Big Bend Country: A Journey of Good Times, Hard Times, and Hope

By Larry Lee Kruckenberg as told by Lorraine Guenthner Kruckenberg, 193 pages, softcover.
$25.00

Larry Kruckenberg, Cheyenne, WY, a native of Hazen, ND has authored the memories of his German-Russian mother, Lorraine Guenthner Kruckenberg. He brings the travails of working a prairie farm into sharp focus. It was a good life, but a hard life, filled with work and family. Through his mother’s words, Kruckenberg details every aspect of what it was like to grow up in a remote part of Mercer County, northwest North Dakota, and upon reaching adulthood, raising a family under difficult circumstances.

The book is a chronicle of life, hardship, and sometimes tragedy, that underscores the strength of our forebears, and renews appreciation for those who came before us. It is one of person’s remarkable journey, grounded in personal sacrifice, and hope of the times.

The book involves North Dakota history and the Germans from Russia heritage. An inspiring true story that covers four decades, beginning in 1915. The language is genuine and takes the reader back in time. This book is entertaining, revealing, and beautifully written. The book has been likened in reviews to Laura Ingall Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie series.

In the Prologue, Kruckenberg writes, “On December 26, 1989, I saw down at the kitchen table with my 75-year-old mother, Lorraine Guenthner Kruckenberg. I was home for Christmas. Just like we’d done countless times in the past, we were engaged in meaningful conversations about days gone by. This time, however, was different. Lying beside me was an out of the subject matter to be covered. I had a small tape recorder in one hand and a pen in the other. The moment was right; she was anxious to get started and I was prepared to listen like never before. Besides, the temperature outside was below zero – perfect North Dakota weather. There was no better setting in which to have my mother begin to reflect upon some experiences that helped shape her life and those of so many others.”

About the author

Larry Kruckenberg was born and raised in North Dakota and graduated from Hazen High School in 1966. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in zoology/Wildlife Biology from North Dakota State University. He proudly still refers to North Dakota as “home”. Kruckenberg is a retired agency administrator. His career spanned nearly 50 years with two state wildlife agencies – North Dakota and Wyoming – and the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Larry is an avid upland bird and waterfowl hunter, and an accomplished freelance photographer.