Beneath A Towering Sky: A Story of Love, Death, and Survival in Montana Territory
In 1882, Daniel McHarg travels by steamboat to Montana and hopes to build a new life in the West. He meets and eventually falls in love with Nellie Sage, a fellow traveler. They marry and settle in Montana, where they build a small ranch near the Teton River. As they struggle against all odds trying to survive in the Montana wilderness, the severe weather of 1886-1887, known as the “Great Die Up,” exposes them and their neighbors to a devastatingly cold winter, and they lose most of their stock. How will the McHargs deal with this setback? Will they rebuild or move back East?
The novel is the first work of fiction written by Tom Keith, and I feel he has done a commendable job of providing an immensely readable story. The book describes the hardships faced by the early settlers of the West. I felt the pain and grief faced by the McHargs as they struggled to survive the harsh climate of Montana.
