Behind the Seen: How Walter Murch Edited Cold Mountain Using Apple's Final Cut Pro and What This Means for Cinema, First Edition

Amazon.com

Cold Mountain, the recent film based on the Charles Frazier novel, is a love story set during the American Civil War. Behind the Seen, being the story of how accomplished film editor Walter Murch (of Apocalypse Now fame), is also a story of love in a time of internal conflict. The difference being that Behind the Seen has to do with how Murch used Final Cut Pro, a software package that runs on any modern Macintosh and costs less than $1000, to edit Cold Mountain and thereby incite debate among professional film editors. Can such a mass-market product, accessible to anyone with a camcorder and a FireWire cable, be a serious tool for professionals? Murch proved that it can.

Behind the Seen deals with the technical accomplishment of using Final Cut Pro to assemble a feature film, but more importantly explains to its readers how shooting and editing work--and how the personalities involved in Cold Mountain worked together. This is a book of nonfiction that you can read from beginning to end; it is a technical book but not in the click-and-drag sense. Rather, it's a story about a creative team and the tools they used to deliver a work of drama. --David Wall

Topics covered: How Cold Mountain was shot and edited, using Final Cut Pro as the principal editing suite.

Book Description

The first volume to reveal the post-production process of a major motion picture (Cold Mountain) edited entirely in Final Cut Pro!

Offers a rare inside glimpse at the creative process of one of cinema's giants: threetime Academy Award-winning editor Walter Murch.
Includes anecdotes from the director, edit staff, and producers; photos, emails, and journal entries from Murch; and behind-the-scenes insights.
Accounts from Apple's Final Cut Pro team about what they think about the future of it in feature films.

As the first software-only desktop nonlinear editing system, Final Cut Pro sat the film industry on its ear when it debuted back in 1999. Now it's shaking things up again as editor Walter Murch, director Anthony Minghella, and a long list of Hollywood heavy-hitters are proving that this under-$1,000 software can (and should) be used to edit a multi-million dollar motion picture! This book tells the story of that endeavor: the decision to use Final Cut Pro, the relationship between the technology and art (and craft) of movie-making, how Final Cut Pro was set up and configured for Cold Mountain, how the software's use affected the work flow, and its implications for the future of filmmaking. More than anything, however, this is Murch's own story of what seemed to many a crazy endeavor-- told through photos, journal entries, email musings, and anecdotes that give readers an inside view of what the film editor does and how this particular film progressed through post-production. The book includes, in his own words, Murch's vision, approach, and thoughts on storytelling as he shapes Cold Mountain under the intense pressures of completing a major studio film.

With Academy Awards for his work on Apocalypse Now and The English Patient, sound and film editor Walter Murch is one of the few universally acknowledged editing masters in cinema. Along with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola, he is one of the founding members of the Northern California cinema community. Author Charles Koppelman has been writing screenplays and directing video and film since the early 1980s, including the independent feature film, Dumbarton Bridge, award-winning documentaries, and commercials.

"An exploration inside the editorial engine-room of a major feature film - the first book of its kind ever and sure to remain the best. Charles Koppelman chronicles Walter Murch's astonishing high-wire trapeze act as he works his way through the first large-scale implementation of Apple's Final Cut Pro editing software. Must be read by anyone interested in film, computers, or how the creative process unfolds."-- Francis Ford Coppola, director of The Conversation, The Godfather,Apocalypse Now

"This is probably the subtlest and most tender account of what a craftsman brings to a motion picture ever written. It is fascinating in its detailand awesome in its gradual uncovering of the ear, the eye and the soul ofWalter Murch. The book may seem technical, or 'professional,' but anyreader will be thrilled by the description of a struggle and the necessarycommitment to it. To be read by anyone who has ever thought it might be funto make a movie."-- David Thomson, film critic and author of The Biographical Dictionary

