Letters from Yellowstone [Hardcover]

Diane Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1999

A spectacular natural backdrop, a feisty heroine, and a rich period of American history converge in a unique epistolary novel about observation and independence.

It is the spring of 1898. "A. E. Bartram," a medical student from Cornell with a passion for botany and a gently astringent wit, talks--or, rather, writes--herself into a place on a Smithsonian-sponsored field study in Yellowstone National Park. Through lively and authentic correspondence, Diane Smith captures the naturalists' reception of what they had assumed to be a male "Dr. Bartram" and the entertaining and enlightening web of relationships that is formed between them over a summer of adventure and collecting.

A pithy agriculturist, a Crow Indian family, an aging nature writer, tourists, railroad barons, poachers, the U.S. cavalry ... a rich array of characters populate the park. From Alex herself (a firm believer in "science versus sentiment") to the mild-mannered professor who leads the group and flounders amid its human dilemmas there emerge clashing concepts of science, nature, and economics. In the tradition of A. S. Byatt's Angels and Insects and Andrea Barrett's Ship Fever, Letters from Yellowstone captures an ever-fascinating era and one woman's attempt to take charge of her life, in a majestic setting that crystallizes the interplay of Ursus americanus, Populus angustifolia, and Homo sapiens.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the spring of 1898, the Smithsonian Institution organized an expedition for botanical research in Wyoming's Yellowstone Park. First-time novelist Smith, an environmental and science writer, follows amateur botanist A.E. Bartram's summer as the lone woman in that party of male professionals, telling her story through detailed letters (and the occasional Western Union telegram). When Cornell student Bartram arrives in the camp, she receives a cool reception from expedition leader H.G. Merriam, who expected "A.E." to be a man. As the botanists strive to get along and gather flora unique to the Rocky Mountain area, they encounter the U.S. Cavalry and Native Americans. Disturbed by Professor Merriam's inventive, sometimes nonscientific methods, Dr. Philip Aber of the Smithsonian visits the park to inspect and perhaps close down the project. The troubled Dr. Aber finally wanders off unguided into one of Yellowstone's scalding thermal springs; his death adds to the party's web of tensions. As life in Yellowstone changes her, Miss Bartram must deal with her stiff-necked Cornell mentor, Professor Lester King, whose "black-and-white" thinking she finally comes to reject. Miss Bartram lights up the novel with her admirable intelligence, wit and honest desire to learn from everyone, but Smith wisely prevents her epistles from overwhelming the other characters' voices. Instead, the collage of letters and telegrams produces a Rashomon effectAthe same actions are viewed from many perspectives with no one narrator dominant. Serenely attentive, deliberately paced, as careful with psychology and history as it is with its botany, Smith's epistolary narrative makes a worthy addition to the expanding category of history-of-science novels. Author tour.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

-Told entirely through correspondence, this fascinating and often funny story tells of a scientific expedition to Yellowstone Park in 1899 to collect samples of its flora and fauna before more tourists trample the park. Howard Merriam, a mild-mannered professor from Montana and a botanist, leads the group. He writes his mother often and in great detail. Before the field crew gathers, a team member unexpectedly drops out, and, in desperation, the professor recruits A. E. Bartram, a medical student with a passion for botany but no professional training. The fact that the "A" stands for Alexandria is only revealed upon her arrival, and the addition of a female to a field crew camping in the wild causes great consternation among the other participants. The colorful lot includes Dr. Andrew Rutherford, an agriculturist looking for plants useful for cultivation and a heavy drinker determined to teach a pet raven to talk; Kim Li, a mediocre Chinese cook; and two undergraduate students who expected a summer vacation. Misadventures both hilarious and frightening occur as the work progresses, and attractive Alex Bartram emerges as a forthright and brave leader and a serious scientist. After many setbacks, the expedition achieves unexpected, if qualified, success. YAs will be caught up in this exciting story of the exploration and exploitation of Yellowstone and will learn of the park's early history, the trials of pioneers in scientific exploration, and the struggle of a woman to achieve respect as a scientist.
Molly Connally, Kings Park Library, Fairfax County, VA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Viking Adult (July 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670886319
• ISBN-13: 978-0670886319
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,641,817 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful read about Yellowstone and society in late 1800's, September 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Letters from Yellowstone (Hardcover)

I purchased this book to take with me on my first trip to Yellowstone National Park recently. It was a perfect book to take along! What struck me most was that it was set at the end of the 19th century which seemed to be a great time of change. It was interesting to be in the park myself about 100 years later and feel how much had changed, yet how much had stayed the same especially in regard to people and our need and concern to protect our National Parks and environment. The book deals more with the human element and some of the plant life but not much with the animal or geologic wonders of the park, but it was highly enjoyable and definately added another element of appreciation to my experience. I only wish the story had continued as I became very attached to the characters in her book.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you can't get to Montana this summer, read this instead., August 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Letters from Yellowstone (Hardcover)

I recently have had the great pleasure of reading Diane Smith's Letters From Yellowstone, and would recommend it without reservation to a wide variety of readers. While I am not normally a fan of epistolary novels, the characters in this work are so compelling the novel is difficult to put aside. This novel should appeal to environmentalists, feminists, naturalists, and other ists who prefer to remain unlabeled, such as I.

It is ostensibly the story of a group of 1898 scientists on an expedition of discovery to catalog the flora and fauna of Yellowstone Park before tourists, the railroad, local entrepreneurs, and poachers destroy it. I say ostensibly, because the expedition is one of self-discovery as much as scientific cataloguing. None of the principals is unchanged by the experience. Additionally, Smith uses this forum to introduce readers to a number of late twentieth century concerns: wildlife management, commercialization of public lands, role of women in sciences. The author's treatment of these topics is not heavy handed, and her careful research shows these concerns are universal, not just limited to a single era.

The novel's primary characters eventually find themselves debating the validity of science in comparison to other systems of knowledge and belief, and their conclusions are rather enlightening to those of who might think we have our position in life all figured out. Unlike numerous other authors who have attempted to express the dialectic of science versus belief, Smith succeeds. She is neither dry, nor pedantic in her characters' discussions.

All this is accomplished against the sublime background of the Northern Rockies. The action of the novel moves at the pace of a northern summer: days seem to last forever, but the summer season lasts scarcely more than two months. Despite delays and reverses in fortune, the party moves along with an inexorable drive brought on by the knowledge of the fleeting field season. While not an adventure, this book is nevertheless a page turner. Read Letters From Yellowstone while the summer is still here. You won't regret it.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comments on the subtle interplay between competing goals., August 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Letters from Yellowstone (Hardcover)

This is a beautifully written book that not only transports the reader to Yellowstone before the onslaught of the current throngs, but also presents the interplay of competing priorities for how this grand natural resource will be managed and used. A must read for those who crave a good story well told, for academics who would appreciate a tongue-in-check look at their world, and for people who wrestle with blending the scientific and humanistic approaches to a problem.