Customer Reviews

Yellowstone Moran: Painting the American West

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Lita Judge's "Yellowstone Moran: Painting the American West" brings excitement to the brave adventures of Thomas Moran and the stunning beauty of Yellowstone National Park, the park he painted and helped create.

Early fur trappers brought back unbelievable tales of a strange land high in the Rocky Mountains. At last, in 1871, the Hayden expedition headed into this wild, rugged country to see if it really was full of boiling geysers, sulfur pools, and steep, yellow cliffs. Yellowstone Moran describes how Thomas Moran, a talented artist, rushed West and talked Dr. Hayden into allowing him to join the expedition. Thomas was well equipped as an artist, but a greenhorn when it came to the challenges of horses, mule trains and wild animals. With superb use of color and design Judge's paintings make me feel the struggle of stubborn mules, the calm of a moonlit geyser basin, and the indignity Moran felt when he needed to place a pillow on his saddle because he was so saddle sore. Her Yellowstone landscapes bring back my own warm memories of the many times I have been there.

Judge's writing captures both adventure and history; her stunning paintings capture the essence of Thomas Moran's art and the grandeur of Yellowstone. This combination makes for a beautiful book, full of Yellowstone's beauty and appreciation for Thomas Moran. Its fascinating, true story shows us how the Hayden expedition and Moran's paintings helped convince Congress to create Yellowstone National Park, our first national park. I highly recommend this book, both for its story and for its exceptional art.

Yellowstone Moran: Painting the American West is another excellent book from Lita Judge. She has a great ability to capture historical events and bring them to life. This book introduces children to the art style of Thomas Moran and turns a historical fact into an exciting adventure. Great book and I highly recommend it.

When Lita Judge was growing up, her family visited Yellowstone every summer. They spent weeks at a time in the great park. Lita dreamed of being an explorer and painting a magical place few had ever seen.
In Yellowstone Moran, Lita uses her knowledge of the park to capture the discoveries of the landscape painter Thomas Moran and the 1871expedition to Yellowstone. The next year Moran's epic painting helped convince Congress to make Yellowstone America's first national park.
Lita's lively account and vivid art lets readers share in the excitement of that expedition.