Idaho's Place: A New History of the Gem State

The Environment in Modern North America

by Adam M. Sowards (Editor)

Idaho’s Place is an anthology of the most current and original writing on Gem State history. From the state’s indigenous roots and early environmental battles to recent political and social events, these essays provide much-needed context for understanding Idaho’s important role in the development of the American West.

Through a creative approach that combines explorations of concepts such as politics, gender, and race with the oral histories of Idaho residents - the very people who lived and made state history - this unique collection sheds new light on the state’s surprisingly contentious past. Readers, whether they are longtime residents or newcomers, tourists or seasonal dwellers, policy makers or historians, will be treated to a rich narrative in which the many threads of Idaho’s history entwine to produce a complete tapestry of this beautiful and complex Western state.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm giving this book 5 stars primarily because of the chapter about women. All of the essays are well-written and worth reading, but the chapter on women was excellent. It felt much like a call to action because of the gaps of scholarship concerning women and Idaho history. Inspirational.

[Jane White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a good overview of Idaho's history. I have been here over four years now and wanted to learn more about the state's history. This book provided a sampling of that history and launching point for more reading.

I was expecting the book to be a chronological history of Idaho written by one person; instead it was topical, written by several contributors. This allows the reader to explore, in some depth, topics related to various aspects of Idaho's history, culture, and communities. I appreciated this approach, although some of the contributors did better in doing this than others.

I would not recommend this book to someone *brand new* to Idaho; instead "get your feet wet" a bit first.

[Kenn Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway.

An interesting book about the birth of Idaho. A collection of essays take you through how Idaho became the state it is today.

The first chapter was hard to get through, but you have to read it in order to take the following essays in context. The following essays cover the history of Idaho, both the good and the bad. The essay on the political history is a bit convoluted. The most interesting essays deal with immigration and racism.

Sometimes it reads like a textbook so I read in short spurts.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as part of my research for writing about Idaho. It is well put together and covers a variety of topics.
I enjoyed the chapters on environmental history and politics and women. Many of the chapters were overviews, but some of the chapters provided some good information. One of the projects of the book, it seems, is to urge others to write histories of Idaho.
Overall it was a good introduction to the history of Idaho and a great resource for other sources of information.

[Howard Frisk · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read several books on Idaho's history, and I have mixed feeling about this book. While it reveals much of Idaho's history that has not been thoroughly covered by other books on this topic, it unfortunately does so with an obvious liberal bias. Most of the chapters portray Idaho's history in a very negative light, emphasizing the faults of historical figures and the problems caused by the early government. For example, one passage in the book mentions Idaho as a place of "Christian hate." There is no such thing as Christian hate. Anyone who hates is not a true Christian, and it is a disservice to Idaho to portray it as a place of hate, Christian or otherwise.

[Dingerj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall it is a very good book. Some essays are uneven and dry, but you should expect that with this type of book. It was written as a textbook, but the general reader will like it as well.