<DIV>Larry Watson's bestselling novel <I>Montana, 1948</I> was acclaimed as a "work of art" (Susan Petro, <I>San Francisco Chronicle</I>), a prize-winning evocation of a time, a place, and a family. Now Watson returns to <I>Montana, 1948</I>'s vast landscape with a stunning prequel that illuminates the Hayden clan's early years and the circumstances that led to the events of <I>Montana, 1948</I>. With the precision of a master storyteller, Watson moves seamlessly among the strong and hard-bitten characters that make up the Hayden family, and in the process opens an evocative window on the very heart of the American West. </div>