01 Aug Round Up: Titles for Aficionados

These Creatures of a Day 

Written by Marc Beaudin

Featuring 56 poems by Marc Beaudin that delve into our connection and disconnection with the natural world and each other, These Creatures of a Day is a collection that inhabits its readers. Beaudin’s pieces run the emotional gamut — from humor to anguish — and cut to the heart of life lived in today’s Rocky Mountain West. Common characters such as the chickadee and sandhill crane rise up above flowing rivers toward snow-capped peaks as Beaudin questions, answers, pokes, and prods, relying on recognizable place names to engage the Montana reader. The hand-bound book comes on the heels of Beaudin’s Montana Book Award-winning title, Life List: Poems, and is signed by the author.

$18 | 91 pages | April 2024 |
 Foothills Publishing

The Greatest Westerns Ever Made and the People Who Made Them 

Written by Henry C. Parke with True West magazine

An eclectic review of Western film and television, The Greatest Westerns Ever Made and the People Who Made Them explores the full breadth of the genre, from Robert Duval and Tom Selleck’s acting careers to Henry Ford’s classic black-and-white films to contemporary iterations like Paramount Television’s Yellowstone. Screenwriter and self-described “wanna-be cowboy” Henry C. Parke has penned numerous articles on Western film production. In this volume, he works with True West magazine to explore common themes, archetypes, and characters through research and interviews with influential Western filmmakers and actors. Featuring sections that explore the women — on and off screen — of the genre’s films, as well as Indigenous perspectives on Western films and Hollywood’s Native American portrayal, The Greatest Westerns Ever Made is a comprehensive tribute to the popular genre.

$24.95 | 256 pages | February 2024 | TwoDot Books

Jay Contway: The Artist, The Cowboy, His Legacy at the Calgary Stampede 

Written by Lynn Contway

Between 1984 and 2024, late sculptor Jay Contway produced 244 bronze castings for the Calgary Stampede, which were awarded to top contestants of one of the world’s largest rodeos. In July, the last bronze was awarded, ending a 40-year run on the trophy commissions. While Contway’s pieces for the Calgary Stampede were but a small fraction of his art, he credited the Calgary Stampede for making his career successful due to the relationships he forged and the sculptures he sold from his booth. A native Montanan, Contway’s art embodied his appreciation for the working cowboy, Western history, and his Native ancestry. This book by the late artist’s wife, Lynn Contway, explores his contributions to the Calgary Stampede, complete with details about his inspiration and models, as well as remembrances from friends.

$50 | 141 pages | March 2024 | 
Sweetgrass Books