Blind Your Ponies

I just finished Blind Your Ponies, a wonderful, wonderful book.  I haven't read a truly outstanding book lately, and it was so nice to finally have something that I could not put down.

Set in the small town of Willow Creek, Montana (which just happens to be about 40 miles from my house), this novel follows the losing and almost non-existent basketball team of Willow Creek High School.  While the story revolves around the team and their tortured coach, Sam Pickett, there are many other story lines about the townspeople of this tiny town, all who so desperately want and need a win.

An ultimate underdog story, the writing of this novel was truly a treat.  When reading about basketball games, you felt as if you were in the bleachers, cheering on the Willow Creek broncs.  The description of Montana in the winter was completely accurate, and the author paints the setting so perfectly, that you can totally imagine every event.  The character development was definitely the best part of Blind Your Ponies, as so much changes so many people in just one short basketball season.

Living in Montana, I definitely take the beauty for granted.  But this book helped me stop, and actually see the mountains, and the sky, and realize again that the valley that I live in really is one of the most gorgeous places on earth.  I really want to take a trip to go see all the tiny, blink-and-you'll-miss-'em towns that are mentioned and play such an important part in the book.

The actual town of Willow Creek.  The school is the large brick building at the top on the right of Main Street.

Blind Your Ponies is a definite must read for 2011, and as soon as you are done, no matter where you are from, you will want to take a little trip to Willow Creek, MT.

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