stories, and this fourth edition is sure to help today's writers preserve their memories and wisdom for many generations to come.
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