... an energetic celebration of the man who, largely forgotten today, did more than most to save the national parks in the West ... One of the great insights afforded by Mr. Schweber’s efforts is that, during DeVoto’s lifetime, many people indeed liked, even loved him. His happy marriage to Avis MacVicar, who edited his books, raised his sons and accompanied him on his travels, is a recurring, joyful theme in Mr. Schweber’s book. This America of Ours makes a successful case for the pivotal role Bernard and Avis DeVoto played in the preservation of western landscapes ... Like his subject, Mr. Schweber, a seasoned journalist, paints with a broad but powerful brush. (Readers looking for psychological nuance are still better served by Wallace Stegner’s 1974 biography, appropriately titled The Uneasy Chair) ... Mr. Schweber, a Montana native, admires and, to the point of mimicry, emulates his subject. His writing style, as crusty and tough as DeVoto’s most irascible prose, is appealingly direct and cheerfully risk-inclined. Fans of mixed metaphors and eccentric similes will find much cause for delight in these pages ... Mr. Schweber’s colorful language notwithstanding, DeVoto in this book remains a somewhat indistinct figure.
... stirring ... vigorous ... Drawing on abundant archival sources, Schweber argues persuasively that because of the DeVotos’ efforts, millions of acres of public lands were saved from destruction and preserved as national treasures ... An exuberant celebration of an astounding couple.
... sharp ... Schweber offers a comprehensive account of the DeVotos’ fight to protect public lands, plus some scathing portrayals of their adversaries, including Nevada senator Patrick McCarran, who withheld appropriations from faltering National Park services and whose 'largesse flowed disproportionately to his friends,' and the FBI, who paid visits to the DeVotos’ house due to claims of communism. The result is a fascinating biography, worthy of two remarkable lives.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay[/caption]
