North of the Platte, South of the Niobrara: A Little Further Into the Nebraska Sand Hills

by Bryan L. Jones

Filled with adventurous writing, sharp scrutiny, meticulous and audacious use of language, North of the Platte, South of the Niobrara: A Little Further into the Nebraska Sand Hills winds around its subjects the way the rivers and creeks of the Great Plains twist around humps of prairie grass, ranches and rock outcroppings. The ambitious goal of author Bryan Jones was to create a fresh understanding of the Nebraska Sand Hills from the inside. Surely he has done that, and more. He reflects with almost unbearable poignancy on war and its consequences, and with fierce advocacy on two beloved Nebraska poets. He brings humor and occasional cynicism to reflections about “the metaphysical and metaphorical aspects” of the Sand Hills, Ted Turner and other newcomers, the Sandoz family and other old-timers and a considerable chunk of Western history.

232 pages, Hardcover

Published October 11, 2018

Reviews

[Laura Hiebenthal · Rating 4 out of 5]

"...it's a place you marvel at because you drive across the Sand Hills and here are hundreds of miles of pristine acreage that humankind, for all of its effort, hasn't screwed up, how incredible that is. What we do, our proclivities, is to screw things up. We will develop an area as much as we can develop it...But the Sand Hills, we haven't figured out how to screw it up," said Bill Kloefkorn, a Nebraskan poet (95). If you have heard of Nebraska Sand Hills and have an interest in them, read this book. If you've never heard of the Sand Hills, this is probably not the book for you. As someone who was born in Nebraska and has a little experience with the Sand Hills, I was intrigued. But I could easily see someone without that connection disliking this book.

The writing may not be Pulitzer-prize winning quality (the occasional typo made this English teacher squirm), but if you can look past that, the stories represent the lifestyle, culture, history, and people of the Sand Hills well. The majority of the people living in the Sand Hills are ranchers, so the reader gets a sense of this lifestyle and occupation. A good chunk of the book is devoted to the sale of the McMurtrey Ranch. The author uses this ranch as an example of what is often happening today--a ranch that has been in a family since the Homestead Act is up for sale because no one wants to work it and the family can't decide what to do with it. But the sadness for that situation is broken up with chapters on many other topics: a kayak trip down the Dismal River, a visit to a one-room, mulit-grade school (my favorite chapter), an exploration of author Mari Sandoz and family, the author's plane crash while trying to fly over the Sand Hills, a float trip in a cattle tank down the Middle Loup River, details of the physical history of the Sandhills, and an explanation of the Ogallala Aquifer.

What I appreciate most about this book is that it passes on a great respect for this beautiful land and the hard working people who live there.

[Laura Hiebenthal · Rating 4 out of 5]

"...it's a place you marvel at because you drive across the Sand Hills and here are hundreds of miles of pristine acreage that humankind, for all of its effort, hasn't screwed up, how incredible that is. What we do, our proclivities, is to screw things up. We will develop an area as much as we can develop it...But the Sand Hills, we haven't figured out how to screw it up," said Bill Kloefkorn, a Nebraskan poet (95). If you have heard of Nebraska Sand Hills and have an interest in them, read this book. If you've never heard of the Sand Hills, this is probably not the book for you. As someone who was born in Nebraska and has a little experience with the Sand Hills, I was intrigued. But I could easily see someone without that connection disliking this book.

The writing may not be Pulitzer-prize winning quality (the occasional typo made this English teacher squirm), but if you can look past that, the stories represent the lifestyle, culture, history, and people of the Sand Hills well. The majority of the people living in the Sand Hills are ranchers, so the reader gets a sense of this lifestyle and occupation. A good chunk of the book is devoted to the sale of the McMurtrey Ranch. The author uses this ranch as an example of what is often happening today--a ranch that has been in a family since the Homestead Act is up for sale because no one wants to work it and the family can't decide what to do with it. But the sadness for that situation is broken up with chapters on many other topics: a kayak trip down the Dismal River, a visit to a one-room, mulit-grade school (my favorite chapter), an exploration of author Mari Sandoz and family, the author's plane crash while trying to fly over the Sand Hills, a float trip in a cattle tank down the Middle Loup River, details of the physical history of the Sandhills, and an explanation of the Ogallala Aquifer.

What I appreciate most about this book is that it passes on a great respect for this beautiful land and the hard working people who live there.

[Jim Misko · Rating 5 out of 5]

For an old Cornhusker, this book is an enjoyable trip back to my youth. The interviews of the people who live and work in the Sand Hills is the story of original America. Working from dark to dark was usual then, and always came first over many other pleasures of life. Bryan writes well, telling of his school teacher education, and the people are alive, easily pictured in the readers mind. Just a reminder that the Sand Hills can grab you in a moment, so beware as these people are and were. Loved reading every page of it. Never met the people; won't be going back, but loved this book.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent look into the Sandhills...such a beautiful and interesting part of our state.