The stories and poems in this anthology of Bonner are stolen -they have been previously published, but permission to republish has not been sought or received. All selections have something to do with Bonner and the lower Blackfoot. They include fiction excerpts, nonfiction, essays, poetry, newspaper features, a transcribed interview. Please let me know what's missing.

For no particular reason, the writings are in roughly chronological order. Several are from books that come highly praised: A River Runs Through It and Other Stories by Norman Maclean; Richard Hugo's poetry books; Homestead by Annick Smith; The Baron, the Logger, the Miner, and Me by John H. Toole; John Medicinewolf by Michael Moon.

I recommend A Grass Roots Tribute: The Story of Bonner, Montana which was published in 1976 in conjunction with the Bicentennial. It contains much insight in and historical information about the Bonner area and gets better with age. The Bonner School library has several copies and the Missoula County Public Library has at least one.

By Kim Briggeman

Bonner Bootleg, Part 1

Richard Hugo, Where Jenny Used to Swim (poem); Table of Contents; Arthur L. Stone, from Following Old Trails: Names; Meriwether Lewis, from The History of the Lewis and Clark Expedition; Patrick Gass, from The Journal of Patrick Gass; Addison Howard, from Capt. John Mullan; Arthur L Stone, from Following Old Trails: To Bonner; Kim Briggeman, When Thy Summons Come -Daniel Bandmann, Bonner eccentric; Traditional Log drive ballad; John H. Toole, Log Drive/ from The Baron, The Logger, The Miner, and Me.
(Download Bonner Bootleg, Part 1, PDF)

Bonner Bootleg, Part 2

Rita Lavoie, Interview: 1981
(Download Bonner Bootleg, Part 2, PDF)

Bonner Bootleg, Part 3

John H. Toole, Wobblies / from The Baron, The Logger, The Miner, and Me; Missoulian, Bonner - On the Blackfoot (1922) and Lumberjacks Return to the Blackfoot (1927); Norman Maclean, Logging and Pimping and 'Your Pal, Jim' from A River Runs Through It; John H. Toole, Blackfoot Forest Protective Agency from The Baron, The Logger, The Miner, and Me; Richard Hugo, The Milltown Union Bar: You Could Love Here from The Real West Marginal Way; Jenny Herndon, A Celebration of Dick Hugo from Cut Bank 20; Richard Hugo, The Milltown Union Bar (poem) and To Die In Milltown (poem); Michael Moon, from John Medicinewolf.
(Download Bonner Bootleg, Part 3, PDF)

Bonner Bootleg, Part 4

Paul Zarzyski, Graveyard Shift at Bonner Mill (poem); Annick Smith, from Homestead; Richard Hugo, Making Certain It Goes On (poem); Index
(Download Bonner Bootleg, Part 4, PDF)