The Big Sky, By and By: True Tales, Real People and Strange Times in the Heart of Montana

The collected work of Ed Kemmick tells a contemporary story of Montana through the eyes of everyday, extraordinary people who define the rugged individuality and the big-hearted kindness of the Big Sky State. Among the tales are those of Dobro Dick, the traveling troubadour from Livingston; Maryona Johnson, who ran a brothel in Miles City; Shirley Smith, the cowboy curator from Fromberg who meticulously maintains the state's rodeo traditions; and Evel Knievel, who even in death gave his hometown of Butte another thrill (and a hell of an afterparty). Kemmick, who runs the website LastBestNews.com, brings humor and empathy to his subjects, making them every bit as vivid for readers as they were when Kemmick sat down to talk with them.