Hope Maintains her Throne: The Western Expeditions of Nathaniel J. Wyeth, Volume Two 1834-1836
Jim Hardee
Pinedale, WY: Museum of the Mountain Man, Sublette County Historical Society, 2018
Following his first work, Obstinate Hope (2013), author Jim Hardee (editor, Rocky Mountain Fur Trade Journal) maintains his excellence with this second volume of the journals of fur trade entrepreneur Nathaniel J. Wyeth (1802-1856). Providing historic context for short journal entries and related correspondence from 1834-1836, Hardee traces Wyeth’s pioneering efforts in establishing trade routes in the Pacific Northwest up the Columbia River, extending into the Rocky Mountain fur trade rendezvous system. A visionary, Wyeth’s business efforts did not prove profitable, yet Hardee succeeds in showing how Wyeth became a key player in the early history of the Northwest and Rocky Mountains. Many fascinating stories are provided of frontier adventures, and the documentation of geographic name changes allows readers to specifically place many events. Overall, this is a highly engaging and historically significant work by one of our best modern writers of the romantic fur trade frontier era.
Nathan E. Bender, Technical Services Librarian
Albany County Public Library
Running: Another Wyoming Adventure
Don Merback
Virginia Beach, VA : The Donning Company Publishers, 2016.
I was really looking forward to reading the book Running: Another Wyoming Adventure by Don Merbeck. I thought it would be great to read about some of the political processes that might be more specific to Wyoming. What I really enjoyed about this story was the way the author exposed the all too often negative realities about politics, no matter where the politician is running. But I also loved that he told the of the initial integrity and commitment of most first time politicians and then showed how that can change once the candidate is in office.
I did find the organization of the book a little awkward to follow and I frequently had to refer back to the who’s who type list at the beginning of the book. All things considered, I enjoyed the story and would recommend the book although it is not on my favorites list.
Kathleen Horton, Library Paraprofessional
Burns Jr/Sr High School