Appearance
The Longhorns
As horses were introduced to America by the Spanish, so too were cattle, and both species became feral, then wild, and learned to survive on their own under extreme conditions in the west. Not infrequently some retained some of their domestication. Texas was the land of their beginning as catalysts to a lifestyle peculiarly western because of how they developed. The Longhorns were tough individuals as well as part of a breed apart, and Dobie was just the sort of person to describe them for what they were, and the men who made it their purpose to use them. Dobie is a story teller of exceptional talent as well as an historian of necessity if his stories are to carry any weight. Each Chapter deals with an aspect of the beast and its habitat from which they were removed to form enormous herds driven north by cowboys over tractless miles to railheads when they arrived or to distant markets before their coming. Cowboys were tough, but also gentle as they crooned softly to the cattle on a stormy night hopefully to prevent "stompedes." Dobies' tales of individual Longhorns illustrates that within the being of some was a spirit that exceeded normal expectation, and contributed to human emotions in spite of themselves. The Longhorns began to fade as bloodlines were mixed to improve the breed, and as railheads came closer to the herds. For "improved" cattle had not the prowess or the ability to survive without the help of man as did the pure Longhorns. They were a breed in transition from one life style to another, but their memory remains because of Dobie and his tales. Fascinating reading.
The Longhorns
My family raises Texas Longhorns and when I was young and wanted to know more my father gave me this book and I have learned more than just the starting of the breed but the world around them. Frank Dobie is a great writer on the history of the west and this book was what started my love for the longhorn.
The Longhorns
I wanted and thought I was getting more of a historical book or Longhorns but can't even get passed the first chapter with all the back and forth tales. I'm not impressed. Sorry wasn't what I wanted nor expected.
The Longhorns
J. Frank Dobie is the granddaddy of Western writers. His work "The Longhorns" is a classic. Long on lore, with plenty of red paint stirred in to keep it colorful, it's a great read.
Mountain Bike! The Great Lakes States, 2nd (America by Mountain Bike - Menasha Ridge)
I was hoping this would be a more thorough listing of mountain biking areas in the Great Lake States, but it's not. It sticks to only what it considers to be the classic trails.
Dirty Laundry: Stories About Family Secrets
"Dirty Laundry: Stories About Family Secrets" is a well compiled and, for the most part, well written anthology of stories. Each revolves around a long-concealed secret, and most are entertaining, though the overall tone of the book does tend to lean toward the morbid - or at least unpleasant.The book was edited by author Lisa Rowe Frautino, who also penned its well-written but sometimes very disturbing story, "FRESh PAINt". A couple other stories of note are "The Secret of Life, According to Aunt Gladys" by Bruce Coville ("Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher"), "I Will Not Think of Maine" by M.E. Kerr, and "Rice Pudding Days" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti.To sum up: I personally am not a fan of unhappy stories, especially so many in one place, but this is still a high-quality book which makes for interesting and often mysterious reading. Still, I would not recommend it to anyone under 14 or so -- for a younger person looking for a short story anthology, I would recommend "13: Thirteen stories that celebrate the agony and ecstasy of being thirteen" (which incidentally also features an entertaining story by the aforementioned Coville).