Chronicles of Colorado

by richard-d-lamm-and-michael-mccarthy-selected-and-introduced-by-frederick-r-rinehart

Book by

Genres: History

210 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

Reviews

[MaryJo Dawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a compilation of the impressions of Colorado from the various experiences and time lines of eleven authors; most of whom we recognize today. They include Walt Whitman, Helen Hunt Jackson, and Zane Grey, all of who wrote about Colorado for articles to be printed out east, or in private letters.

For lovers of Colorado history or enthusiasts of the rugged Rockies with all of its flora and fauna and the wild life that have or do exist here, I can recommend this book.
I found it fascinating, from those who admired it's rugged beauty, basked in the luxuries to be had already in Colorado Springs in the late 1800's, the satire and not so appreciative impressions of Kipling, to an account almost too amazing to be believed of survival in snow covered high elevations by Enos Mills. (Mill's story is perhaps my favorite.)

I will admit that the graphic descriptions of a huge hunting trip with hounds written about by Theodore Roosevelt made me cringe a little, although I am not against hunting per say.

Perhaps what stood out the most was how much the way of life changed in Colorado between the visits of Walt Whitman in the late 1860's, and Enos' Mill's harrowing experience less than eighty years later. It is likely all of the authors would be incredulous at what life in Colorado is like today.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a treasure! Thank you Kevin Cooke for alerting me to this book! To read the "travel logs" of Mark Twain, Horace Greeley, Helen Hunt Jackson, Walt Whitman, Emily Faithfull, Rudyard Kipling, Theodore Roosevelt Enos Mills and others was refreshing and enlightening. Emily Faithfull and Helen Hunt Jackson wrote beautifully! Shamefully, I had never heard of the work of Emily Faithfull in the area of equality for women. Mark Twain's telling of the buffalo hunt made me laugh out loud. There probably has never been a more honest writer than Zane Grey regarding the discomforts as well as the awe involved with hunting, camping and trekking through in the Colorado wilderness. Enos Mills account of his experience being lost in the mountains suffering from snow blindness was riveting. What an amazing person! Acknowledgement of the beauty and serenity of Colorado was a common thread for all writers.

[Ronnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

We were in Denver three weeks ago at Nursing Convention/Conference. We went to a book store" The Tattered Cover" found it to be a real beauty of a book store...There we bought some books ....one of them was this book. I liked it because like the various authors noted....I found many people living there who had just moved there or had been there for at 20 or 30 years...Yes the air is fresh.....the bike trails are awesome....the hoping of tourists coming to town is everywhere....Also in this book are many stories....two stand out...one by Teddy Roosevelt....the other by Zane Grey....I had read that Teddy wrote like Hemingway before Poppa came....Zane writes in a thoughtful manner that stuns you...please read this....