"BEHIND THE SEEN is not only revelatory in terms of technicalinnovation, but it reads like a thrilling suspense novel. Superblywritten and paced, the book captures the brilliant and daringfilm/sound editor-scientist Walter Murch in all his passionate andcreative glory. Charles Koppelman has crafted a truly unique additionto the canon of film history, delivering a must-read for anyoneinterested in how movies are made."--Barry Gifford, author of Wild at Heart, Lost Highway and City of Ghosts

"... excellent, original and tremendously informative book...Koppelman's account reads like a thriller... Behind the Seen achievessomething remarkable: a chronicle about technology and data, machinesand methodologies which also manages to record a story of friendshipsand dreams-not least the dreams I have been lucky enough to sharewith my friend and editor over three films and for almost a decade."--from the book's foreword by Anthony Minghella, writer and director ofCold Mountain, The English Patient, and The Talented Mr. Ripley

Customer Reviews:

Apple Seeds Hollywood.......2007-01-06

This book offers a fascinating record of the interaction between art and technology, artist and corporation. It describes in thorough detail the logistsics of shooting and editing a feature film from start to finish using a totally untried and discouraged software and hardware tool chain formerly for amatuer efforts only.
The meeting of Silicon Valley and Hollywood industries creates a riveting plot that is hard to put down. The gorgeous graphic layout and attention to detail also help.
Only grumble was the detachment of one page from the binding, but if you don't sleep next to your copy, it probably won't be a concern.
Anyone interested in cutting edge (hah!) technology and/or legendary Bay area genius Walter Murch must read this book.

Not required reading.......2006-08-01

Get this is book if you want to read all about...

1. Walter Murch.
2. Cold Mountain.
3. What it was like to edit a feature film on consumer software that was not ready for prime time.
4. The practical problems facing an editor.

Do not get this book if you want to improve your editing technique. While Murch drops some nuggets of useful information here and here, I think that you have to go through too much irrelevant material to make it worthwhile. The lessons that Walter learned from FCP 3.0 are outdated, for the most part.

Disappointed. Not what I expected.......2006-04-05

I picked up this book expecting to get a blow-by-blow account of the editing of Cold Mountain and how Walter Murch translated his film cutting techiniques (that are well explained in either "In the Blink of an Eye" or "The Conversations...") into Final Cut Pro.

Instead the bulk of the book was spent in excruciating detail about the selection of Final Cut Pro as an editing platform. There was much talk of the concerns around using FCP3 to edit a feature-length film project. Likewise there was too much detail about the worries they had about shipping these systems to Romania for the edit. Would they have tech support?!? Would they have enough hard drive space?!? Would it survive customs?!?

There are even copies of e-mails of the order of the system and how grand a moment it was... Sorry, I found the inclusion of this material to be boring. I lost interest well before the edit actually started.

To me it was more a story of how Digital Film Tree (God Bless 'em. They ARE good people.) took a big chance on championing this effort and how they supported Murch and his Assistant Editor to provide the technical knowledge of FCP than it was about the actual Edit of Cold Mountain.

The information IS dated now that FCP is in version 5.1 (as of 4/2006) and that may have tainted my read of the book.

How Walter Murch Edited Cold Mountain Using Apple's Final Cut Pro and What This Means for Cinema, First Edition.......2006-03-24

Interesting, well written and easy to get your head around.

A Must Have Book!.......2005-08-10

I have been using Final Cut Pro since version one, and when I heard about Walter Murch using it to edit Cold Mountain, I was so excited. The book is well written and it gives you first hand knowledge of the pain and excitement of editing.

I'm not a big book reader, but I couldn't put this book down.

Walter Murch is a true pioneer.

A must have for your book collection!

The Flash of Lightning Behind the Mountain: New Poems

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Best of the poetry published posthumously to date.
one of buk's best
The best read I've had since the Sea Wolf
Classic Bukowski
Another set of great poems

The Flash of Lightning Behind the Mountain: New Poems
Charles Bukowski
Manufacturer: Ecco
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0060577029
Release Date: 2005-01-04

Book Description

The second of five new books of unpublished poems from the late, great, Charles Bukowski, America's most imitated and influential poet –– 143 never–before–seen works of gritty, amusing, and inspiring verse.

