Customer Reviews

Coyote Nowhere: In Search of America's Last Frontier

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I have to admit, I thought I was a pretty seasoned traveler on the back roads of America. I have 4-wheeled to the summits of fourteen thousand peaks in Colorado; explored the canyons and slick rock country in and around Moab, UT; and traveled over the Mojave Road, not once but twice, in the east Mojave Desert. I have traveled from coast to coast and border to border, logging many miles on what William Least Heat Moon called Blue Highways, in his first, and in my opinion, best book. But, dear reader, after reading Coyote Nowhere, I now know that I am just a beginner on the journey. Coyote Nowhere is a road trip like no other you have ever been on. It is 26,000 miles in one yeaar in the northern high plains of the North American West that few have seen as up-close and personal as John Holt. The journey stretches from Montana to the plains of northern Alberta, from Wyoming to the Dakotas and the Missouri Breaks. The Purpose of the trip? "Coyote Nowhere will explore and examine the northern high plains from an extemporaneous and contemporary perspective through our eyes and translated into our words and photographs. We're looking for the true west, not the shortsighted vision myopically viewed by most as they whiz here and there along the interstate rarely seeing anything. The west-what we see in the Coors commercials and the SUV ads on television-has been bastardized by too many drive-in espresso kiosks, glitzy ski lodges, swank dude rances and flyfishing guides in pastel waders who serve champagne and caviar in their drift boats. In a word 'Californicated.'" And explore the area he does. Holt, along with photographer Ginny Diers, leave from Livingston, Montana, and travel the back roads, which is a charitable term in many cases, through eastern Montans, Wyoming, and Canada's Northwest Territories, with stops to fish and visit and meditate in some of the most out-of-the way locations imaginable. Travel with Holt and you will visit such towns as Clyde Park, Winsall, Pryor (pop.50), to the Pryor and Big Horn Mountains, the Powder River Country of Wyoming and the town of Ekalaka and the Badlands of South Dakota. The east and west of Alberta is dissected along the way to the Blackfeet Reservation, the Sweet Grass Hills, the Sun River Country to the Solid Sea Islands and back to Livingston. I will not describe in detail how to reach these places because, well, I suspect Holt would never forgive me for telling folks how to find his last frontier. Holt is a witty; biting; sometimes curmudgeon that set out to explore what he believes is America's last frontier. He ultimately believes that our high-tech, high-speed world will not spoil this rugged region. At least that's what he says. In reading the book I wondered if perhaps he made the journey to see this awesome splendor one last time before... This may well be the best road book on the market today. The title is taken from Jack Derouac's classic On The Road. This book may well become for the 21st century what Kerouca's book was for the 60's. If you like Ivan Doig, Norman Maclean, or Wallace Stegner you will treasure this book. Don't look for a travel book for this trip. It's one of a kind.

If your idea of a great family vacation is to travel to the great outdoors and spend your whole time in overcrowded campsights, ski resorts or tourist towns, then you may want to take a pass on "Coyote Nowhere." Author John Holt won't mind since he doesn't like your kind anyway. Holt spends most of the book extolling the virtures of the pristine and empty West while lamenting that so much of it is being ruined by housing developments, strip mines and golf courses. Of course, economic development is always a double edged sword, but Holt confines his comments to merely ranting impotently against it.

That said, Holt captures some great images and moments in his book. Most of these are his descriptions of the land and the joys of getting back to nature. As a storyteller, he doesn't have the touch of a Bill Bryson, and his narrative wanders unfocussed at times and not in chronological order. Nevertheless, he creates a strong sense of place that is worthwhile for anyone interested in his subject matter.

I can't express how much I loved this book. I bought it on clearence at Wall Drug on the way home from a backpacking trip in Wyoming, and I had it finnished the week i got back. It is an amazing book that really brings you to the beautiful land of the west. If you love the west and if you love the land, then you must read this book!