Book description
Mary Zeiss Stange's story of running a bison ranch with her husband
in southeastern Montana--on the outskirts of nowhere and
far-from-here--is a narrative of survival in a landscape and a society
at once harsh and alluring. In this series of essays she illustrates
the realities of ranch life at a time when the "New West" of
subdivision, "ranchettes," telecommuting, and tourism
collides with the "True West" of too much, too little, too
hard, and too harsh. This society is molded by the climate, and both
run to extremes, simultaneously unforgiving, often brutal, yet capable
of unalloyed charm and breathtaking beauty.
Her stories explore the myths and realities of ranch life in modern
America--the brandings, rodeos, and demolition derbies that are major
events, and the social, environmental, and political factors at work
in shaping the land and the people.
Less memoir than deep history of people and place, these vivid,
naturalistic tales examine the complex relationships that comprise
life in the rural West today.
Mary Zeiss Stange is professor of women's studies and religion at
Skidmore College, where for eight years she served as director of the
women's studies program. Her publications include
Woman the Hunter,
Gun Women: Firearms and Feminism in Contemporary America
, and
Heart Shots: Women Write about Hunting
. She is also the author of numerous articles in major magazines,
newspapers, and scholarly journals. The Crazy Woman Bison Ranch is
located near Ekalaka, Montana.