Customer Reviews:

Best of the poetry published posthumously to date........2006-04-21

Charles Bukowski, The Flash of Lightning Behind the Mountain (Ecco, 2004)

I've been going through Buk's posthumously-published volumes of poetry slowly over the past couple of years, and most of them are, basically, what I'd feared they'd be-- all the odds and ends left over that he never really felt were worth publishing during his lifetime. None of the posthumous books have had the fire and crackle of, say, War All the Time-- until now.

The Flash of Lightning Behind the Mountain shows that, near the end of his life, Bukowski returned to his roots, so much so that in some cases it's hard to tell what are the old poems here and what are the new; many of the pieces here explore rhythm and refrain more explicitly than he had in any volume since Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame thirty years before his death. The established Buk fan is going to find a great deal to like in this book, while newcomers to his work (really, is there anyone left who hasn't yet read Bukowski?) will find this an excellent introductory volume. Well worth your time. ****

one of buk's best.......2006-03-24

if you're here i'm guessing you're familiar with Charles Bukowski. These posthumous collections are supposed to span a wide range of Bukowski's career. I've found them to be more poignant, and "The Flash of Lightning Behind the Mountain" has been my favorite so far. You'll find the ususal introspective work and and observations from a lifetime put forward with great honesty. Here they are arranged in a manner which work as a whole. A credit to John Martin who managed all this art.

The best read I've had since the Sea Wolf.......2006-02-04

Deeply philsophical, intelligent, and, at moments, humorous. Bukowski is genius. I personally love the compilations of poems rather than a book. I can read for short periods, between duties, or go for hours because of the raw depth he has compiled into his life and words.

Classic Bukowski.......2005-12-01

This book is a collection of Bukowski's poems and vary greatly in mood, length, and style. One thing is consistent - they are all clearly Bukowski.

The poems range from the humorous, to the sad, to the hopeless, and the hopefull to those that simply grudgingly accept the reality of our lives - whether times are good, bad or somewhere in between.

I didn't like all of the poems, but Bukowski has an unapologetic style that doesn't go begging for approval. Read them, enjoy them, or ignore them - it's probably all the same to him. Reading the poems gives you a little insight into his life, and the book is a good supplement to Bukowski's fiction.

Another set of great poems.......2005-06-27

Another collection of great poetry.Bukowski's perceptions of life in this one are intense and scathing. Not an easy read at all.

Monument Valley: The Story Behind the Scenery

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Monument Valley: The Story Behind the Scenery
K.C. DenDooven
Manufacturer: KC Publications, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0887142192

Book Description

This is truly the land of the Navajo. Monument Valley was "discovered" by the white man over 55 years ago. Here you will relive the events as our culture found the Navajo's culture. As much as this is a story of the Valley and the Navajo, it is a story of the pioneers: Harry and Mike Goulding, as well as the photographer Josef Muench.

Monument Valley is a land of everlasting wealth. The Navajo, the formations, the very color of the earth--all show you a warmth that enriches and excites the emotions.

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Preconceived opinions?

Very well researched, gripping account of one of mountaineering's greatest tragedies

Who do we blame for a natural tragedy?

pursuits & dreams

Dissapointing

Forever on the Mountain: The Truth Behind One of Mountaineering's Most Controversial and Mysterious Disasters
James M. Tabor
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books | Espionage | Murder & Mayhem | Organized Crime | Serial Killers | True Crime
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The Boys of Everest: Chris Bonington and the Tragedy of Climbing's Greatest Generation

Minus 148 Degrees: The First Winter Ascent of Mount McKinley

The White Cascade: The Great Northern Railway Disaster and America's Deadliest Avalanche

Island of the Lost: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World

Annapurna

ASIN: 0393061744

Book Description

In July 1967, seven young men—members of Joe Wilcox's twelve-man expedition—died on Mt. McKinley, North America's highest peak.

