Burning the Breeze : Three Generations of Women in the American West

WILLA Literary Award Finalist in Creative Nonfiction Finalist, Evans Handcart Award In the middle of the Great Depression, Montana native Julia Bennett arrived in New York City with no money and an audacious business plan: to identify and visit easterners who could afford to spend their summers at her brand new dude ranch near Ennis, Montana. Julia, a big-game hunter whom friends described as "a clever shot with both rifle and shotgun," flouted gender conventions to build guest ranches in Montana and Arizona that attracted world-renowned entertainers and artists. Bennett's entrepreneurship, however, was not a new family development. During the Civil War, her widowed grandmother and her seven-year-old daughter—Bennett's mother—set out from Missouri on a ten-month journey with little more than a yoke of oxen, a covered wagon, and the clothes on their backs. They faced countless heartbreaks and obstacles as they struggled to build a new life in the Montana Territory. Burning the Breeze is the story of three generations of women and their intrepid efforts to succeed in the American West. Excerpts from diaries, letters, and scrapbooks, along with rare family photos, help bring their vibrant personalities to life. Purchase the audio edition. In the middle of the Great Depression, Montana native Julia Bennett arrived in New York City with no money and an audacious business plan: to identify and visit easterners who could afford to spend their summers at her brand new dude ranch near Ennis, Montana. Julia, a big-game hunter whom friends described as a clever shot with both rifle and shotgun, flouted gender conventions to build guest ranches in Montana and Arizona that attracted world-renowned entertainers and artists. Bennetts entrepreneurship, however, was not a new family development. During the Civil War, her widowed grandmother and her seven-year-old daughterBennetts motherset out from Missouri on a ten-month journey with little more than a yoke of oxen, a covered wagon, and the clothes on their backs. They faced countless heartbreaks and obstacles as they struggled to build a new life in the Montana Territory. Burning the Breeze is the story of three generations of women and their intrepid efforts to succeed in the American West. Excerpts from diaries, letters, and scrapbooks, along with rare family photos, help bring their vibrant personalities to life. Burning the Breeze was a finalist in the Creative Non-fiction category of the 2022 WILLA Literary Awards, sponsored by Women Writing the West, and a finalist for 2022 Evans Biography Award, sponsored by the Mountain West Center for Regional Studies at Utah State University. Purchase the audio edition. In the middle of the Great Depression, Montana native Julia Bennettarrived in New York City with no money and an audacious businessplan: to identify and visit easterners who could afford to spendtheir summers at her brand new dude ranch near Ennis, Montana.Julia, a big-game hunter whom friends described as "a clever shotwith both rifle and shotgun," flouted gender conventions to buildguest ranches in Montana and Arizona that attracted world-renownedentertainers and artists. Bennett's entrepreneurship, however, wasnot a new family development. During the Civil War, her widowedgrandmother and her seven-year-old daughter-Bennett's mother-setout from Missouri on a ten-month journey with little more than ayoke of oxen, a covered wagon, and the clothes on their backs. Theyfaced countless heartbreaks and obstacles as they struggled tobuild a new life in the Montana Territory. Burning theBreeze is the story of three generations of women and theirintrepid efforts to succeed in the American West. Excerpts fromdiaries, letters, and scrapbooks, along with rare family photos,help bring their vibrant personalities to life Burning the Breeze chronicles the lives of three generations of women who defied society's expectations: Julia Bennett, the first woman to build a Montana guest ranch; and her grandmother and mother, who fled Missouri during the Civil War to prosper in the American West. "Burning the Breeze is the family story of three generations of women who, having begun their journey by fleeing Missouri during the Civil War, flouted gender expectations to create and successfully run guest ranches in Montana and Arizona"-- Provided by publisher