author
Merrill D. Beal
1898–1990
A longtime Idaho educator and historian, he wrote vivid, accessible books about the American West, from Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon to Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce War. His work blends a teacher’s clarity with a deep interest in landscape, regional history, and the people who shaped it.
1 Audiobook
The Story of Man In Yellowstone
by Merrill D. Beal
About the author
Born in 1898, Merrill D. Beal built a long career as both an educator and a writer. His memoir Sixty Years of Educational Endeavors in Idaho, 1924–1984 points to just how central teaching and school leadership were to his life, especially in Idaho.
He is best remembered by many readers for historical and regional nonfiction. His books include I Will Fight No More Forever: Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce War, as well as works on the American West such as The Story of Man in Yellowstone and Grand Canyon: The Story Behind the Scenery. Across these books, he returned again and again to western landscapes, Native history, and the ways people and place shape one another.
Beal died in 1990. His writing still appeals to readers who enjoy Western history told in a direct, readable way, with the patience of someone used to explaining the past clearly.