Ten days passed with no rescue attempt, while more than half an expedition was stranded and dying at 20,000 feet during a vicious Arctic storm. The bodies were never recovered. And, for reasons that have remained cloudy, there was no proper official investigation of the catastrophe.

This book begins as a classic tale of men against nature, gambling—and losing—on one of the world's starkest and stormiest peaks. Reckoning by lives lost, it was history's third-worst mountaineering disaster when it occurred—but elements of finger pointing, incompetence, and cover-up make this disaster unlike any other. James M. Tabor draws on previously untapped sources: personal interviews with survivors and those involved in the aftermath, unpublished diaries and letters, and government documents. He consults not only mountaineers but also experts in disciplines including meteorology, forensics, and psychology. What results is the first full account of the tragedy that ended a golden age in mountaineering. Maps; 8 pages of illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

Preconceived opinions?.......2007-10-17

While browsing my local bookstore, I saw a book with a title that left no question in my mind about the subject: an event that happened 40 years ago and I could now read about the truth surrounding that tragedy on Mt. McKinley: Forever on the Mountain, by James Tabor. In the summer of 1967 I was full of dreams and anticipation as to what my second season at Mt. McKinley National Park might bring: new adventures, amazing sights, the trill of just the chance to view that magical mountain, Mt. McKinley. At the same time I was living my dreams, another group of young men were about to begin their own adventures and dreams, and attempt to summit the great mountain. As I read on, I realized sometimes in life no matter how well we plan and organize, things happen; attitudes and egos do not mix; politics and bureaucracy diminish the chance for success. In this book, these problems are brought forth and analyzed with a very straight forward approach, giving the public an unbiased solution of what happened and didn't happen in the most tragic disaster in North American climbing history. I thought it was a great read, especially having lived at McKinley during the event, and is important for anyone who has preconceived opinions about what actually took place on the mountain.

Gary Smith

Very well researched, gripping account of one of mountaineering's greatest tragedies.......2007-10-11

This book is impeccably research and presents a very controversial subject in an unbiased manner. Tabor does about as good a job as could be done at presenting the facts, providing analysis, and drawing conclusions, while giving all sides the benefit of the doubt.

Who do we blame for a natural tragedy?.......2007-10-10

The seven who died on Denali were likely doomed at the moment the five on top decided to go for the summit. They couldn't have known that, because they had no idea about the weather headed their way. Neither did anyone else, apparently. (Even if someone had hinted at a storm, the storm that hit was extraordinary.)

I had a hard time understanding why Wilcox was the target of blame for the tragedy. Even if all of the criticisms of the expedition are accepted, they seem to have little causal relation to the deaths on the mountain. His decisionmaking should be judged based on the situation as it unfolded, not as we now know it ultimately would unfold. Only his failure to call for a full rescue effort at the first opportunity may have made a difference, yet that gets little play. The failure of Park Service officials to appreciate the emergency and act promptly is troubling, yet there remains a serious question as to whether that would have ultimately made a difference.

I knew nothing about the 1967 disaster before I read this book, so all of my views are formed by its contents. My primary criticism is the effort to reconstruct conversations for which there is no living witness. Tabor would have been better to describe his conjectures without the level of false precision implicit in his faux dialogue or description of their actions during the storm. Even though a reasonably careful reader would not be misled, it puts the reader needlessly on guard, even during the eyewitness accounts.

pursuits & dreams.......2007-10-08

This book is thought provoking because it reveals so many things. In trusting the author's information, it reinforces some conclusions which follow us everywhere in life. Here are some: Not many will pursue the summit of life although some will admire you for going there. Every weakness is exposed the higher you climb to your pursuits & dreams. In most cases, there is little or no joy in reaching your summit without significant people there to enjoy it with you. Unity is paramount in any successful endeavor and of course the opposite is also true, disunity will destroy it. The more you ascend and gain different eyesight, the more inspiring, beautiful, amazing & majestic things become but those are the same things that, if not respected, can take your life. After finding myself in an almost tragic event in the Pacific Ocean, it is easy to understand how this expedition found themselves so quickly in serious, life threatening situations. As I finished the final pages of this book just a couple of hours after traveling through Kalispell, Montana, I realized this is where James Tabor interviewed Howard Snyder. I was meant to read this book. As a final thought, while in this earthly body, we were not designed to live "FOREVER ON THE MOUNTAIN" top. T.F. tommy@lafayettefirst.com

