Ride with Me, Mariah Montana [Bargain Price] [Paperback]

Ivan Doig (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 31, 2005

This greathearted novel is the finale of Ivan Doig's passionate and authentic trilogy about the McCaskill family and their alluring Two Medicine country along the hem of the northern Rockies.

Jick McCaskill, the illustrious narrator of English Creek, returns as the witty and moving voice in this classic encounter with the American road and all the rewards and travails it can bring. Jick faces his family's -- and his state's -- legacy of loss and perseverance from the vantage point of Montana's centennial in 1989 when his daughter Mariah enlists him as Winnebago chauffeur to her and her ex-husband, the magnificently ornery and eloquent columnist Riley Wright, when their news-paper dispatches them to dig up stories of the "real Montana." Just as the centennial is a cause for reflection as well as jubilation, the exuberant travels of this trio bring on encounters with the past in "memory storms" that become occasions for reassessment and necessary accommodations of the heart.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this conclusion to the McCaskill trilogy, moody widower Jickyes,JICK , his feisty photographer daughter, Mariah, and her ex-husband, Riley, celebrate Montana's 1989 centennial by criss-crossing the state in a Winnebago. Doig "displays a masterful skill in depicting the American West which few writers match," said PW. "This entertaining ramble blends travelogue, family drama, history and newspaper lore." Author tour.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

To explore the meaning of Montana's century of statehood, 65-year-old Jick McCaskill, his photographer daughter Mariah, and her newspaper columnist ex-husband Riley Wright tour the Treasure State in Jick's Winnebago. While Riley writes on-the-scene dispatches and Mariah takes photos of the places they visit, Jick, the narrator, recounts the state's--and his family's--good and bad times. A lengthy picaresque with innumerable well-crafted vignettes, this leisurely novel could easily serve as a tour guide of Montana's historic places. As the miles go by, Riley and Mariah again fall in and out of love, and Jick, a widower, unexpectedly finds a new mate. The culminating volume in the McCaskill trilogy, which includes English Creek ( LJ 10/1/84) and Dancing at the Rascal Fair (Macmillan, 1987) , is highly recommended for its depiction of the past's impact on the present.
- James B. Hemesath, Adams State Coll. Llb., Alamosa, Col.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Scribner (May 31, 2005)
• ISBN-10: 0743271262
• ASIN: B001O9CG1C
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,141,219 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ivan Doig is the author of ten previous books. Seven are novels, including English Creek and Dancing at the Rascal Fair, and three are nonfiction, including the highly acclaimed memoir This House of Sky, which was a finalist for the National Book Award. A former ranch hand, newspaperman, and magazine editor, Doig holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of Washington. He lives in Seattle.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Utterly charming...read the whole series if you can!, September 27, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Ride with Me, Mariah Montana (Contemporary American Fiction) (Mass Market Paperback)

As a young American Studies major, I read _English Creek_ , the second book about the McCaskill family, for a class about the American West. I was enchanted. Then I read the first, _Dancing at the Rascal Fair_ (the first in the series) which enchanted me again. Close to ten years after I read my first Doig book, _Ride with Me, Mariah Montana_ yet again entertained and beguiled me. Doig is a gift to us readers.

There is not a single dud in this series. Even if you don't like "western" novels (and I usually do not), these are great reads with excellant characters.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Conclusion to the Story of the McCaskills, July 22, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Ride with Me, Mariah Montana (Contemporary American Fiction) (Mass Market Paperback)

The two earlier books in this trilogy introduced me to the wonderful, fascinating McCaskills and to the rugged, hard and dangerous beauty of Montana. This final book brings closure to the family story and describes modern Montana. Ivan Doig brings the characters to life and makes you feel the country as a character in itself. This trilogy is highly readable and very enjoyable. It describes an important part of our American culture.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The last installment in the Montana trilogy,, June 7, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Minnetonka, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ride with Me, Mariah Montana (Contemporary American Fiction) (Mass Market Paperback)

"Ride With Me, Mariah Montana" fits perfectly with "Dancing at the Rascal Fair" and "English Creek". The emphasis on well-developed characters and beautiful landscape descriptions continue to be foremeost. Beyond those, there is a story here, a complete story of a family. There are issues of grief, of loss, of love, and of reconciliation that are as real as day-to-day living. Fans of Wallace Stegner and Norman Maclean will find these works every bit as rewarding.