I heard BGQ speak at our library, and she blew my mind. What most stuck with me was her ability to converse and earn the trust of people (“sources,” but she approached them like real people, not simply connecting to get info), and I believe it’s her genuine curiosity and interest in seeing situations from others’ points of view that enables her to gain this access. She’s also open and brave to wade into situations where many of us would feel threatened, frightened, and/or offended. As an erstwhile reporter, I have mad respect. I bought her book, and it’s been sitting in my to-read pile. I haven’t read it yet because of the heavy topic and the anxiety I’m worried it’ll stir in me when reading at bedtime. But your post inspires me to “go there” and try to be more like Betsy with curiosity and courage, facing the complex, dark, batshit crazy but ultimately human fringes of our society, so thank you. I’m going to read her book next.
There is a creationist dinosaur museum in northern Kentucky, close to where I live. (And not far away they also have a theme park with a full size ark, but I digress) Their approach and talking points are very much in line with what Betsy describes in Montana. The way she connects it to Western ideology opens up a whole new perspective for me in understanding why this matters so much to the people behind this. Particularly how it fits within how they interact with people/animals/land and make decisions within the modern world. (Whether you're in the west or middle America) Without that connection, I'd been left thinking "okay, I get what you believe and why you want to show you're right, but what are the stakes beyond some notion of salvation?" (Yes, I know salvation is kinda important, but still!) I'm excited to get the book and read it!
“ We have to address biblical literalism that emphasizes dominion and subduing the earth. Some of these ideas are so intrinsic that we don’t even realize we are operating based on them”
I think about this a lot. Like how we assume it’s our right to have cars, and planes, and endless clothing/textiles, and high tech “fill in the blank”, and everything that is powered by massive quantities of non-renewable resources. The energy crisis is fueled (pun intended) by our refusal to scale back from where technology and progress has catapulted us to. Moderation doesn’t exist. Maybe, to save our planet, we don’t get to have all the things??
As a native Idahoan (I lived there till my mid-30s and my Substack is focused on my former life as an Evangelical), l find this completely fascinating, and it definitely jives with my experience of the area. l didn't have the Jane and Johnny West dolls as a kid (my mom mainly got us baby dolls) but in general, this all is so familiar to me. Thanks for recommending this writer and this book, Anne!
A copy of True West is on its way to me, so I was glad to read this interview. As a recent transplant to Montana, I'm very interested to learn as much as possible about the area. (Thus far, I have not had any encounters with anybody that I would call worrisome or off-putting. Although I'm in the northwest corner of the state, I'm in an artsy/touristy town, and my non-white wife in particular has felt extremely welcome — or, more importantly from her perspective, *left alone to be herself*, which was not the case in NJ.)
I was also very interested by the Substack-themed link. I have a Substack newsletter with almost 2750 subscribers (it's called Burning Ambulance) and I will not be migrating it to Ghost or Buttondown, for precisely the reasons that writer pointed out: Substack is free and the others are not, and I can't afford to move. Also, it's — obviously, since I do almost no promotion for BA — much easier for people to find me where I am. And I agree with EVERY WORD about "voting with your dollar" and how hypocritical and shortsighted that attitude is, 99 times out of 100.
Book sounds great. Regarding demystifying Western history and Anne’s invitation for recs, the Death in the West Season One podcast appears to be a whodunnit about IWW organizer Frank Little’s murder in Butte, but rapidly branches out into labor wars, vigilantes, false imprisonment and political violence in the West, free speech movements in Missoula and Spokane, political corruption, electrification and the price of copper and imperialism, etc. just a gem and an antidote to propaganda about “western values.”
I will save this post for later! I bought this book late last year and it's next on my to read list. I will also note that I was not familiar with Betsy Gaines Quammen's writing so before I purchased it, I looked her up on IG and saw that AHP followed her and that was enough of an endorsement for me to buy it! :) Looking forward to digging in very soon.
Such an important book. I’m grateful that a writer and historian so skilled and insightful as Betsy is also so dedicated to our wider region and its future.
(One small correction—the Doctrine of Discovery is made of 3 papal bulls issued in the 1400s—2 in particular—not just one. For anyone else wanting to learn more, the Indigenous Values Initiative does great work bringing this history and its ongoing impacts up front and center: https://indigenousvalues.org/decolonization/doctrine-discovery/)
Just a plug for the Autry Museum of the American West if you're ever in LA--they do a great interpretation of the Western myth, and as museum professional, I found this museum to be one of the better ones out there: https://theautry.org/
This is such a fascinating topic, and seems extremely relevant right now. I’m dying to dive in, but It doesn’t seem that BGQ’s book is available in an audio format. I’m at a place in life where opportunities to actually read with my eyes are at a minimum. Can anybody recommend any audiobooks or podcasts on this subject?
