Last Rides, Cowboys, Indians, Generals & Chiefs: The Legacies of the Early Photographers of The American West
Paul Jensen
[Greybull, Wyo.] : Pronghorn Press, 2018
As an avid history fan, Last Rides took me on an enjoyable journey into the lives of General George Armstrong Custer and three photographers, David Francis Barry, John C.H. Grabill, and L. A. Huffman. Jensen reveals a captivating story about the American West remembered through photographic history combined with research into the lives of these men.
The title and organization of the book had me confused. I thought the book was going to be about the photographers, however it started with a history of General George Armstrong Custer and what led to his demise. The second part of the book discussed three photographers in detail. Even with this issue, the book was interesting and informative.
Krisene Watson, Administrative Services Manager
Campbell County Public Library
Wyoming: The Next Question to Ask (to Answer)
Tyler Truman Julian
[Georgetown, KY] : [Finishingline Press], c2018.
I don’t advise treading into this collection of poetry lightly. While the sensory descriptions are stellar, the voluminous use of metaphorical verse may not appeal to all audiences and the content material is rather heavy. However, local references repeatedly mentioned will likely ring a bell in the heart of every Wyomingite.
While this book is a collection of poems broken into four sections, each has a strong connection to the piece prior or post. Nearly every poem has a crystal-clear reflection of the vocabulary and imagery mentioned before, creating a seamless transition into the dreamlike reality of Julian’s Wyoming, where metaphors and reality sway closely together. The poems’ subjects — neighbors, home, and the fear and confusion of death — are universally relatable and easily followed through to a complete and thoughtful ending.
Jessica Dawkins, Collections Technician
Wyoming State Library