Forgotten Tales of Idaho

Forgotten Tales

by Andy Weeks

Idaho was the forty-third state admitted to the Union, but it just might lead the nation in strange stories and offbeat legends. Author and Idaho resident Andy Weeks fills this collection of tales with stories ranging from compelling and heartfelt to outlandish and bizarre. Discover the boxcar that carried the alleged body of John Wilkes Booth through Idaho. Uncover the identity of Lady Bluebeard, the unassuming Twin Falls housewife who allegedly murdered four husbands. Find out how cars ended up at the bottom of Lake Coeur d'Alene. Learn the grisly story of Gobo Fango, a black Mormon sheepherder whose late 1800s bloody dispute with a cattleman on the open range proved fatal. These tales and many others bring to light Idaho's unruly past in fascinating detail.

Genres: History

208 pages, Paperback

First published March 30, 2015

Reviews

[Carrie Brownell]

I was hoping to find stories from all over Idaho but the focus was pretty much squarely in the southern half. It also was not edited very nicely.

It wasn't what I was hoping it was going to be.

[ari · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some cool info in here but 98% of it is only about the Magic Valley. That’s a pretty small area to focus on for such a large state. Calling Wallace a ghost town was a choice.

[Holli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like so many of the Forgotten Tales series this is a lot of recycled material plus some padding. The recycled aspect makes the read disjointed. The padding gives you the impression that the author did a some quick google searches for some of his material. Having the information consolidated is nice and I was mostly using this as a jumping-off point for my own research. In that way it was perfect (also it was free on KU)

[Sean Dysangco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick.
Enjoyable.
Vibrant.
Historical.
Nonfictional.

Unravel the ancient times and unearth oddball gems from Idaho's past with this book.

From madness and mayhem, missionaries and pioneers, and hoaxes and daring stunts to contention and camps, fictional creatures, personalities and profiles, and historical tidbits, which add colorful and ancient flavors that is Idaho.


Andy Weeks fills this compilation of stories with narratives, ranging from gripping and emotional to absurd and bizarre. Each story is sufficiently captivating for the readers to keep on turning the pages.


For these reasons, "Forgotten Tales of Idaho" is for every reader, for it is comprehensive and the writing style suits perfectly the topic and leans into the whimsicality of the stories.

[Jeff Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun, quick read. The author has compiled several short stories about ancient and modern history, notorious crimes, hoaxes, famous people, and weird stories associated with Idaho history. I gave it three stars because some of the stories were so short I felt I didn't learn near enough. It wasn't clear why some stories made it into the book due to the brevity of what was presented. But the book was interesting.

[Ginny B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full of short stories and anecdotes of Idaho, this could easily fall into the "bathroom book" category. It isn't especially engaging and is best read in short spurts over a period of time as a result. I wish the stories were more balanced as far as locations, and I was really surprised about the way Wallace was portrayed having been there.

The stories are eclectic, and a few are interesting, but I am glad I checked it out from the library rather than purchasing it.

[Annie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick, fun, quirky read about some of the stranger tales of Idaho history. The writing wasn't very good (very basic and almost amateurish; I can't believe the author is a journalist), and some topics were glossed over or broadly written about. This may have something to do with the series and what the publisher wanted for the book, too. But a fun read for Idaho history fans.

[Tori MacDonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the wording can be a little out of date at times, the stories are intriguing. Probably the only thing interesting about Idaho. The writing style suits the topic and leans into the ridiculousness of the stories.

[Cassie Dishman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a perfectly fine. A quick and easy read. Definitely a good pick up if you’re traveling or just want some fun facts.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a lot of promise, but it needs some strong editing

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned some things about the state and people of Idaho in this quick and easy read.

[Cindi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and interesting. Good writing.

[Valerie · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are some very good stories in amongst the dross. I think the author could have been less superficial in many of the stories. Some of the stories aren't. Some could have be developed in such a way that the filler could have been left out. For instance, the biggest diamond found in the US was found in Idaho. By whom, where, when, and where is it now were questions left unanswered in the otherwise empty paragraph. I never had heard of the Missoula flood, but it created a lake in northern Idaho long ago. Then there was the flood that created the Shoshone falls. I read this book because it had many stories touching on my hometown...a requirement of the popsugar reading challenge, but it starts out with a big shebang and soon is as empty as Shoshone Falls during irrigation season.