I heard BGQ speak at our library, and she blew my mind. What most stuck with me was her ability to converse and earn the trust of people (“sources,” but she approached them like real people, not simply connecting to get info), and I believe it’s her genuine curiosity and interest in seeing situations from others’ points of view that enables her to gain this access. She’s also open and brave to wade into situations where many of us would feel threatened, frightened, and/or offended. As an erstwhile reporter, I have mad respect. I bought her book, and it’s been sitting in my to-read pile. I haven’t read it yet because of the heavy topic and the anxiety I’m worried it’ll stir in me when reading at bedtime. But your post inspires me to “go there” and try to be more like Betsy with curiosity and courage, facing the complex, dark, batshit crazy but ultimately human fringes of our society, so thank you. I’m going to read her book next.
There is a creationist dinosaur museum in northern Kentucky, close to where I live. (And not far away they also have a theme park with a full size ark, but I digress) Their approach and talking points are very much in line with what Betsy describes in Montana. The way she connects it to Western ideology opens up a whole new perspective for me in understanding why this matters so much to the people behind this. Particularly how it fits within how they interact with people/animals/land and make decisions within the modern world. (Whether you're in the west or middle America) Without that connection, I'd been left thinking "okay, I get what you believe and why you want to show you're right, but what are the stakes beyond some notion of salvation?" (Yes, I know salvation is kinda important, but still!) I'm excited to get the book and read it!
Oh Anne! Thank you so much. You are truly one of my favorite thinkers too! I love you in this world. ❤️
“ We have to address biblical literalism that emphasizes dominion and subduing the earth. Some of these ideas are so intrinsic that we don’t even realize we are operating based on them”
I think about this a lot. Like how we assume it’s our right to have cars, and planes, and endless clothing/textiles, and high tech “fill in the blank”, and everything that is powered by massive quantities of non-renewable resources. The energy crisis is fueled (pun intended) by our refusal to scale back from where technology and progress has catapulted us to. Moderation doesn’t exist. Maybe, to save our planet, we don’t get to have all the things??
As a native Idahoan (I lived there till my mid-30s and my Substack is focused on my former life as an Evangelical), l find this completely fascinating, and it definitely jives with my experience of the area. l didn't have the Jane and Johnny West dolls as a kid (my mom mainly got us baby dolls) but in general, this all is so familiar to me. Thanks for recommending this writer and this book, Anne!
A copy of True West is on its way to me, so I was glad to read this interview. As a recent transplant to Montana, I'm very interested to learn as much as possible about the area. (Thus far, I have not had any encounters with anybody that I would call worrisome or off-putting. Although I'm in the northwest corner of the state, I'm in an artsy/touristy town, and my non-white wife in particular has felt extremely welcome — or, more importantly from her perspective, *left alone to be herself*, which was not the case in NJ.)
I was also very interested by the Substack-themed link. I have a Substack newsletter with almost 2750 subscribers (it's called Burning Ambulance) and I will not be migrating it to Ghost or Buttondown, for precisely the reasons that writer pointed out: Substack is free and the others are not, and I can't afford to move. Also, it's — obviously, since I do almost no promotion for BA — much easier for people to find me where I am. And I agree with EVERY WORD about "voting with your dollar" and how hypocritical and shortsighted that attitude is, 99 times out of 100.
Book sounds great. Regarding demystifying Western history and Anne’s invitation for recs, the Death in the West Season One podcast appears to be a whodunnit about IWW organizer Frank Little’s murder in Butte, but rapidly branches out into labor wars, vigilantes, false imprisonment and political violence in the West, free speech movements in Missoula and Spokane, political corruption, electrification and the price of copper and imperialism, etc. just a gem and an antidote to propaganda about “western values.”
I will save this post for later! I bought this book late last year and it's next on my to read list. I will also note that I was not familiar with Betsy Gaines Quammen's writing so before I purchased it, I looked her up on IG and saw that AHP followed her and that was enough of an endorsement for me to buy it! :) Looking forward to digging in very soon.
Fascinating interview and perspective. Had zero idea such 'museums' existed. Definitely putting the book on my buy list.
This is so good. Can't wait to read the book.
Such an important book. I’m grateful that a writer and historian so skilled and insightful as Betsy is also so dedicated to our wider region and its future.
(One small correction—the Doctrine of Discovery is made of 3 papal bulls issued in the 1400s—2 in particular—not just one. For anyone else wanting to learn more, the Indigenous Values Initiative does great work bringing this history and its ongoing impacts up front and center: https://indigenousvalues.org/decolonization/doctrine-discovery/)
Just a plug for the Autry Museum of the American West if you're ever in LA--they do a great interpretation of the Western myth, and as museum professional, I found this museum to be one of the better ones out there: https://theautry.org/
This is such a fascinating topic, and seems extremely relevant right now. I’m dying to dive in, but It doesn’t seem that BGQ’s book is available in an audio format. I’m at a place in life where opportunities to actually read with my eyes are at a minimum. Can anybody recommend any audiobooks or podcasts on this subject?