Product Description

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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #41439 in Books
• Published on: 2005-05-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

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.

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.

Review
"An extravagant celebration filled with devotion, and with passion for its locale, its people, and their history."

-- The Washington Post

"A casually artful and triumphant end to Doig's trilogy."

-- Kirkus Reviews

"Doig again displays a masterly skill in depicting the American West which few writers match."

-- Publishers Weekly

"Spiced with Doig's inimitable dialogue and colorful characters, Ride with Me, Mariah Montana preserves a cherished bit of America's landscape and history for all of us."

-- USA Today

Customer Reviews

Utterly charming...read the whole series if you can!
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.

The last installment in the Montana trilogy,
"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.

Wonderful Conclusion to the Story of the McCaskills
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.