BOZEMAN — It’s a story Montana knows well — rural landscapes transformed by wealth, and the resulting tension between longtime locals and newcomers. For author Elise Atchison, that story hits close to home. It’s the reason she sat down to write her book, Crazy Mountain.
Atchison has lived in rural Montana, just outside of Livingston, for more than half a century. Surrounded by sweeping views, she found inspiration for her lifelong passion.
“I’ve always written, and I’ve always written about the land,” she said.
How has wealth changed rural Montana? Author Elise Atchison explores this in "Crazy Mountain."
Atchison graduated from Montana State University in the 1980s with a degree in English.
“When it was still considered a cow town,” she recalled.
Over the years, she watched Bozeman change.
“Things have changed a lot. Anyone who’s been here for decades can tell you it’s drastically changed,” she said.
Witnessing those transformations firsthand inspired Atchison to put her thoughts on paper, resulting in the award-winning Crazy Mountain.
“You can call it rural gentrification. It’s where a lot of wealth comes in from outside into a small community. Housing prices go through the roof, and people who work there can no longer afford to live there,” she explained.
The book, a fictional tale spanning 15 chapters and 265 pages, offers a spectrum of perspectives.
“In the book, nobody is a villain. There aren’t villains and saints,” she said.
Each chapter delves into a different character’s life, thoughts, and relationship with the changing land — from the original rancher to developers and real estate agents.
Atchison will discuss Crazy Mountain at the Bozeman Public Library this Thursday as part of the library’s Authors and Books series, which connects the community with local authors. Although the book was published in 2022, Atchison said she’s eager to engage with readers now because its themes have become increasingly relevant.
“It’s kind of like foreshadowing,” she said. “COVID and the Yellowstone series brought in a lot of people. We really do have to think about how to move forward and find ways to avoid quite so negative effects.”
The Crazy Mountain event begins Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Bozeman Public Library.
