Distinctly Montana Magazine

16 D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A M A G A Z I N E • FA L L 2 0 2 5 Last Best Books Presents ISLE OF BOOKS 511 W. MENDENHALL BOZEMAN 406.219.3581 ISLE OF BOOKS & BOOKS 43 E BROADWAY ST. BUTTE 406.782.9520 THESE AND OTHER BOOKS AVAILABLE AT EITHER LOCATION WWW.ISLEOFBOOKSSHOP.COM WHEN MONTANA OUTRACED THE EAST: THE REIGN OF WESTERN THOROUGHBREDS, 1886–1900 BY CATHARINE MELIN-MOSER In the late 19th century, Montana's leisured classes used their gains from mining, logging and ranch- ing to invest in their newest pas- sion: horse racing. These genteel gentlemen, especially copper bar- on Marcus Daly, banking pioneer Samuel Larabie, and silver mag- nate Noah Armstrong imported some of the finest thoroughbreds in the world and allowed them to graze on Montana's rich and verdant grasses. To the surprise of sports writers and race fans, Montana's thoroughbreds became some of the best in the world, taking many of the top titles and exceeding expectations at ev- ery turn; one, named Ogden, the "Horse of Mystery," won a ma- jor East Coast title at the astonishing odds of 150 to 1. This sprightly and fascinating book will entertain fans of Mon- tana history and doubly delight devotees of equine history. Melin-Moser illuminates this obscure aspect of our state's his- tory with a sure authorial hand, and we are grateful to have her as our guide. THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JIM BRIDGER BY BILL MARKLEY Jim Bridger, like his one-time bosses Lewis and Clark, is a figure that we Montanans never tire of discussing. Parts of the state bear his name. All of the state, even today, bears the mark of his influence. We tell and retell stories of Jim Bridger because they are our stories. Thankfully, we never get tired of talking (and reading) about him. And even though the last biography of Bridger, Jim Bridg- er: Trailblazer of the American West by Jerry Ensler (itself a wor- thy volume), came out only two years ago, we found that Western historian Markley's entertaining and enlightening biography of Bridger has much to offer on its own merit. Markley's research is top notch, and his narrative of Bridger's remarkable life is well supplemented by maps and 70 images. Markley loves Bridger just as much as we do, and we predict you'll enjoy reading his insights on the man very much. A HISTORY OF MONTANA IN 101 PLACES BY ELLEN BAUMLER, CHRISTINE BROWN, MARTHA KOHL, KIRBY LAMBERT, WITH PHOTOGRAPHS BY TOM FERRIS A wonderful companion piece to the earlier A History of Mon- tana in 101 Objects as well as a fascinating read in its own right, A History of Montana in 101 Places is a wonderful armchair journey for any lover of the state's history, geography, material science, and culture. The book is handsomely illustrated with beautiful photography by Tom Fer- ris, with wonderfully informative and entertaining entries writ- ten by a team of Montana writers and historians, including the late great Ellen Baumler. The variety of places selected for the volume is wide, from bat- tlegrounds to Native-American sites, the cutting edge of Mon- tana's modern architecture to churches, homesteads, and old schoolhouses. Whether the prospective reader is a Montana maven who's been everywhere or a Treasure State neophyte, the book is sure to delight.

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