Leaning Into the Wind: Women Write from the Heart of the West

The 125 short essays and poems in this compelling anthology were written by residents of North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, Montana and Wyoming. These High Plains women--some of whom have been published before--are ranchers, farmers, teachers, veterinarians, mail carriers and trappers. They describe their hard physical work, the weather, the isolation, their marriages, their families, their animals and, above all, their love of the land and fierce determination to hold on to their way of life. The pieces--humorous, poignant, candid, outspoken--carry a clear message: these tough women possess ""the power and the dignity that comes from strife and experience and teeth-grinding faith."" The editors, who solicited the writings because they want to ""change old stereotypes"" and ""show the world [the] real women we know,"" all lead literary lives as well. Hasselstrom is the author of A Roadside History of South Dakota; Collier has written several books on horsemanship; Curtis is the publisher of High Plains Press. (June)