Comments on: Funny Bones, 1933 (4)

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 01:29:24 +0000

Be sure to check out Chad M. Orton's BYU Studies article on the rescue -- he's the authority on those boys and the stories told about them. I'll bet you felt cold and hungry while you were reading Devil's Gate. I sure did! That's really what attracted David Roberts to the story, I'm sure; he's done so much other writing on survival under extreme conditions.

By: Of-The-Sea

Of-The-Sea — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 01:10:16 +0000

Thanks for sharing that.

I enjoyed the book but it left me a little empty in respect to final conclusions. It appeared to lose track of its purpose and David’s encounters at Martins Cove seemed a bit smug.
I will say that it was a fun read and I learned a few things along the way. I’ll also have to revise my handcart story about the boys who carried the Martin Handcart Co. across the Sweetwater (I appears they died natural deaths years later!!!)

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 00:38:52 +0000

David is a gentleman and a sharp thinker, and I very much enjoyed working with him. He never hesitated to ask anything, and even though we obviously didn’t see eye to eye on Mormon history — or religion at all, for that matter — he always read or listened to and considered everything I brought up. His conclusions are not ones that I can endorse in many cases, but I am sure that (with the possible exception of Chapter 2 with its overview of Mormon history) he reached his conclusions after serious thought.

The only real disappointment I had in connection with David was a planned field trip in the Manti area to track down some petroglyphs mentioned in a couple of 1855 diaries that we discussed. My transportation down there fell through. I really would have enjoyed a day trip exploring with a man who has done as much hiking as he has done in the Southwest and who knows as much about Indian relics as he does. Well, that disappointment and the fact that he had to cancel his book promotion tour to Utah after a serious accident — I would have enjoyed hearing him talk about the book.

By: Of-The-Sea

Of-The-Sea — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 00:14:59 +0000

Love it,

Ardis, on an unrelated note, I was wondering if you ever commented on David Roberts book “Devils Gate” as far as your envolvement was concerned?

I noticed he mentions your help in regards to research and achive help.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 22:00:53 +0000

Shhh! Don’t let CES hear! {g}

By: FHL

FHL — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:57:31 +0000

I’m a little surprised at the coffee and liquor jokes. =)

By: Floyd the Wonderdog

Floyd the Wonderdog — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 11:18:53 +0000

I expect “Biography of a Joke” to show up in Boy’s Life soon.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 16:42:54 +0000

I wondered if you would like that, Researcher!

By: Researcher

Researcher — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 16:16:40 +0000

Now that’s a different kind of Scottish joke than we’re used to in these hallowed pages!