Brave Determination

Brave Determination Untold Tales of the West is a collection of anonymous testimonials from people who paused at a map of Montana and shared personal stories of their ancestors who had homesteaded on free land in Montana. As they pushed a pin into the map to show the location of the family homestead, they reminisced about the hardships of parents and grandparents, family stories passed down to children. Many of the stories are written in their own words; others are written in story form. Additional stories are observations of my own as I traveled to various fairs throughout Montana selling my first book about settlers in Glacier Park. Regardless of the county, the local fair brings people together once a year to celebrate the bounties of country life and promotes a comradery seldom found in other venues. Brave Determination tells the history of the cowboys, the sheepherders, homesteaders, vendors and the country school. Each section includes stories or testimonials that describe bravery, determination, or desperation for survival. They came from Yugoslavia, Russia, Norway, Germany, and many other countries. Some tell of family challenges, others tell about strong women whose husbands expected them to work like a man. A few of the observations describe the ambition of modern workers unwilling to take free handouts, people who take pride in themselves and say, "I want to do it myself!"