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Regarding Willingness
2020 MONTANA BOOK AWARD HONOR BOOK
"This collection of adventures will make you laugh, cry and think; which is pretty much all you can ask of a good book." - Dave Ames, author of True Love and the Woolly Bugger
Tom “Harp” Harpole was a horse logger working from remote mountain camps and living in wall tents until an accident forced him out of that lifestyle. He took to his other avocation – writing, and studied abroad in Ireland. He began publishing stories in periodicals such as Smithsonian Air & Space, Sports Illustrated, Crocodil, Montana Quarterly, Whitefish Review, and more. In 1986 his story “The Last of Butch” was selected as The Best Short Story in the British Isles. Harpole writes in a voice that readers can appreciate, using his natural wit and humor to shed light on a life of stories that bring us to the edge of danger. “Tom Harpole is what you might call a thinking man’s Evel Knievel,” - Aaron Parrett, author of: Montana: Then and Now.
"These tales will make you marvel, maybe wipe a tear, and quite likely blow some coffee out your nose. Harpole was lucky enough to survive his life and that makes us lucky, too." - Scott McMillion, editor of Montana Quarterly magazine and author of Mark of the Grizzly
"(These) stories should be required reading." - Montana Book Award Committee
"In the self-effacing tradition of Tim Cahill's work, his adventures, sometimes unanticipated, are always told with a rough and ready heart." - Betsy Gaines Quammen, author of of American Zion: Cliven Bundy, God & Public Lands in the West
"It's one thing to take incredible risks with one's life and live to tell the tale, but something else entirely to have the skill to share those adventures in an interesting way. In this breathtaking collection of essays, Harpole proves that he is a gifted storyteller. Just don't try any of this at home." - Chris La Tray, author of One-Sentence Journal
"When Tom Harpole talks of his story assignments and adventures, there's a sense that this guy just may be channeling the energy and spirit of Jack London and Mark Twain with a dash of George Plimpton." - Marga Lincoln, Independent Record
"This collection of adventures will make you laugh, cry and think; which is pretty much all you can ask of a good book." - Dave Ames, author of True Love and the Woolly Bugger
Tom “Harp” Harpole was a horse logger working from remote mountain camps and living in wall tents until an accident forced him out of that lifestyle. He took to his other avocation – writing, and studied abroad in Ireland. He began publishing stories in periodicals such as Smithsonian Air & Space, Sports Illustrated, Crocodil, Montana Quarterly, Whitefish Review, and more. In 1986 his story “The Last of Butch” was selected as The Best Short Story in the British Isles. Harpole writes in a voice that readers can appreciate, using his natural wit and humor to shed light on a life of stories that bring us to the edge of danger. “Tom Harpole is what you might call a thinking man’s Evel Knievel,” - Aaron Parrett, author of: Montana: Then and Now.
"These tales will make you marvel, maybe wipe a tear, and quite likely blow some coffee out your nose. Harpole was lucky enough to survive his life and that makes us lucky, too." - Scott McMillion, editor of Montana Quarterly magazine and author of Mark of the Grizzly
"(These) stories should be required reading." - Montana Book Award Committee
"In the self-effacing tradition of Tim Cahill's work, his adventures, sometimes unanticipated, are always told with a rough and ready heart." - Betsy Gaines Quammen, author of of American Zion: Cliven Bundy, God & Public Lands in the West
"It's one thing to take incredible risks with one's life and live to tell the tale, but something else entirely to have the skill to share those adventures in an interesting way. In this breathtaking collection of essays, Harpole proves that he is a gifted storyteller. Just don't try any of this at home." - Chris La Tray, author of One-Sentence Journal
"When Tom Harpole talks of his story assignments and adventures, there's a sense that this guy just may be channeling the energy and spirit of Jack London and Mark Twain with a dash of George Plimpton." - Marga Lincoln, Independent Record
204 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2020
2 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 8, 2020
What a great collections of stories. Told with humor and heart. If you know the closest you'll get to skydiving, sledding at 40 mph, or driving through the wild's of Alaska at minus thousand degrees temperatures is reading a unique account of someone who has lived it - read Harpole's book.
In addition to adventure and his willingness to jump in - there are some lovely accounts of friendships, community, life, death, and Western life in Montana and NW logging world. This is the sort of book you feel sad about finishing, at least I did.
In addition to adventure and his willingness to jump in - there are some lovely accounts of friendships, community, life, death, and Western life in Montana and NW logging world. This is the sort of book you feel sad about finishing, at least I did.
December 4, 2020
This is a rare gem of a book. I rarely read essays, but the stories put together here were all captivating. This writer has a voice so unique and distinct, I was hooked. The people and events that happened in these pages will stay with me ...
July 27, 2022
Tom is a fabulous storyteller! What a fascinating life he shares with us as a logger, EMT, friend of cosmonauts, risk taking sky diver and bear tamer. He celebrates the beauty and oysters of the NW and Montana family and friend relations. Treat yourself to this great read!
January 10, 2022
Good writing and interesting subject matter. But there is, for lack of a better word, a macho edge to this book that did not sit well with me. Did not read all of the essays.
May 27, 2022
Holy cow!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews