Regional reads, gift ideas

By Journal staff | Monday, November 26, 2007

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Just 31 days till Christmas: Let the shopping begin. Here are some of the top holiday books this season, provided by the South Dakota State Historical Society and Borders Books in Rapid City. "Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Writer’s Life,” by Pamela Smith Hill.

Hill, an Oregon author with roots in South Dakota, explores the development of Wilder as a writer and her often tumultuous relationship with her daughter and editor, Rose.

The book is available for $12.95 at most bookstores or by contacting the South Dakota State Historical Society at www.sdshspress.com or 773-6009.

“Tatanka and the Lakota People,” by illustrator Donald F. Montileaux

Winner of the Aesop Accolade from the American Folklore Society, “Tatanka and the Lakota People” is part of the Lakota creation legend. Based on centuries of storytelling, it tells how the buffalo came to live with the Lakotas so that they would have life-sustaining food, shelter and clothing. “Tatanka and the Lakota People” is presented in both English and Lakota. It describes the Lakotas’ creation, the trickery that caused them to move from the Underworld and their ultimate survival in this world.

“Tatanka and the Lakota People” is $16.95 plus shipping and tax.  It can be purchased from most bookstores, or ordered directly from the South Dakota State Historical Society Press. Go to www.sdshspress.com or call 773-6009 for more details.

“The Mystery of the Round Rocks,” by Mark Meierhenry and David Volk and illustrated by Jason Folkerts

The book is a geological history of South Dakota aimed at children between first and fourth grades. It tells the story of glacial formation in the state and explains why there are so many small round rocks in South Dakota.

“The Mystery of the Round Rocks” is available for $13.95 at most bookstores or by contacting the South Dakota State Historical Society at www.sdshspress.com or 773-6009.

“Zitkala-Sa’s Dance in a Buffalo Skull,” illustrated by S.D. Nelson

Nelson, an artist from the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, mixes traditional Lakota art with modern styles to bring the old story of frolicking mice and the danger they face on the prairies of South Dakota.

The book is available for $14.95 at most bookstores or by contacting the South Dakota State Historical Society at www.sdshspress.com or 773-6009.

Here are some of the top holiday books this season, provided by the South Dakota State Historical Society and Borders Books in Rapid City.

“Cowboy Life: The Letters of George Philip,” illustrated by Mick B. Harrison. Forward by Cathie Draine and after-word by Richard W. Slatta, author of “Cowboy: The Illustrated History” and “Cowboys of the Americas”

“Cowboy Life” depicts the life adventures of cowboys in the open range era. It features 21 letters from Philip to his children, detailing his experiences in South Dakota in the early 1900s.

The book is available for $25.95 and can be purchased at local bookstores or from the South Dakota State Historical Society Press. Go to www.sdshspress.com or 773-6009.

“Daschle vs. Thune,” by Jon Lauck

Lauck, a South Dakota historian, examines the hard-fought U.S. Senate race between incumbent Tom Daschle and John Thune in 2004.

The book is available for $24.95 at most bookstores.

“Black Hills Yesterday & Today,” by Paul Horsted

Horsted’s book features dozens of historic photographs of Black Hills-area towns and landmarks that are matched with modern photos taken from the same angle.

The book is available at Borders Books for $65.

“Verne Sankey: America’s First Public Enemy,” by Timothy W. Bjorkman

In 1934, the United States Justice Department announced that the FBI had captured America’s Public Enemy No.1: Verne Sankey. Bjorkman explores the life of the often overlooked criminal, a South Dakota family man who became a bootlegger, a bank robber and eventually a kidnapper.

The book is available for $24.95 at most bookstores or at the University of Oklahoma Press at www.oupress.com.

“South Dakota Simply Beautiful,” by J.C. Leacock

Leacock contrasts the ruggedness of the peaks of the Badlands National Park with the prairie’s rolling hills in this book about the state’s aesthetics.

The book is available for $24.95 at bookstores.

“900 Miles from Nowhere,” by Steven R. Kinsella

“900 Miles from Nowhere” chronicles the daily life and struggles of the homesteaders on the Great Plains. The book is told in their voices through letters, diaries and photos.

The book is available for $29.95 at bookstores or at the Minnesota Historical Society Press at http://shop.mn hs.org/mhspress.cfm.

“All Wild Horses: Preserving the Spirit and Beauty of the World’s Wild Horses,” by Dayton Hyde

The author guides readers through the history and future of wild horses that exist throughout the United States.

The book is available for $40 at local bookstores or at Voyageur Press at www.voyageurpress.com.

“Shallow Grave,” by Lori Armstrong

When bones are found in fictional Bear Butte County, a new case opens for private investigator Julia Collins.

The book is available at Borders for $7.95 or at www.medallionpress.com.

“Dakota Flora: A Seasonal Sampler,” by David Ode

Ode explores the seasons of the prairie, introducing readers to 82 of the states wild plants.

The book is available for $29.95 at most bookstores or by contacting the South Dakota State Historical Society at www.sdshspress.com or 773-6009.

“Heartland Legacy,” by Gail Crane

The wife of artist Jon Crane chronicles his life in this new book, which features a variety of Crane’s artwork.

The book is available for $75 at bookstores.

“South Dakota Fishing Map Guild,” Sportsman’s Connection

The fisheries of South Dakota come alive with expert advice, from the Missouri River to the trout lakes of South Dakota. The guild is available at Borders for $21.95 or at www.sportsmanconnection.com.

“South Dakota Curiosities,” by Bernie Hunhoff

Hunhoff compiles the many quirky bits of information about South Dakota in this 300-page travel book.

The book is available in bookstores for $14.95 or by calling South Dakota magazine at 1-800-456-5117.