Dissapointing.......2007-09-26

Having significant personal experience with many of the Alaskans identified in the book, I found this book very misleading. The Park Headquarter's staff made easy targets for the author. What a terrible injustice Tabor has done to the memory of those individuals and to their families who had no opportunity to defend themselves from his callous charecterizations. The most experienced mountain experts and rescue team members came to the conclusion and reiterated their belief that the weather, their location and their level of experience put these men in an unsurvivable situation. The park headquarters who had not launched a summer rescue in several years - like everyone involved did all they could. They grieved with the families and friends of these men.
I agree with an earlier reviewer - If you want to "hear" the real story and not a fictionalized version meant to create a hero/villian scenario that might make an appealing movie, read either White Winds by Joe Wilcox and Hall of the Mountain King by Howard Snyder - first hand accounts of the tragedy. White Winds in my opinion is the most thorough account.Forever on the Mountain: The Truth Behind One of Mountaineering's Most Controversial and Mysterious Disasters

Leaving The Crowds Behind: A Guide To Backcountry Camping In Rocky Mountain National Park

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Leaving The Crowds Behind: A Guide To Backcountry Camping In Rocky Mountain National Park
John E Heasley
Manufacturer: RAS Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Camping | Hiking & Camping | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0967104017

Book Description

At over three million visitors a year, Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the more crowded national parks in the country. Have you ever wished that you could experience this Rocky Mountain splendor without the company of the multitudes? Leaving The Crowds Behind offers a solution to this problem --- camping in the backcountry. It guides you through this experience with detailed information to help you select your campsite, get your permit, and plan your trip. This beautifully illustrated book contains:

- 135 detailed maps showing locations for campsites, privies, trails, and hitchracks

- 210 color photos to give you a clear picture of each camping location

- Detailed directions on the best way to get to each campsite

- Information on permits, reservations, and rules for backcountry camping in the Park

- Lists of activities and features near each campsite

- Information on camping in the backcountry with livestock

- Tables summarizing the number of sites, privies, wood fires, elevation, nearest trailhead, elevation change, stock permitted, and percent time used for each campsite location

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behind the mountains

behind the mountain

Must read for young readers, or anyone interested in Haiti

Young Immigrants Featured Review

Interesting to read

Behind the Mountains (First Person Fiction)
Edwidge Danticat
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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After the Dance: A Walk Through Carnival in Jacmel, Haiti (Crown Journeys)

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Walking on Fire: Haitian Women's Stories of Survival and Resistance

The Dew Breaker

Breath, Eyes, Memory (Oprah's Book Club)

ASIN: 043937300X

Book Description

It is election time in Haiti, and bombs are going off in the capital city of Port-au-Prince. During a visit from her home in rural Haiti, Celiane Espérance and her mother are nearly killed. Looking at her country with new eyes, Celiane gains a fresh resolve to be reunited with her father in Brooklyn, New York. The harsh winter and concrete landscape of her new home are a shock to Celiane, who witnesses her parents' struggle to earn a living, her brother's uneasy adjustment to American society, and her own encounters with learning difficulties and school violence.

Customer Reviews:

behind the mountains.......2007-01-16

Book review of behind the mountain

My book is called Behind the Mountain by Edwidge Danticat.
A family is broke and they are trying to get to New York. They live in Haiti. Bombs are going off all over the place. A girl in the family is trying to help her mom from almost dying from a bomb. That was my introduction.

The main characters are the dad, manman which is the mom and Celiane the dater. Manman is almost dead from a bomb. Celiane want's her dad. The father is in New York giving money to the mom and dater and brother who also has money. The brother is working to give them money to. Those were all the characters.

