For frequent visitors or first-timers to Montana's world-renowned Yellowstone and Glacier national parks, there is now a new kind of travel guide that can satiate anyone's curiosity. "Big Sky, Big Parks: An Exploration of Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, and all that Montana in Between," goes well beyond a description of Old Faithful and the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Rather, it covers the "everything else" that may not be common knowledge but is essential to understanding the beauty and significance of the areas.
Missoula author Ednor Therriault said that he had initially intended the book to be a classic travel guide to the parks. But with plenty of those already on the shelves, he switched gears. The final product became a detailed exploration into the events, history, biology, geology and culture that make these destinations so famous.
It's still a travel guide, albeit without the typical travel guide layout and complete with Therriault's own stories, narratives and, of course, his wit. "I can't do anything 100% without injecting a little humor," Therriault said. The book came together after a year and a half of writing, research and active exploration of the parks and surrounding Montana land-scapes.
During that time, Therriault drove all over the state, diving into everything from bison to ghost towns. Despite the heavy dose of factual content, the book is far from dense. It's an undemanding read and each chapter is self-contained, making it easy for a reader to jump.
