Josh's Book Example Book Review

A Humorous Perspective on Montana’s Present Past

A one-day, 26-mile hike down a mountain without a drink of water; a dog that loves chasing down coyotes all summer long; a grizzly bear that pops out of nowhere when you least expect it; and a cook who plays the poker table as well as he handles a frying pan. What do all of these things have in common? They are but a few of the many interesting scenes, people, and animals found in Norman Maclean’s colorful story USFS 1919: The Ranger, the Cook, and a Hole in the Sky. This story comes highly recommended: reading it will surely bring a smile to your face (it's hilarious!) while at the same time you can catch a vivid glimpse of Montana’s fading but still present past.

While there are no laugh-out-loud scenes in USFS 1919, the story’s subtle but prevalent humor leaves the reader with a smile that remains for days. Take, for instance, the scene in which the protagonist, Norman Maclean, and his fellow forestry companions adamantly argue with a crew of surveyors from the U.S. Geological Survey about the naming of an unknown creek across the border in Idaho. The surveyors are unsure of whether or not they should mark the creek with its given name, “Wet Ass Creek,” given the inappropriateness of the title. Norman and his crew insist that the creek keep its original name. Having a little fun with the federal surveyors—who are, by the way, from out-of-state—Norman and his gang accurately and amusingly point out, “There are only five thousand Deer Creeks in the country. Let’s keep the America’s only Wet Ass Creek” (p. 159). The surveyors put it to a vote, and the original name wins out. Norman, who is only 17 in the story, envisions the area surrounding the creek as a new national park—Wet Ass National Park, “where all the pilgrims from Brooklyn can stop their cars in the middle of the road and let their children feed the grizzlies and vice versa” (p. 160). In the end, the joke is on Norman and his crew: when the map is published, the name is shown as “We-ta-se Creek”, bearing little resemblance to the original.

If nuanced “Montana-style” humor wasn’t enough, USFS 1919 offers a vivid view of what life was like in western Montana a little less than 100 years ago. With a multitude of traditions, characters, and scenes that describe a Montana that was shaped by mountain men, loggers, firefighters, and women who were as strong as their men, the story places the reader in a picture of a world that is rapidly vanishing but can still be seen by those with observant eyes. Importantly, the story follows the adventures of 17-year-old Norman Maclean during his last summer working as a fire lookout. Norman’s role-model in the story is Bill, the head ranger in the Bitterroot Valley, who teaches young Norman about the ancient but intricate art of “packing.” As Norman keenly observes of Bill, “with a rope, he was an artist” (p. 128). And in a world where there “were still few roads across the mountains and none across the Bitterroot Wall” (p. 129), this type of artistry was not only highly valued but also necessary for survival in the still untamed wilderness. While the art of packing is not as common now as it was in the Maclean’s story, take a trip into the roadless Bob Marshall Wilderness area just east of Missoula, as ELI teacher Lisa Willis recently did, and you will find that your guide's "packing" skills reflect a tradition that has changed little since the days when Norman and his hero, the ranger Bill, packed animals over the Bitterroot divide. Another part of the story that provides a descriptive reminder of Montana’s past is the scene in which Norman and his crew set the stage to double their money in Hamilton after collecting their summer’s pay. As stated above, the crew’s cook is as skilled at poker as he is in the kitchen; hence, the crew comes up with a plot to hustle (win against dishonestly) the rough poker-playing crowd at the Oxford, the toughest poker bar in Hamilton. The cook does indeed win all the money at the table; however, what happens next is a fight that leaves the cook hiding under the table and young Norman and his crew fighting half the town of Hamilton! While this type of scene is unlikely to occur in this day and age, if you walk on down to the Oxford in downtown Missoula (no relation to the Oxford in the story), you will find an intensely silent group of die-hard poker faces sitting around a game of “Texas Hold ‘em.” Furthermore, even today it is not uncommon to read about a bloody brawl (fight) that has taken place on the cracked concrete outside the Oxford. Indeed, it might be a better idea to observe the infamous locale from across the street!

If you enjoy learning a little about the colorful history of the place you now live,  you will find USFS 1919 to be a humorous perspective portrayed through the eyes of a young Norman Maclean. Moreover, you will find yourself in a piece of Montana’s past that is still present today. Who knows? One day you might find yourself hiking next to “We-ta-se Creek” in need of a “cincha” knot in order to make it back to your car.