In this book they want to leave there country. There is a lot of bombing happing so they want to leave their country Haiti. In Haiti 2 kiddies died from the bombing happing in Haiti. They finally got to New York and they were happy because they would not die any more. When Celiane got to New York she had a good school and like before. That was my setting.

The family is trying to get courage to move to New York with there dad. They don't want to be in bombs any more. The girl want's a better school. The family is trying to get money from people to go to New York. The theme is courage.

If you read this book you will be able to visualize the book. So if you read it now I won't let you stop. This book is about one big adventure in 2 different countries. If you like weapons I think you should read this book. That was my conclusion.

behind the mountain.......2007-01-16

Must read for young readers, or anyone interested in Haiti.......2005-04-30

Not only is this a well-written, interesting story of a young girl's life in Haiti, it truly gives the reader a taste of what Haiti is like today. My daughter, age 10, and I read it together, after my first trip to Haiti on a medical mission. I felt like I was back in Haiti, and loved the description, historical information and perspective of a young girl watching her life and country change. Behind the Mountains is written in diary form, and really draws the reader in, allowing her to see things through the eye's of the young narrator as her family is uprooted and moved to another country.

I highly recommend this to young readers (4th-6th grade) or even adults who enjoy historical fiction, learning about other cultures, or are undergoing family changes.

I give this a 5 star rating for the wonderful prose, easy readability, smooth incorporation of beautiful cultural and historical facts, and engaging characters.

Young Immigrants Featured Review.......2004-12-06

As I walked through the leafy Boston suburb, I saw a uniformed chauffeur waiting outside a big house. He was gazing into the trees, obviously enjoying the quiet spring morning. A nametag on his lapel identified him as "Jean."

"Are you from Haiti?" I asked.

He nodded, surprised.

"I just read a great book about your country," I told him. "I learned about the beautiful mountains and hibiscus flowers there."

I watched the smile spread across his face. Were it not for Edwidge Danticat's young adult novel, Behind the Mountains, I might have walked wordlessly past this stranger. Now I was curious about his journey, and he was thrilled by my knowledge of his country and culture. That's the purpose of Orchard's First Person Fiction series - to create understanding and empathy for the immigrants around us. Using fictional diary entries, Danticat recounts Celiane Esperance's journey from a rural town to Port-au-Prince to Brooklyn. I painlessly learned about Haitian history and politics, and gained insight into why some Haitians desire to immigrate to America.

The book is also particularly written for immigrant teens. Danticat, the acclaimed author of three adult novels, expertly depicts Celiane's high hopes of seeing her father again and the subsequent stressful reality of a family reunion. Reading about Celiane's first miserable days in New York will encourage immigrant teens to welcome other newcomers. As Celiane describes her sorrow over her father's conflict with her older brother Moy, I remembered my older siblings hammering out compromises with our parents. These and other themes common to immigrants from any country make me wish this book had been around when I was reading out on that Flushing fire escape.

Interesting to read.......2004-08-25

Read as part of a course on bilingualism & biculturalism this book provided a personal glimpse into a child's life and how it changed.

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Only 5 stars allowed? This one should get 10!
The Montana you want to see and know!
Not your father's travel guide.
Montana Behind the Scenes
Montana, Behind the Scenes

Montana Behind the Scenes
Durrae Johanek , and John Johanek
Manufacturer: Two Dot
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Ultimate Montana Atlas and Travel Encyclopedia, 2nd Ed.

ASIN: 1560447915

Book Description

A look at the stories behind the incredible people, magnificent sites, and fascinating, intimate history of Montana.

Customer Reviews:

Only 5 stars allowed? This one should get 10!.......2002-12-31

"Montana: Behind the Scenes" has already found its place among my most treasured reads, and I haven't even finished reading the thing yet. I've read slightly beyond the first couple of chapters but felt the need to put in my two cents' worth about this delightful paperback even before I got past the Gumbo chapter (more on Gumbo later). I was captured first by the witty cover, and soon found myself going way beyond the posted speed limit just to get to the Gumbo. What is this Montanan-style Gumbo, you ask? It's not what you think. It's even better. Rest assured, you'll want more Gumbo than this brief chapter provides, but it'll whet your appetite for more Montana, Durrae-and-John-Johanek style. You don't have to live in Montana to appreciate this book, but reading it will make you want to put THIS trip on your travel planner. The sooner the better.

