Presented in this lot is the "Montana high wide and handsome", New Illustrated Edition by Joseph Kinsey Howard, First Edition, 1959, Yale University Press, New Haven. Howard's first book-length effort was "Montana: High, Wide, and Handsome", which was first published in 1943. The volume was both a thoughtful history of the state, and an impassioned indictment of the corporate and bureaucratic forces that had heavily influenced much of that history. Among the book's primary targets were Anaconda Copper, which controlled much of the state's economic and political activity at the time, and the Great Northern Railway, which had lured thousands of homesteaders onto Montana land that proved wholly unsuitable for farming. The book also paid particular attention to the inappropriate and inequitable usage of the state's scarce water resources, making an open plea for reform of the system. The book proved to be an unquestioned landmark in the state's literary history, drawing significant attention both to Howard and the causes he espoused. The themes of corporate exploitation that Howard so convincingly and eloquently outlined became the primary focus of Montana historians for a generation to come, and became a primary theme in the works of K. Ross Toole, Montana's most noted academic historian. Howard's book remains perhaps the most influential and evocative work ever published about Montana's past. Joseph Kinsey Howard (1906 – 1951) was an American journalist, historian, and writer. He wrote extensively about the history, culture, and economic circumstances of Montana. One of the state's most noted authors of nonfiction, Howard's landmark 1943 book, Montana: High, Wide, and Handsome is a respected account of Montana history that has influenced later generations of historians. Howard also authored numerous other historic and literary works, and was a vocal, articulate and persuasive advocate for a variety of social, economic and environmental reforms. These endeavors earned Howard the posthumous sobriquet, "Montana's Conscience." Howard believed Montana and the rural West provided the "last stand against urban technological tedium" for the individual. He fervently believed that small towns of the sort that predominated in Montana provided a democratic bulwark for society. Howard's writings demonstrate his strong belief in the necessity to identify and preserve a region's cultural heritage. Illustrations include a map by Montana native son and renowned Western artist, Irvin "Shorty" Shope, and drawings by noted American painter, Peter Hurd. This brown clothbound gold gilt hardcover book is in very nice condition, with very slight scuffing noted to cover edges, the gold gilt lettering on spine is clear with only very minimal fading exhibited. The intact pages are tight on the spine, minimal slight age tanning evident throughout without foxing, no other obvious marring noted. Measures 6"W x 9.25"L x 1.25"D