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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Being a history, a geography, a sociological treatise, one might think this work would be dry and dull. I found it far from that, that it was quite interesting and provided many points during the author's time exploring the landscape and people and chronology of a single county in the middle of the nation.
This is a beautiful book that needs to be read slowly, over years, consulted for its rich descriptive language, pondered many times, re-read, skipped around, wrestled with. It's a treasure on my bookshelf I'll keep returning to every now and then.
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
A complete antidote to the infinitely wide and inch deep information environment that we live in today. A rich, sympathetic and engrossing exploration of one corner of the world.
challenging
informative
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
I lived in the Flint Hills and my love of photography started here. This book captures the feeling that I miss so much about these wild and open spaces.
7 stars.
A deep map of Chase County, east central Kansas, on the turnpike halfway between Kansas City and Wichita, leading edge pushing west of the prairie, from the trees. I grew up 10miles from the eastern county line, a straight line off the edge of the square miles grid across the prairie to Matfield Green. Chase County is a part of my early life, and the prairie and hills he talks about are absolutely my happy place. The zen space where the wind lets you catch your breath. The most still moments I can ever remember inside myself are laying on my back in the grasses and looking at the sky.
I don't know anything about William Least Heat Moon. Only that I checked this book out from the library, and about 150pages in had to go buy my own copy, partly bc I felt bad for dog-earing so many library pages, and partly because I need to own it for my very own forever. It is a memoir of a place, and a people, and an ecosystem, and a way of life. It is true, not as in factual (that, too) but as an arrow is true.
I wish I knew more people like him in Kansas, and maybe I could've stayed. I am so sad this book can't go on forever.
A deep map of Chase County, east central Kansas, on the turnpike halfway between Kansas City and Wichita, leading edge pushing west of the prairie, from the trees. I grew up 10miles from the eastern county line, a straight line off the edge of the square miles grid across the prairie to Matfield Green. Chase County is a part of my early life, and the prairie and hills he talks about are absolutely my happy place. The zen space where the wind lets you catch your breath. The most still moments I can ever remember inside myself are laying on my back in the grasses and looking at the sky.
I don't know anything about William Least Heat Moon. Only that I checked this book out from the library, and about 150pages in had to go buy my own copy, partly bc I felt bad for dog-earing so many library pages, and partly because I need to own it for my very own forever. It is a memoir of a place, and a people, and an ecosystem, and a way of life. It is true, not as in factual (that, too) but as an arrow is true.
I wish I knew more people like him in Kansas, and maybe I could've stayed. I am so sad this book can't go on forever.
I can't imagine a book that I would be less likely to not only read, but really enjoy, than PrairyErth. Never mind personal rule breaking books like The Book Thief or Gone Girl, but rather a pretty massive book of over 600 pages, which is a "deep map" of a single county in Kansas, of all places. Not too fond of the Midwest, really, but Least Heat-Moon, author of [b:Blue Highways|63832|Blue Highways|William Least Heat-Moon|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1344263821s/63832.jpg|1383812], spins a remarkable tale of history, land, religion, Native Americans, murder, bigotry and more. It kept me turning the pages until the very end.
In this book, which he calls a deep map, Least Heat-Moon spends years exploring every nook and cranny of Chase County, Kansas. He splits the county into 12 even sections and spends a few chapters on each section of the county. Sometimes he might write about early explorers, other times about the fauna, plenty of times about the vegetation, both native and invasive plants, and stories of the characters that inhabit the county, both past and present.
He keeps it interesting by varying his methodologies, in ways that reminded me of Neal Stephenson's [b:Baroque Trilogy|823|Quicksilver (The Baroque Cycle, #1)|Neal Stephenson|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1377095669s/823.jpg|1610031]. Some chapters might be a complete flow of consciousness. Other times, he will relay a courtroom drama. Sometimes it might just be lists (of pioneer equipment, or trees, or birds) and other times full of quotes from other sources. So it seemed like there were plenty of voices that kept the stories from being stale.
The only downer were a few chapters near the end on the inevitable destruction of the Kaw tribe. Just the typical "white man's guilt", where they were just completely screwed over. And then it leads into a contemporary squabble of the tribal leaders. Just ugly.
But the last chapter is a nice travelogue, as he and a friend follow the Kaw trail across the entire county. I really enjoyed the book and can't wait to try some of his others. Heck, I haven't even read Blue Highways, which was the book I was looking for when I grabbed this one. He is an engaging, passionate writer who really entertains.
Some of the stories I really enjoyed were the ones on Sam Wood, an agitator who paid the ultimate price for having strong opinions. And a murder trial, which didn't seemed to end satisfactory. And the fatal plane crash of Knute Rockne. And how each section on a part of the county was led off by 8 to 10 pages of quotations that give you a hint of the chapter's focus.
In this book, which he calls a deep map, Least Heat-Moon spends years exploring every nook and cranny of Chase County, Kansas. He splits the county into 12 even sections and spends a few chapters on each section of the county. Sometimes he might write about early explorers, other times about the fauna, plenty of times about the vegetation, both native and invasive plants, and stories of the characters that inhabit the county, both past and present.
He keeps it interesting by varying his methodologies, in ways that reminded me of Neal Stephenson's [b:Baroque Trilogy|823|Quicksilver (The Baroque Cycle, #1)|Neal Stephenson|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1377095669s/823.jpg|1610031]. Some chapters might be a complete flow of consciousness. Other times, he will relay a courtroom drama. Sometimes it might just be lists (of pioneer equipment, or trees, or birds) and other times full of quotes from other sources. So it seemed like there were plenty of voices that kept the stories from being stale.