The Montana you want to see and know!.......2002-02-05

Fantastic book that makes you want to get in your car, head to Montana, and then get off the interstate and out of the cities. The vignettes of the small towns, unusual places, and unique people give even the armchair travel a delightful tour, without even being there. Nice writing, an excellent read.

Not your father's travel guide........2001-02-26

I'm a lifelong Texan, but my family and I have been vacationing in Montana off and on for many years. We've done all the standard tourist stops several times over. So this book provides just what we need. Here you will find the places and people that make Montana unique. You'll discover Joe, Montana (yes, it was). You'll drop in at the Jersey Lilly Saloon in Ingomar (pop. 10), home of internationally famous...uhh...beans. You'll visit the Fairview Bridge, which could accommodate trains and automobiles - just not both at once! You'll learn all about lefse, the potato-based, Norwegian version of tortillas. You'll stroll through an incredible rock-garden recreation of the Bible. You'll wander through the deserted streets of St. Marie - possibly the NEWEST ghost town in the U.S.

So if you want to know where stay along I-94 near Billings, or what size trailer can be accommodated at Hebgen Lake Campground, this is not your book. But you really want to get to know the state and its people, the Johaneks will take you there. All in all, it's an engagingly-written, idiosyncratic, informative and altogether charming book.

Montana Behind the Scenes.......2000-10-28

This is a fun look at the people and places of Montana. A must read for planning a trip to the state!

Montana, Behind the Scenes.......2000-09-23

This is fun reading about quirky, off-beat places outside of the normal tourist attractions in this beautiful state. The authors obviously enjoy the unusual places, and give the reader the story behind the attractions. Many of these attractions will be must see on our next trip out west.

Canyonlands: The Story Behind the Scenery

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books

Canyonlands: The Story Behind the Scenery
David W. Johnson
Manufacturer: KC Publications, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Essays & Travelogues | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0887140343

Book Description

Imagine an arid land of colored rock; a land of cliffs, canyons, arches, spires, and mesas carved by water and time; a land of grand vistas and narrow, rocky crevices, a wild land visited by people for millennia -- Canyonlands.

Canyonlands National Park, located in southeastern Utah, was established in 1964 to preserve a geologic wonderland of rocks, spires and mesas, and a variety of Indian rock art.

Customer Reviews:

books.......2007-08-09

The Story Behind The Scenery books are very interesting. They have pictures of whatever park they are about such as Canyonlands: The Story Behind The Scenery. A must read for anyone planning to visit one of our great parks.

Glen Canyon-Lake Powell: The Story Behind the Scenery

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Glen Canyon-Lake Powell: The Story Behind the Scenery
Ronald E. Everhart
Manufacturer: KC Publications,Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0916122859

Book Description

There is something in the harmony of sky and rock and water--something that ensnares the soul in the flow of time. In the mystical canyons of the Glen, grasp infinity in the palm of your hand. Find eternity in an hour.

Book Description

More than 400 arches sculpted by nature gracefully span a landscape of towering spires, sheer liffs, and balanced rocks.

Each book in The Story Behind the Scenery series tells a compelling story through the eyes of an experienced interpreter whose writing reflects true enthusiasm for the park. Complete with running text and interpretive captions, accompanied by abundant full-color photographs, these books will be welcome in any home library.

Arches National Park, located in southeastern Utah, first set aside in 1929, preserves extraordinary products of erosion: giant arches, windows, pinnacles, and pedestals.

Customer Reviews:

book.......2007-08-09

The Story Behind The Scenery books are very interesting. They have pictures of whatever park they are about such as Arches: The Story Behind The Scenery. A must read for anyone planning to visit one of our great parks.

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