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Nothing to Tell: Extraordinary Stories of Montana Ranch Women
Sitting at the kitchen tables of twelve women in their eighties who were born in or immigrated to Montana in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century, between 1982 and 1988 oral historian Donna Gray conducted interviews that reveal a rich heritage. In retelling their life stories, Gray steps aside and allows theses women with supposedly “nothing to tell” to speak for themselves. Pride, nostalgia, and triumph fill a dozen hearts as they realize how remarkable their lives have been and wonder how they did it all. Some of these women grew up in Montana in one-bedroom houses; others traveled in covered wagons before finding a home and falling in love with Montana. These raw accounts bring to life the childhood memories and adulthood experiences of ranch wives who were not afraid to milk a cow or bake in a wooden stove. From raising poultry to raising a family, these women knew the meaning of hard work. Several faced the hardships of family illness, poverty, and early widowhood. Through it all, they were known for their good sense of humor and strong sense of self.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
July 12, 2023
A few of my favorite lines:
page 49
"A lot of girls had hope chests. They had sheets, pillowcases, quilts, and everything else. I didn’t have a hope chest, so we started out from scratch in the true sense."
page 52
"I bought my first sewing machine a short time after we were married. Bought it for ten dollars secondhand, and it took us a year to pay for it, a dollar at a time."
page 61
"Many a time I’ve put clothes on the line and they’d freeze so solid they’d tear easily, ‘specially sheets."
page 61
"Eighty-nine cents for a pair of bib overalls"
page 64
"I never went to the doctor (during pregnancy). I knew I was pregnant. I didn’t need him to tell me. None of the women ever went to him before (delivery)."
page 70
"In 1936 the government instigated the resettlement program. They would buy our land and resettle us."
page 78
"It had rained pretty hard in this one area, and some cattle had crossed there, and where they stepped down kinda deep, it wasn’t nothin’ at all to dip in and get a drink. Never give contamination a thought. In those days, water was water. Wet was wet."
page 95
"When they’d bring something that was real nice, they’d be asked for the recipe; then other families had it, too. Anybody that didn’t give out a recipe was peculiar."
page 98
"You had to learn when the oven was at the right temperature. At first when I learned, I put my hand in the oven and counted."
page 121
"The custom at the grocery was to pay once a year. We never thought of doing it differently. Just kept a bill running until cattle or produce were sold. And then we paid the grocery bill."
page 125
"Simple things were fun."
page 145
"He put a lantern down by this feet—cars didn’t have heaters then—and he had a blanket that covered himself with."
page 169
"Dad would go down the river a ways and throw in a stick of dynamite. Mother would sit in the boat; he’d come down, and they’d get a boatful of whitefish with a net."
page 177
"It was the poor people’s kids that went to this schoolhouse, three of us and four others. The rich people sent their kids to school in town."
page 179
"The following year Dad said, “You can’t start school now because Mama needs you.”
I helped Mama all I could, and I did most of the baking. I sewed; I made dresses for my younger sisters. That year, when I was supposed to be in eighth grade, I never got to go to school at all."
page 190
"The cheapest I remember eggs sold for was twenty-five cents a dozen. Just guessing, I s’pose in 1947."
page 191
"A lot of people have preference to the white egg. And then we have the people who want the brown egg. Some figure if it’s a brown egg, it’s no good. Don’t know where they got their theory from."
page 218
"We moved into a little place of our own, built out of doors from railroad cars. You could get these doors at the railroad shops in Brainerd. Other folks was doin’ the same. We lined up these railroad-car doors, got a roof on, and made a house."
page 220
"Land was worth, well, you could buy anything around here for twenty-five, fifty cents an acre."
page 222
"I was thinkin’ the other day, all these years I’ve never lived in a house where they’ve had a bathroom."
page 228
"In the early years, lots of times we’d come home-you never locked the doors—and find the beds are full. Somebody’d come ridin’ in, fixed themselves somethin’ to eat, and went to bed. I’ve come home and found a whole row of boots sittin’ outside the door. It was nothin’ uncommon to come home and find your house full of somebody."
page 49
"A lot of girls had hope chests. They had sheets, pillowcases, quilts, and everything else. I didn’t have a hope chest, so we started out from scratch in the true sense."
