Book review:
Hush of the Land: A Lifetime in the Bob Marshall Wilderness by Arnold “Smoke” Elser with Eva-Maria Maggi
By Allison De Jong
Hush of the Land is the powerful story of a life lived outdoors, entwined with the natural world in ways most of us only dream of. Arnold “Smoke” Elser spent nearly six decades leading pack trips into the wild places of western Montana, and this book is rich with his stories. Pick it up, and you’ll feel like you’re sitting around a campfire with Smoke, being regaled with tales of everything from grizzly bear encounters to sitting deep in the wilderness beneath a star-strewn sky during the moon landing. This is the story of Smoke’s journey from an Ohio kid who couldn’t ride a horse to a Montana outfitter who knows intimately the wild landscapes, creatures, and history of this place and spent more than half a century sharing its wonders with people from all walks of life.
These pages are imbued with a sense of wonder. Whether leading hunters to just the right spot to get their elk, waking up under a manty covered with four inches of snow in August, or planning a packing trip for 35 people, Smoke’s love for his life’s work, the people he meets, and the sheer wild beauty of our state shines through. And we see that this care translates into advocacy: Smoke is a tireless defender of wilderness, of conservation of this land so that it, and the flora and fauna that depend on it, will be here for our children and our children’s children to revel in, too.
Read Smoke’s stories, compiled so compellingly by writer Eva-Maria Maggi, and be transported to another time—and wild places that are still within reach.
Join us on Wednesday, September 24th, 2025, for an evening with Smoke & Eva! Free, but please register. Registration will open up this summer.
