A Home in the Bitterroot

by Roger Neumaier

Bill Amley is an awkward man leading a lonely life. In late December of 2019, just before the Coronavirus changes the world around him, the fifty-six-year-old realizes his life is empty and decides to throw his fate to the wind. Bill leaves his job, sells most of what he owns, buys an SUV and heads out west to points unknown. Having resolved to change the way he lives, Bill picks up a hitch-hiker, a young Native American woman named Sky who is seeking to escape her own set of life’s challenges. As they head west, Sky and Bill form an unusual and powerful friendship. Their trip ends in Missoula, Montana where Sky becomes a waitress and Bill buys a small farm surrounded by the beauty of the Bitterroot Mountains. There, the pandemic threatens their lives while Bill is introduced to the spirits and histories of others who once lived in that farmhouse and on the lands that surround it.

A Home in the Bitterroot explores the rich history of immigrants to the Bitterroot Valley and of the Salish People whose historical home was the Bitterroot. The pandemic, social intolerance and ghosts of the past combine in this story of a man trying to validate his life. A Home in the Bitterroot is a satisfying, compelling and truthful American tale.

231 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 18, 2021

About the author

Roger Neumaier was raised in the north country of Hibbing and Moorhead Minnesota. At Carleton College in Northfield Minnesota where Roger earned a Bachelor of Arts in Literature in 1971, he learned to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of good literature.

After graduating from Carleton, Roger spent three years traveling across the United States and Europe while working in minimum wage jobs. In 1974, he settled in the Puget Sound Area of Washington State and continued his blue-collar work until 1980. Then, without the benefit of any finance related education or work experience, Roger passed the CPA exam. He retired in 2014 after more than three decades as an innovative CPA and CFO.

As the son of a holocaust survivor, Neumaier’s writings highlight social intolerance and the search for understanding of life's challenges in this crazy world. Roger has always been a right brained thinker who tries to appreciate and understand the nuances of the world . Now that he is pursuing his life-long dream of authoring fresh and relevant stories, to paraphrase Wallace Stevens, his writings seek to face the men of the time and meet the women of the time.

Roger resides in Edmonds, Washington. He is married and has three adult children who live nearby.

Reviews

[Teri Kratz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book n a Goodreads giveaway. I didn't read it right away because the pandemic was too recent and I needed a break from it. I am lonesome for the Bitterroot so this seemed like a great time to read. Bill is a guy who needs a change, he quits his job, sells his house and car and sets off to find a new life....just as the Covid pandemic gets going. He finds a friend when he picks up a blue haired stranger named Sky. The story seems to gallop along. Bill has a way of talking that is hard to read at first but one gets used to it. Having spent a lot of time in the Bitterroot valley I was familiar with places and names. I felt I could drive right up to Bill's door for a cup of mint tea. Thank you to Goodreads and the publisher for the chance to read this book. Now I am planning a summer trip to the "Root".

[j russell geyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in our time  of pandemic devastation and deepening acknowledgement  of  racial injustice, A Home in the Bitterroot is a lyrical tale of  an intergenerational and intercultural struggle towards understanding and respect.  It is a journey through pain and loss,  present and past, that compels the reader with increasing urgency to a place of compassion, hope and wonder.  It is both the journey and the destination that make this a must read.

JR Geyer,

[Nancy Libman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend Roger Neumaier's newest book, The Home in the Bitterroot. It's a book that inspires all of us to have the courage to embark on a journey to fill the holes we have inside and find meaning in our lives, and a sense of belonging and acceptance. It captures, through amazing imagery and language, the beauty of nature around us, the connections we have with our past and present, the importance of knowing our family history and how it shapes who we are. It is a book that interweaves the pain and challenges of the pandemic today along with the history we have in our past of confronting these challenges , just as we also confront social injustices throughout history. It reminds us that we must constantly remember to respect each other's humanity. This book inspired me, as have his other books! I was very sad when it was over! I am very excited to see what Roger has in store for us with his next book!

[John · Rating 1 out of 5]

The premise sounded interesting, but this was like reading a high school sophomore's AP English writing assignment. The characters speak like this for over 250 pages: "So - uhhhhhh, Sky, huh, ummmmmm - well - what do you, Sky - uhhhh, hmmmm - think about - ah, the meaning of, errrrrr, life, ummmmmm, Sky?" "Oh Bill, you are so funny. Bill, why didn't you say you are an old hippie, Bill? Tell me, Bill, what do you think about life, Bill? You tell me first, Bill." I couldn't even make it to page 30, it was simply too tedious to read. I skipped to the end out of curiosity and it seemed like it belonged to a different book.

BTW, Trump supporters and covid-vaccine denyers might want to avoid this one. It will probably set you off.

[Evelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Won this in Goodreads Giveaway - Amazon Kindle. Writings in this book made me angry - if you want to insult half of America by criticizing a political party then don't do it in a fiction book! And if you want to watch just one "NEWS" station that would be your prerogative but don't stuff politics down the opposing party's throat! Those stations are mostly not news but OPINIONS! I did enjoy reading about Bill's life and his moving to Montana. I loved Sonny. Sky & James was ok but then again, don't insult every white person of which America is 76% by calling them racists - we are ALL racists if you do that! Especially the person calling another person insulting adjectives! Do you think you are going to change anyone's mind by doing that? Never! If you don't like this opinion - just scroll on by! Get over it! Too bad!

[Mary Lehnertz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story

I almost put this book down and wrote it off. I was very disappointed that you input your political views and jabs in multiple times. It did not alter the story line at all. I read for pleasure and would have appreciated a disclaimer about your political opinions being inserted into the storyline, hence the 4 stars rather than 5.
Now that I’ve covered that, the story was beautiful and very descriptive. I could totally picture myself in Bitterroot as the story progressed. Thank you for the advanced reader copy.

[Jessica Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this in a giveaway and can't wait to get started! I've actually been enjoying the pandemic themed books lately

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s great so far!!

[Gwyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read about forging into the unknown at the start of the pandemic.