page 52
"I bought my first sewing machine a short time after we were married. Bought it for ten dollars secondhand, and it took us a year to pay for it, a dollar at a time."
page 61
"Many a time I’ve put clothes on the line and they’d freeze so solid they’d tear easily, ‘specially sheets."
page 61
"Eighty-nine cents for a pair of bib overalls"
page 64
"I never went to the doctor (during pregnancy). I knew I was pregnant. I didn’t need him to tell me. None of the women ever went to him before (delivery)."
page 70
"In 1936 the government instigated the resettlement program. They would buy our land and resettle us."
page 78
"It had rained pretty hard in this one area, and some cattle had crossed there, and where they stepped down kinda deep, it wasn’t nothin’ at all to dip in and get a drink. Never give contamination a thought. In those days, water was water. Wet was wet."
page 95
"When they’d bring something that was real nice, they’d be asked for the recipe; then other families had it, too. Anybody that didn’t give out a recipe was peculiar."
page 98
"You had to learn when the oven was at the right temperature. At first when I learned, I put my hand in the oven and counted."
page 121
"The custom at the grocery was to pay once a year. We never thought of doing it differently. Just kept a bill running until cattle or produce were sold. And then we paid the grocery bill."
page 125
"Simple things were fun."
page 145
"He put a lantern down by this feet—cars didn’t have heaters then—and he had a blanket that covered himself with."
page 169
"Dad would go down the river a ways and throw in a stick of dynamite. Mother would sit in the boat; he’d come down, and they’d get a boatful of whitefish with a net."
page 177
"It was the poor people’s kids that went to this schoolhouse, three of us and four others. The rich people sent their kids to school in town."
page 179
"The following year Dad said, “You can’t start school now because Mama needs you.”
I helped Mama all I could, and I did most of the baking. I sewed; I made dresses for my younger sisters. That year, when I was supposed to be in eighth grade, I never got to go to school at all."
page 190
"The cheapest I remember eggs sold for was twenty-five cents a dozen. Just guessing, I s’pose in 1947."
page 191
"A lot of people have preference to the white egg. And then we have the people who want the brown egg. Some figure if it’s a brown egg, it’s no good. Don’t know where they got their theory from."
page 218
"We moved into a little place of our own, built out of doors from railroad cars. You could get these doors at the railroad shops in Brainerd. Other folks was doin’ the same. We lined up these railroad-car doors, got a roof on, and made a house."
page 220
"Land was worth, well, you could buy anything around here for twenty-five, fifty cents an acre."
page 222
"I was thinkin’ the other day, all these years I’ve never lived in a house where they’ve had a bathroom."
page 228
"In the early years, lots of times we’d come home-you never locked the doors—and find the beds are full. Somebody’d come ridin’ in, fixed themselves somethin’ to eat, and went to bed. I’ve come home and found a whole row of boots sittin’ outside the door. It was nothin’ uncommon to come home and find your house full of somebody."
April 13, 2016
This one is difficult to rate. As a historical document and personal testimony of multiple women depicting life in the American frontier in the early 1900's, it is a fascinating read and highly valuable including historic details of everyday life that would be new and foreign to modern readers. As documentation of the actual words and language of those women, it is also priceless documentation which is the same issue that makes this difficult to rate literarily. Because this is, essentially, transcripts of personal interviews, the disconnected ramblings and switching of subjects mid sentence, mid paragraph, can be jarring and disorienting for the reader. However, we all deal with that on a daily basis in conversations but for some reason it seems to be more jarring when read in print.
For me, this was similar to reading Jane Austen or William Shakespeare; the rhythm of the language is foreign to the modern reader, but after a bit once your brain wraps around the direction and flow, this book can be like sitting down for an informal chat with an elderly aunt. It will more than likely have you wanting to steer her back onto topic or finish her previous sentence until you realize her new musings are just as interesting as the previous ones.
As someone who has read and enjoyed the Little House books and enjoys learning about foreign and historic daily life, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It has a slow and gentle pace, with each chapter devoted to a different woman's story and experience. These are ordinary, frontier women, no outlaws, international espionage or earth shattering surprises, just simple, ordinary women, the hard-working unsung heroes of the past who helped settle a wild country. I find great value in their stories. As a literary masterpiece, no, but that wasn't the intent or purpose of this book. So, for being what it is, I'll give it 5 stars.
For me, this was similar to reading Jane Austen or William Shakespeare; the rhythm of the language is foreign to the modern reader, but after a bit once your brain wraps around the direction and flow, this book can be like sitting down for an informal chat with an elderly aunt. It will more than likely have you wanting to steer her back onto topic or finish her previous sentence until you realize her new musings are just as interesting as the previous ones.
As someone who has read and enjoyed the Little House books and enjoys learning about foreign and historic daily life, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It has a slow and gentle pace, with each chapter devoted to a different woman's story and experience. These are ordinary, frontier women, no outlaws, international espionage or earth shattering surprises, just simple, ordinary women, the hard-working unsung heroes of the past who helped settle a wild country. I find great value in their stories. As a literary masterpiece, no, but that wasn't the intent or purpose of this book. So, for being what it is, I'll give it 5 stars.
March 10, 2016
Twelve oral histories of some ordinary/extraordinary Montana women. Born in the late 1800s and early 1900s, these women led lives that we in the 21st century can scarcely imagine. It is wonderful that their stories have been captured before their way of life is completely forgotten. Gray says, "I think one of the most important messages they have for us is that we should enjoy what we have." These women dealt with life without electricity, without running water, without most modern "necessities" that we now take for granted. They showed true grit, energy, and determination. And they did so with grace and sometimes even humor. I will never again complain about having a "heavy workload." These stories show me just how spoiled I really am! Highly recommended.
January 28, 2025
Fascinating to read about the lives of these women!
lm-research
September 20, 2018I enjoyed what I've read so far, but since it's partly research for a project that I pushed back to a later date, I'm temporarily returning it to my to-read shelf.
June 27, 2016
It's true - these ARE extraordinary stories of early, had to be tough-as-nails women, raising families in rural Montana. They didn't think they had done anything worth talking about when they were interviewed, but they were wrong. Their lives were sooooooo hard compared to mine. (I want someone to smack me if I ever complain again about being tired.) Our circumstances through generations of women might be entirely different, but deep down most women want the same thing, so I felt a deep connection to each woman in one way or another. As I read their stories, I often thought of my great grandmothers and grandma and great aunts. Their lives were hard too, but I never heard them complain. I'm in awe. I finished the book feeling tremendously grateful to these strong women who helped settle America. I also learned a lot that I hadn't heard or read before. It's too bad we don't still have the deep sense of community they had then.
July 7, 2012
Some of the stories in this book were fascinating ... I loved that I could picture my Grandma Baxter in many of these exact stories. I do wish the author had chosen a few more women from diverse locations of Montana. Most of the women were from the Livingston/Paradise Valley/Bozeman area, which was fine, but I have lived in MANY parts of Montana and except for a couple of women from central Montana (Lewistown) there was no representation from the eastern or western parts of Montana. Montana is so culterally diverse that I think we missed out on some great stories by not hearing about women who lived in other parts of the state. I do absolutely love the specifics that so many of the women could recall with regards to certain tasks and chores. They truly were "extraordinary" women!
September 19, 2016
This was a sometimes fascinating peek into homestead/pioneer life of women in Montana. There is little, if any editing and is more of a transcribed interview feel. Most of them go off on tangents and it has the vernacular of the way they spoke back then.
If you want story lines and plot, this isn't it. If you wonder how they kept ice cold without freezers or how to raise chickens or wondered what the day-to-day life for women were like back then, it might be an interesting read. It's basically an interview format with various women who gave their thoughts and memories in their later years.
It definitely made me grateful for all the amenities and conveniences we have and take for granted daily.
If you want story lines and plot, this isn't it. If you wonder how they kept ice cold without freezers or how to raise chickens or wondered what the day-to-day life for women were like back then, it might be an interesting read. It's basically an interview format with various women who gave their thoughts and memories in their later years.
It definitely made me grateful for all the amenities and conveniences we have and take for granted daily.
August 15, 2014
I picked up Nothing to Tell - Extraordinary Stories of Montana Ranch Women, while visiting Yellowstone and surrounding areas with my family.
This book is a beautiful compilation of "ordinary", mostly 90+-year-old, women's stories about their lives. I loved reading about, how they had a creek running under their kitchen or how much was involved in cleaning load of laundry, what they ate or how they celebrated.
Each woman, while telling her life story, revealing their wisdom, grace, resilience, courage, and brilliance.
Loved it!
This book is a beautiful compilation of "ordinary", mostly 90+-year-old, women's stories about their lives. I loved reading about, how they had a creek running under their kitchen or how much was involved in cleaning load of laundry, what they ate or how they celebrated.
Each woman, while telling her life story, revealing their wisdom, grace, resilience, courage, and brilliance.
Loved it!
February 22, 2016
Makes you think...
The writing is a little dull, but the stories between the lines are amazing. The women who shared their stories are the truest expression of American grit, ingenuity, determination, and modesty--the best of the best. They describe a life few of us could live now. They not only lived, they flourished, to the extent that most of those interviewed lived into their late 80s to 90s. One did so branding her own cattle when she was 80+, living in ranch country with no indoor bathroom. Read these stories as an homage. They deserve to be remembered.
The writing is a little dull, but the stories between the lines are amazing. The women who shared their stories are the truest expression of American grit, ingenuity, determination, and modesty--the best of the best. They describe a life few of us could live now. They not only lived, they flourished, to the extent that most of those interviewed lived into their late 80s to 90s. One did so branding her own cattle when she was 80+, living in ranch country with no indoor bathroom. Read these stories as an homage. They deserve to be remembered.
May 17, 2015
These are true stories of twelve Montana women who setteled in the southwest corner of the state. One family setteled in Montana in 1865, 24 years before statehood. Most of the newcommers migrated to Mountana to take advantage of the Homestead act. Some became school teachers, just by taking an exam when they graduated from high school. All the women were real happy when they got washing machines verses a washboard and a bar of soap.
July 31, 2014
I loved this. Very simply told in the women's own words. I wish I had something like this from my ancestors. There are certain things about their way of living that I feel a little jealous of! But I think I will stick with my indoor plumbing and epidurals! Hahaha
January 28, 2017
Excellent read
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about these women and what they had to endure. Makes me more appreciative of what I have today and how easy my day to day life is compared to theirs.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about these women and what they had to endure. Makes me more appreciative of what I have today and how easy my day to day life is compared to theirs.
January 21, 2021
A collection of interviews from the 1980’s of montana women born in the early 20th century. Many of them were second generation immigrants from scandinavia whose parents went to the United States and went west for opportunity. Scarcity in Scandinavia must have risen with resources being played out or monopolized.
Most, if not all, women lived in poverty, never took a vacation or traveled outside the country. The world evolved around and without them. They were soley focused on making a living on Montana ranches/farms. Existance was relegated to the lower levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
Humans are adaptable, though, and their lives adjusted to
their circumstances. Despite a lack of breadth and education they still find enjoyment and a certain contentment in the duties of ranch survival.
The author does not include answers to questions about personal dreams or positions on contemporary world affairs. My guess is they were never asked.
Book from yellowstone.org
Most, if not all, women lived in poverty, never took a vacation or traveled outside the country. The world evolved around and without them. They were soley focused on making a living on Montana ranches/farms. Existance was relegated to the lower levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
Humans are adaptable, though, and their lives adjusted to
their circumstances. Despite a lack of breadth and education they still find enjoyment and a certain contentment in the duties of ranch survival.
The author does not include answers to questions about personal dreams or positions on contemporary world affairs. My guess is they were never asked.
Book from yellowstone.org
August 13, 2023
A collection of oral histories of twelve women in their eighties from Montana's Paradise Valley. Women who believed they had "nothing to tell," but told of their creating a life from practically nothing on ranch land acquired from the government.
This is one of those books that will make you think!
This is a really interesting book to read. Afterward, take time to think about what you just read. Be grateful for what you have.
I know these women said they would never live any other way, but I felt sorry for them that they never met a person that was different from them, never tasted food that was from another culture, never visited an art museum, never went on vacation, never saw all of God's creations. I ended up feeling sorry for these women working so very hard all their lives and experiencing so little of all the splendor of the world.
This is one of those books that will make you think!
This is a really interesting book to read. Afterward, take time to think about what you just read. Be grateful for what you have.