The only downer were a few chapters near the end on the inevitable destruction of the Kaw tribe. Just the typical "white man's guilt", where they were just completely screwed over. And then it leads into a contemporary squabble of the tribal leaders. Just ugly.
But the last chapter is a nice travelogue, as he and a friend follow the Kaw trail across the entire county. I really enjoyed the book and can't wait to try some of his others. Heck, I haven't even read Blue Highways, which was the book I was looking for when I grabbed this one. He is an engaging, passionate writer who really entertains.
Some of the stories I really enjoyed were the ones on Sam Wood, an agitator who paid the ultimate price for having strong opinions. And a murder trial, which didn't seemed to end satisfactory. And the fatal plane crash of Knute Rockne. And how each section on a part of the county was led off by 8 to 10 pages of quotations that give you a hint of the chapter's focus.
William Least Heat-Moon is best known for his Blue Highways, in which he went in search of America by driving lesser-known routes that circled it. In this, his followup, he cross-folded a map of the lower 48 states and landed in Chase County, Kansas. He spent six years there, talking with its people, and exploring its flora and fauna, its history good and bad, its geography and geology.
The book is divided up by the twelve ordinance maps that define this nearly-rectangular county. His writing style varies from interviews to extensive quotes on relevant topics, to amazing poetry documenting the lives of the coyotes and prairie chickens. He talks about many things, including floods, prairie fires, murders, race relations, feminism, the building of the railroad, the changing face of agriculture, and the plane crash that killed football legend Knute Rockne. He talks to farm kids who see little future there. Poignantly, he also covers the fate of the Kansa (Kaw) people, their history, downfall, deportation, near-extermination, and diluted revival.
Although perhaps a little dated now, PrairyErth is recommended reading for anyone seeking an appreciation of prairie ecosystems. It's also a demonstration of "deep ecology", exemplifying to those who seek to deepen their connection to the earth, to learn everything they can about their little corner of it.
The book is divided up by the twelve ordinance maps that define this nearly-rectangular county. His writing style varies from interviews to extensive quotes on relevant topics, to amazing poetry documenting the lives of the coyotes and prairie chickens. He talks about many things, including floods, prairie fires, murders, race relations, feminism, the building of the railroad, the changing face of agriculture, and the plane crash that killed football legend Knute Rockne. He talks to farm kids who see little future there. Poignantly, he also covers the fate of the Kansa (Kaw) people, their history, downfall, deportation, near-extermination, and diluted revival.
Although perhaps a little dated now, PrairyErth is recommended reading for anyone seeking an appreciation of prairie ecosystems. It's also a demonstration of "deep ecology", exemplifying to those who seek to deepen their connection to the earth, to learn everything they can about their little corner of it.
This is the kind of book that you have to take in chunks. It is a phenomenal work or research and experience on a specific chunk of land in Kansas. It is an astounding book but I found that I had to read 100 pags and put it down for a week then pick it back up. I loved it.
A slog. Ok, I read 2/3 of it, but I am calling it. I tried.
Do not start this book if you can't commit to a long relationship.
Over three decades ago the author spent more than five years collecting historic stories, geology, geography, hagiography, spiritualism, botany, zoology, medicine, and the near extinction of the native people living in what became Chase County, Kansas. This lengthy tome covers nearly everything that may have happened in that small 778 square mile patch since Pangaea split into 3 large chunks and does it all in only a bit more than 200,000 words.
The Flint Hills region of Kansas started as a great inland sea. As it emptied sometime in the Permian Era 200+ million years ago, all the wee swimming beasties died and formed the limestone the area is known for. These fertile plains were home to the Indians for many millennia. They thrived until European "Discoverers" started the wholesale slaughter of buffalo and native people in the "untamed" West. Indigenous people had related everything to a living universe, while Western people reduced everything to an object to exploit.
Least Heat Moon becomes self-indulgent at times, rolling off dozens of paragraphs in a Seinfeld-esque manner. While these may be boring, they eventually get around to making a point. Had these instances been a little scarcer, this would have been 5 stars.
Ultimately, I will likely read this again in spite of these peccadilloes
Unfortunately, this version was an e-book that was obviously scanned from a print copy. As a result, there are many little errors in transcriptions that are jarring as you try to decipher a non-sensical word or two, such as "ram"for "rain" and "bam" for "barn".
Over three decades ago the author spent more than five years collecting historic stories, geology, geography, hagiography, spiritualism, botany, zoology, medicine, and the near extinction of the native people living in what became Chase County, Kansas. This lengthy tome covers nearly everything that may have happened in that small 778 square mile patch since Pangaea split into 3 large chunks and does it all in only a bit more than 200,000 words.
The Flint Hills region of Kansas started as a great inland sea. As it emptied sometime in the Permian Era 200+ million years ago, all the wee swimming beasties died and formed the limestone the area is known for. These fertile plains were home to the Indians for many millennia. They thrived until European "Discoverers" started the wholesale slaughter of buffalo and native people in the "untamed" West. Indigenous people had related everything to a living universe, while Western people reduced everything to an object to exploit.
Least Heat Moon becomes self-indulgent at times, rolling off dozens of paragraphs in a Seinfeld-esque manner. While these may be boring, they eventually get around to making a point. Had these instances been a little scarcer, this would have been 5 stars.
Ultimately, I will likely read this again in spite of these peccadilloes
Unfortunately, this version was an e-book that was obviously scanned from a print copy. As a result, there are many little errors in transcriptions that are jarring as you try to decipher a non-sensical word or two, such as "ram"for "rain" and "bam" for "barn".