|
Editorial Review Product Description
The American West of the 1930s and 1940s was still a place of prospectors, cowboys, ranchers, and mountaineers, one that demanded backbreaking, lonely, and dangerous work. Still, midcentury pioneers such as David Lavender remembered not the cold and the cruel fatigue, but rather the multitude of tiny things which in their sum make up the elemental poetry of rock and ice and snow.” And as the nation exhausted its gold and silver veins, as law reached the boomtowns on the frontier, and as the era of the great cattle ranches and drives came to an end, Lavender felt compelled to document his experiences in rugged southwest Colorado to preserve this rapidly disappearing way of life. One Man’s West is Lavender’s ode to his days on the Continental Divide and the story of his experiences making a living in the not so wild but not yet tamed West. Like stories told around a campfire, One Man’s West is captivating yet conversational, incredible yet realistic, and introduces some of the most charming characters in western literature. This new Bison Books edition features an introduction and afterword by the author’s son that discuss other phases and facets of his father’s remarkable life, as well as a tribute to the author by his grandson. It also includes nine new photographs from the Lavender family archives.
(20080609) ... Read more Customer Reviews (2) 
He brings the west of Colorado's early 20th century to life
I don't have time to give this the proper review I'd like.However, suffice it to say that this book brought the mining and ranching days in 1930's Colorado to vivid life.The writing is fabulous and doesn't lean too much toward the sentimental side.When things were hard, the author spares no words, and when things were grand, his words are sheer poetry.The author displays a clear joie de vivre about his early adult life out on the range and in the mines.I bought the book in Paradox valley while on a hut-to-hut mountain bike ride through the land of Lavender's youth.Reading it while memories of the landscape remained clear made the book even more of a treat.
Near the end of the book there are add-ons that were tacked on after the initial publication.It's interesting to note a clear change in Lavender's tone in the latter day writing.When he doesn't like something, he spares no words and his voice is more acerbic than it ever sounded in the book's first two-thirds.Much of what he doesn't like I agree with, such as those who hunt and kill for sheer pleasure, and the immense environmental damage done to the lands by humans.It's no surprise that he became a conservationist later in life.
This is one of those rare books that I didn't want to end.
Western history at its best
It's rare to find a book which is both educating and whose pose is so delectable. Upon reading it I felt I had discovered a treasure. For anyone interested in Western history, mining, or cowboying; this book is a must-read and I expect you will consider it a treasure. The characters (I could use no other word) come alive and the humor they used to transcend the toils of their difficult lives rises to the level of their misery. And, there was a lot of misery. David Lavender was twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and the reasons for his nomination are clear - this is an excellent read.
The new edition doesn't contain any additional writing by the author, but his son and grandson (both David Lavender)add some very interesting perspective along with some welcomed photographs. The book is really a series of short stories, each of which can be read in a sitting. But, I think you will find you will sneak into the next chapter.
... Read more |
