The GREAT PLAINS

Carolyn had an opportunity to hear a program at the Nebraska Center yesterday which included Michael Forsberg. She thoroughly enjoyed his presentation and bought his 2009 book, "America's Lingering Wild GREAT PLAINS".  Michael Forsberg's photos appear on many of the books 260 pages along with his Field Journals. The book's Foreword was written by Ted Kooser, 13th Poet Laureate of the U.S.  Dan O'Brien, a South Dakota rancher and Wildlife Biologist wrote the Essays. And, David Wishart, Professor of Geography at the University of Nebraska and a Historical Geographer, wrote the Chapter Introductions.

As shown on the map, the Great Plains extent well up into Canada, include a wide strip across the United States  and on into Mexico. This description puts a large portion of Nebraska in the Southern G.P.'s though the State is often referred to as being in the Northern Great Plains. The long vertical jagged line delineates the Tall Grass Region to the right  vs the Short Grass Region. Carolyn dropped the book off at our house on her way home yesterday to help me get over my cold. I got all the way through it last night having read only Kooser's Foreword and the captions with the pictures. I stayed in the house today except for taking and getting Elaine from the Beauty Shop and read Wishart's Introduction: SETTLING AN UNSETTLED LAND and "The Roots of Hope" by Forsberg. I was most favorably impressed with the story of the early settlement from across the "Land Bridge"  to present day immigration. I hope we are telling the story today with a broader perspective than what I was taught about the settlement of our Country and the relationship with the natives.