May-June Book Club Selection: Bad Land by Jonathan Raban

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“Nowhere, not even at sea, does a man feel more lonely than when riding over the far-reaching, seemingly never-ending plains; and after a man has lived a little while on or near them, their very vastness and loneliness and their melancholy monotony have a strong fascination for him.” -Theodore Roosevelt

If you’ve spent any amount of time exploring Montana’s eastern plains, then this quote will definitely resonate.

My most recent trip to the area’s “never-ending plains” coincided with some of Montana’s worst wildfires in decades, resulting in a hot, smoky, disorienting three days of rambling around the lonely, vast landscape, confused as to exactly what planet I was actually on.  

And if the landscape isn’t fascinating enough, the history of its white settlement is one of the more eye-opening tales of arrogance, shady corporate influence, and complete disregard for the realities of the West’s harsh climate. The crookedness and cluelessness that defined much of the “taming” of the West can be broadly summarized by the settlement of eastern Montana in the early 20th century.

So, do you want to read a book about it?  Good! Because the May-June Book Club Selection is:

Bad Land: An American Romance by Jonathan Raban

I absolutely loved the book– it’s substantive history presented in an engaging and sometimes-funny style that made it a breeze to read. As a bonus, Raban is British, so he brings an outsider’s perspective to his analysis, utterly free of the romantic biases that Americans often harbor toward the West.

The lessons and facts gleaned from this book have stuck with me long after reading it, and I find myself often thinking back on it as a significant reference point for my understanding of the West.  

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If you’d like to participate:

• Grab a copy of Bad Land—purchase it from Amazon or your local bookseller, or check it out from your local library. Start reading.
• Head over to our Goodreads Group. Create an account, then join in the conversation in the online discussion forum. As you read, give your feedback on the book, pose questions to the group, and share your thoughts as you plow through the adventure.
• The only way this works is with lots of participation from lots of people, so the more the better. DON’T BE SHY!

Mountain & Prairie Book Club – Goodreads Group