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Four Miles West of Nowhere: A City Boy's First Year in the Montana Wilderness
In Four Miles West of Nowhere , John Phillips delivers a Pythonesque travelog of his retirement from Michigan to remote Darby, Montana, (population475, no Starbucks, no traffic light). There, along the Continental Divide, Mother Nature sets out gasp-inducing scenery and also her best birds, bears, and brook trout. To this fauna-rich utopia Phillips adds broken snow plows, a reclusive ex-smuggler, threatening winters, electricity famines, and heartfelt ruminations about fly fishing, guns, survival, Darby's dress code (pre-owned grubby), forest fires, irritating neighbors, helpful neighbors, a voluptuous barber, Republicans (he found one good one), septic tanks, and alcohol. His wicked wit addresses both human frailties and environmental missteps, but through it all Phillips is wildly funny. -WILLIAM JEANES former Publisher of Road & Track and author of The Road to Pickletown
404 pages, Hardcover
Published November 21, 2021
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58 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 29, 2022
Phillips' wit is so dry it'll make you thirsty. His insults are so subtle and creative you'll say "what?" and back up to reread a paragraph. I'm almost a Montanan as I've lived in the state 19 years. After 15 years in Missoula (the Berkeley of Montana) we moved to the Bitterroot Valley. Figured "how bad can it be to live in a Red County?" Philips details the errors of our thinking. I admire his courage in outing his crimson-necked neighbors and his humility in outing his own epic failures in adapting to mountain living. An overall hoot to read. Should appeal to all those who've watched an episode or two of Yellowstone and believe their destiny is to become a Montana Rancher.
May 26, 2023
The author, as the former editor of Car and Driver magazine, is used to both wealth and power and a good degree of recognition. One of the blurbs on the back of the book is from car affecionado Jay Leno.
John Phillips and his wife moved to Darby, Montana, which is about sixty miles south of Missoula and twenty miles south of my hometown, Hamilton. (2021 census lists population of the town proper as 828). They moved to a mountain home on a private road four miles west of the town in a rather posh area that they proudly announce is next to a ranch used for the filming of a certain popular TV show.
They encounter the usual stuff all the other residents encounter – things like forest fire smoke and the threat of actual fires and having to do your own maintenance on a non-county road which includes dealing with snow in the winter.
The author mentions both local businesses and local people by their names. He does have the grace not to make outright fun of them. Although other reviews mention his low key humor, I don’t see it. I just have the feeling he doesn’t understand the locals and various situations. Who makes light of search and rescue people who are unable to search for survivors from a car crashed into a fearsome river during spring runoff?
Another aspect of the author’s lifestyle that I disagree with is that he feeds wild animals – deer, moose, elk, even bears that get into the feed for other animals. He humorously talks about the feud between those who feed and those who don’t feed. There is no feud. IT IS AGAINST MONTANA LAW TO FEED WILD ANIMALS. The reasons are numerous; from grain being harmful to deer to animals that are no longer afraid of people and congregate where they are a hazard to themselves and to drivers. Fed wildlife is dead wildlife.
His stories just aren’t that interesting or unusual. But I’ll give it a guarded recommendation if you have an interest in the area.
John Phillips and his wife moved to Darby, Montana, which is about sixty miles south of Missoula and twenty miles south of my hometown, Hamilton. (2021 census lists population of the town proper as 828). They moved to a mountain home on a private road four miles west of the town in a rather posh area that they proudly announce is next to a ranch used for the filming of a certain popular TV show.
They encounter the usual stuff all the other residents encounter – things like forest fire smoke and the threat of actual fires and having to do your own maintenance on a non-county road which includes dealing with snow in the winter.
The author mentions both local businesses and local people by their names. He does have the grace not to make outright fun of them. Although other reviews mention his low key humor, I don’t see it. I just have the feeling he doesn’t understand the locals and various situations. Who makes light of search and rescue people who are unable to search for survivors from a car crashed into a fearsome river during spring runoff?
Another aspect of the author’s lifestyle that I disagree with is that he feeds wild animals – deer, moose, elk, even bears that get into the feed for other animals. He humorously talks about the feud between those who feed and those who don’t feed. There is no feud. IT IS AGAINST MONTANA LAW TO FEED WILD ANIMALS. The reasons are numerous; from grain being harmful to deer to animals that are no longer afraid of people and congregate where they are a hazard to themselves and to drivers. Fed wildlife is dead wildlife.
His stories just aren’t that interesting or unusual. But I’ll give it a guarded recommendation if you have an interest in the area.
June 7, 2023
There are so many things I'd like to say (maybe correct) about this book (and being a Montanan) that I'd probably have to write a book to do it... I'll start by saying the book in general was not only about the author living in MT but it included so many side stories, as well as his own thoughts, opinions, references, metaphors, similes (not to mention so many adjectives and random synonyms), that it could have probably been almost half as long. As interesting and (at times) funny as it was, I struggled to follow a lot of his trains of thought. As another review mentioned, it was like a bunch of short stories in a book (basically, his Car and Driver articles times 200). Lastly, the biggest thing I ask, as a born and raised Montanan, is that anyone moving here doesn't try to change the way it is or bring your previous state's policies, ways of life, whatever with you, and leave people alone about their guns (seriously, what's it affecting you?); maybe even invest in one so you're not mauled by a bear or mountain lion, especially if you moved into their territory...
May 30, 2022
To say that I am not a fan of Bill Bryson is understatement. This writing is Brysonesque, but I love the Bitterroot Valley and surrounds and the book contains some interesting tales of the area—so I stayed tuned to the end.
Phillips demonstrates that he is a good writer and a first rate mind occasionally—for instance when he supports the argument that the human race will be extinct in 200 years. I think he is over-optimistic.
I can tell that he is someone that I would like, but in this case, not his delivery.
Phillips demonstrates that he is a good writer and a first rate mind occasionally—for instance when he supports the argument that the human race will be extinct in 200 years. I think he is over-optimistic.
I can tell that he is someone that I would like, but in this case, not his delivery.
July 13, 2022
Enjoyed this book immensely. Travelled a lot in Montana and really learnt some interesting things about the State. Loved his humour.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2022
A year’s worth of vignettes on small town life in western Montana contained more hilarity than I could have ever imagined. From encounters with wildlife to fly fishing mishaps, to sketches of town “characters” and events, I found myself immersed in the world of Darby, Montana and enjoying John Phillips and his wife’s efforts to move from outsiders to community members.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews