"...absorbing debut novel...an emotionally wrenching narrative out of U.S. history."--Kirkus Reviews. “...seek out the book…Simmons’ layered, full-bodied character of Mary, a hard-working young girl who runs away from her family rather than accept a polygamist’s proposal.”—Salt Lake Tribune In 1905, the law denouncing polygamy by the Mormon Church is fully enforced. Second families must go into hiding or be arrested. There is even a “finder’s fee” for those who turn in their own. Ten-year-old Mary’s father, a poor farmer, abandons Mary, her nearly-blind mother, and six brothers and sisters in the hills of the Wasatch Mountains to live in a shallow dugout not much better than a cave. Close to starving, the family is rescued by a nearby polygamist. As the much older man's intentions become more threatening, Mary finds it harder and harder to resist his proposal of marriage. Her family and friends, even her own mother, turn away from her. During the six-year period, from Mary's childhood to a forced marriage at sixteen, Mary must first survive, and then choose her fate. This is the story of survival, love, and compassion in a sometimes heartless existence. It is also the story of Mary's deep conflict with the Church's teachings on plural marriage, and with her father, who has abandoned them. Based on a true story.

The Wives of Billie's Mountain

Literature & Fiction

Simmons, Kelly L.

Genre Fiction

Helper Publishing

The events depicted in “Just To Keep Even” occurred one hundred years ago. Yet, hot debate continues in the Hi-Line country of Montana whether our hero was murdered, committed suicide, or simply perished due to bad luck and severe weather. Long George Francis was easily the most recognizable, famous/infamous, and misunderstood individual of Hill County, Montana, at the dawn of the twentieth century. A superb horseman in a time of rapid mechanization, his formative years were spent governed by the ethos of the open range and self-reliance. By adulthood, he found himself in a changed world with new rules that placed him in constant conflict and peril. He adapted by using his cowboy skills to become a topnotch rodeo performer and showman gaining him an honored spot in the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame. A culmination of factors including mechanization, his continuing belief in open range rules, and a small number of bitter enemies resulted in his untimely death and the legend that followed.

Just To Keep Even

Simmons, James C.

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Books by Helper Publishing

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the Helper Publishing publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

The Wives of Billie's Mountain

Just To Keep Even