It was probably the first book I ever read that had more than about 200 pages. It was a gift from an out-of-town guest who wanted to thank me for giving her and her husband the late-night tour of Los Angeles that my friends would later call "Don Ray's L.A. Dazzle Tour." It was a bit sarcastic because there was no dazzle at all to my tour. It was a journey to secret spots I'd discovered over the years --- places that had their own unique stories or histories or characters or architecture. They were places that, when combined in a single experience, told the story of how an unlikely place became Los Angeles.
She knew I'd be hooked on "Men to Match My Mountains" by Irving Stone. She was right.
It's the amazingly well-written saga of the pioneers, traders, pilgrims, trackers, soldiers and explorers who challenged and survived the mighty Rocky Mountains and made their way to California. Names of winners and losers --- John C. Fremont, Kit Carson and the Donner Party. It's about Treks of survival and tragedy that played out in Death Valley. It's a story that's more fun and more tragic than fiction.
And when you've read this masterpiece, you'll not want to sleep on your way to Las Vegas or Reno or Salt Lake City. Instead, you'll marvel at the men who matched our mountains.
She knew I'd be hooked on "Men to Match My Mountains" by Irving Stone. She was right.
It's the amazingly well-written saga of the pioneers, traders, pilgrims, trackers, soldiers and explorers who challenged and survived the mighty Rocky Mountains and made their way to California. Names of winners and losers --- John C. Fremont, Kit Carson and the Donner Party. It's about Treks of survival and tragedy that played out in Death Valley. It's a story that's more fun and more tragic than fiction.
And when you've read this masterpiece, you'll not want to sleep on your way to Las Vegas or Reno or Salt Lake City. Instead, you'll marvel at the men who matched our mountains.
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