I know these women said they would never live any other way, but I felt sorry for them that they never met a person that was different from them, never tasted food that was from another culture, never visited an art museum, never went on vacation, never saw all of God's creations. I ended up feeling sorry for these women working so very hard all their lives and experiencing so little of all the splendor of the world.
October 7, 2024
I love pioneer stories. I especially like to see how the women lived on their home in the country. Often I have thought that I would have enjoyed it myself. Not really not anymore. The only heat that they have in the house was a wood stove, and I have lived like this due to choice. But I had an electric oven.1 woman put a pie in her oven the bottom didn't cook. I thought, put it on top of the stove where it's hot. . We had well water , and it was wonderful. We did not have to carry it into the house like the women in these stories had to do. Every story in this book is wonderful, So I do not know why the author had to put the 1st part of the title of this book In it. There was a lot to tell.
March 28, 2020
For my final project in my writing class this semester, I am working on writing a story about the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 from the point of view of a Montana family. I was having trouble finding information about growing up in Montana during this time that wasn't extremely general, but when I saw this book it looked like something that would help me out. I loved reading through the different testimonies of women growing up in Montana in the early 20th century. Not only is there is so much useful information I can use in here to help me write my story, but it was also very interesting!
July 6, 2023
This book was chosen by the members of our bookclub. Many like Montana history and the lives of real women. This is exactly that the words of real women recorded by a historian compelled to seek the “extraordinary in ordinary life.” It was that too. Ordinary sometimes boring repetitive accounts of a rather hard life. The bookclub was critical that it wasn’t as interesting as they thought and even suggested some of the women were exaggerating. I found it interesting as I like accounts of daily life. I found my group’s response to it even more intriguing.
October 13, 2022
We have so much today and yet we whine about trivial things. The women interviewed for this book were tough, strong women. I know my immigrant grandmother had to be, raising five children in Pennsylvania coal mining country at the turn of the 20th century. Much of what the women talked about in this book my grandmother had to do. She never knew, when my grandfather went to work in the morning, if he’d come home alive. She made it through on a strong faith and sheer strength.
February 18, 2024
Twelve Montana Pioneer women in the 1800's and early 1900's sat at the table with author Donna Gray and told about their arrival in Montana in covered wagons or by train or horseback to homestead on the open land. They felt they had nothing to share about their youth and early years, but they told about the creativity they used working with what they had to make Montana what it is today. It is an enjoyable and tender book.
July 12, 2017
I have always loved the true life stories of the women who made their homes and lives in our country. One thing that really caught my attention, with all what we would consider as hardships, these women lived with everyday, They all seemed to have had a long life in spite of that. Or maybe because of it!
August 25, 2025
This book is great for anyone interested in the everyday lives of women pioneers, told in their own words.
Growing up on a Montana ranch myself (I'm 4th generation), I'd heard countless similar tales from my grandparents. I found the memories of the women interviewed to be very interesting and reminiscent of my own upbringing at the same time.
Growing up on a Montana ranch myself (I'm 4th generation), I'd heard countless similar tales from my grandparents. I found the memories of the women interviewed to be very interesting and reminiscent of my own upbringing at the same time.
January 27, 2020
Fascinating. Like reading the adult version of Little House on the Prairie. Number one lesson from this book: Happiness isn’t about material objects, a life of leisure, or doing what “feels good”. Grit and gratitude largely kept these women fulfilled. My generation should take note.
July 11, 2023
Really like hearing the stories of these Montana ranch women. With my husband's family homesteaders, and me living here the past 25 years, the back stories were very interesting. One of the stories even talked about a family that my mother-in-law knew.
July 18, 2024
Fantastic testament to the hardworking women who settled Montana. Reading their words transports you to their time and memories- we have so much to be grateful for in this time of conveniences. These women embodied true grit.
November 24, 2024
Recorded narratives left something to be desired as far as readability go. But I liked learning about REAL ranch stories before running water or electricity. The fortitude of our pioneers is amazing.
September 2, 2018
I absolutely loved it, these women are inspirational.
July 23, 2019
Gives great insight into ranching at the turn of the century.
December 14, 2020
slowww but a good trail read!! this one took forever bc i kept putting it down
June 27, 2022
Really really good! Picked this up in the Glacier NP gift shop at Lake McDonald, and am so happy I did!!! Such good life stories from amazing women!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews