Aubrey L. Haines

Part 2 of one of the most comprehensive histories of Yellowstone you will probably ever encounter. Picking up at the end of the 19th century, this book explores all aspects of Yellowstone National Park - from the building of roads, to the occupation and protection by the military, to the staffing of the National Parks rangers, to the management of wildlife, to the changing of the park for the automobile, to… Well, you get the idea – it’s all in here. Unless you are a hard core, I-have-to-know-everything fan, this will probably have too much detail for you. However, if you have an interest in a specific area, this book will cover it (and, even if you only have a specific interest, the entire book will still be a pleasure to read.) For the casual Yellowstoner, this will be too much; but, for anyone with more than a passing interest, these two volumes are fantastic.… (mere)

This is a book for the Yellowstone geek – the kind who wants to know the minutiae of how the park started. There is probably also some interest to those who have an interest in the way the Western US was developed, and for those who want a look at politics of the 1800s. But the casual reader will probably be left cold. However, we geeks will enjoy the trials and travails that are spelled out here.

The book starts slow. In fact, the first chapter is almost useless, describing the different ways the name Yellowstone has been used in the area. It then continues it’s glacial pace (yes, I meant that to be a pun) by describing the prehistory of the park. But, it then picks up as it describes the various visitors, how they learned more about the park area, and the machinations that have helped bring the park to its current state.

The ultimate compliment – I now want to read Volume Two.… (mere)