ALL BUT THE WALTZ: A Memoir of...

ALL BUT THE WALTZ: A Memoir of Five Generations in the Life of a Montana Family by Mary Clearman Blew (Penguin: $9, illustrated). When Mary Blew began to decipher the fragments of her great-grandfather’s journals, she found herself drawn into the struggles of her ancestors, who hoped to turn the Montana prairie into lush farmland. The weather and the unsuitable soil defeated their plans, leaving the family broke and alone on the empty plains. Living in suburban comfort, Blew became fascinated by the women who raised children and ran households in extreme isolation. Although the land rejected them, Blew and her ancestors delight in its spare beauty.