Buffalo Books

A few of my favorite painters are contemporaries of Still, so I saw it as my duty to see the Hirschhorn exhibition. Well, I picked a dead day and had the show to myself and simply put I am now a fan. The book is great and David Anfam's addition to the book is especially enlightening about the work of Still.

I am a painter who has largely avoided Clifford Still but this book has turned me into a great admirer. Particulary influential was the contribution by David Anfam, the art historian who was responsible for the magnificent, award-winning Mark Rothko catalogue raisonne. Anfam's essay is insightful, far-reaching, beautifully written with poetic underpinnings, a pleasure to read. All you'll ever need to know about Clifford Still, his work, and his place in art history is covered in this essay. The color plates are also wonderful and, even as reproductions, offer a great chance to appreciate the paintings.

Clyfford Still is one of the giant figures of the art world and this book puts his paintings in a proper perspective. The book contains many color reproductions of his large non-objective canvases. Still himself wrote the book and gives us a very good insight into his life and thinking process. He discusses what went into his paintings and how his unique canvas numbering system worked absent dates and titles to identify his work. It is also a journey through his body of work. His paintings were skillfully balanced with positive and negative spaces and his unparalleled use of color is well documented. This book is a must for any art lover in general and for students of American art in particular. I liked this book not only for the well reproduced paintings in color but also because it let's us into the painter's mind to get a glimps of his true genius.

An excellent catalogue written by leading authorities on a great artist whose unique body of works has remained hidden in the estate (only about 150 paintings are scattered in public and private collections), and who, as a consequence has been neglected by the general public. It is the only such publication on Clyfford Still to be published since the late 1980's and I strongly recommend it to any art lover interested in the Ab-Ex movement.

I first read this book in a gift shop at the San Diego Zoo. The message is even more potent because the story is true. This book is the well-done, beautifully illustrated story of bringing the American Buffalo back from the brink of extinction. The story is engaging without being "preachy." There's a lesson for the future here, too. As a third grade teacher, I'm planning on using this book in the classroom to reinforce the idea that human beings share the planet with other living creatures.

I have been reading this to our reading buddy class of third graders now for a few years... I first read it at our local library and choked up. It is good for lots of academic reasons but is also engaging and has an unusual style and amazing illustrations.

No other animal represents the American frontier like the American Bison. To Native Americans he was a spirit messenger, sacred to their very existence. To them and frontiersmen alike the thundering, shaggy beasts represented food, clothing, shelter and fuel. And in a larger sense the massive herds represented the spirit of freedom in a new and untouched land.

In They Came from the Bronx, Neil Waldman recounts the fascinating tale of how this quintessential American animal was brought back from extinction.

Waldman speaks of the Bronx Zoo's "Mother Herd," and his curiosity as a child with the name. How could a captive herd of bison in the largest American metropolis, so far from the wide-open spaces of the Great Plains, claim such a title?

Waldman's story weaves an eloquent account beginning in Oklahoma, stepping back to New York City in the early Nineteen hundreds, offers historical facts about the bison's prairie reign and then it's back to Oklahoma where a Comanche grandmother and her grandson await a most improbable reunion.

They Came from the Bronx is technically a children's book but will appeal to children of all ages, from one to ninety-three, if you will. Beautifully illustrated and written, the book speaks volumes about the tragedy of man's irresponsible exploitation of wildlife but also offers a ray of hope that once mistakes are made and recognized, if we are careful and responsible, they can and should be rectified.

Douglas McAllister

I loved the poignant conversation between the old woman and her grandson. Her explanation of the disappearance of the buffalo builds to a very dramatic climax, that make us realize the seriousness of our country's past decisions. I reccommend this highly to anyone who cares about our past and future!

This is a charming little book which is lovely in its presentation and soothing in its lyrical vignettes. It makes an excellent gift for someone who lives outside the frenetic energy of suburbia... or for those who wish they did....

Read this from our library then had to buy 2 to have - one for a gift, one to keep. Like it so much have given both as gifts! Each chapter is a gem, a story of woman in nature with the meaning of the interaction subtly displayed but left up to the reader to interpret for her own life.

Even better than the author's Animals as Guides for the Soul, this is an elegant little book to savor and to come back to. The insights drawn from the author's observations of the nature around her and of her life give meaning to the seasons of the year and the seasons of life. Buy one for youself and one for a friend.

WHY BUFFALO DANCE: ANIMAL AND WILDERNESS MEDITATIONS THROUGH THE SEASONS offers a lovely set of nature appreciations musing on everything from the lessons of eagles in 'The Right Timing' to a Spring celebration in 'The True Nature of Things'. These aren't the one-line meditations you've come to anticipate in such celebrations of life, but thought-provoking essays linking observations of nature with seasonal inspiration.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

In this delightful tale Cook takes us deep into the heart and soul of small-town U.S.A., its residents and its minor league baseball team, the Buffalo. "The Year of the Buffalo" is a wonderful read--and not just for baseball fans. Cooks tremendous insight into people, love of baseball and mastery of the written word will grab your attention and keep you turning the pages! You will find yourself walking the streets of Beymer, having breakfast at the diner and rooting in the stands.

This small volume grabs you from the opening (a minor leaguer's unexpected entry into Beymer) and holds you till the exciting conclusion (I'll never tell!). It is a very warm and human tale set against the backdrop of America's Game in a small town that could be anywhere. I would truthfully recommend this read (and do) even if Marshall were not my younger brother

Cook using the icons of the baseball diamond tells a story about a bunch of people who are hitting that midlife crisis point in their lives and how they deal with it.

Cook utilizes the small fictional town of Beymer, much as Garrison Keillor uses Lake Wobegone, he skillfully establishes a relationship with the reader that lets us imagine our own little town or the one we wish we came from.

Using the baseball team as a metaphor for life and the season as the struggle for respectability in this age of style over substance, he blends the drama with the actions of four likable and wonderfully believable characters.

The washed up pitcher looking for redemption, the alchoholic manager looking for respect, the local newspaper editor wondering if his sacrifice of staying in this small town was worth it and the local gal that runs the dinner trying to remember when she decided to run a dinner in a failing town for the rest of her life.

Cook works this drama out on the field and off as the characters help each other find what they are looking for, not unlike Dorthey, the Tim Man, the bashfull lion and the scarecrow searching for OZ.
Oz in this case is the quest for championship baseball season in the lowest of the minor leagues by the team that comes from "the smallest town in the U.S. that has a professional baseball team".
The land of Oz is the small towns of Wisconsin that are home to the other teams in the league.

Rich in humor, feeling, and entertainment, this book is a great summer read

I'm a female who has no interest in sports, so you wouldn't think this book would appeal to me. However, I love a good yarn about a group of memorable, loveable people pulling together to save their team and their town, and searching for love in its many forms along the way, and this book was that. But baseball fans would love it, too. I hear the author has written a sequel. I will be among the first in line to read about the ongoing lives of Tommy Lee, Dutch, the Chief, Billie Jo, and my personal favorite, Bruce Kelly, the wise and caring newspaperman.

I was pretty familiar with the history of this subject, but was more interested in the archeological finds. For instance, in the world of shooting today the 50-70 is all but forgotten yet there were more 50-70 cases and cartridges found than any other caliber. The thing about some of the long shots the hunters made during the siege is that the authors point out that the hunters had no doubt tested their prowess at different targets at different distances, so had probably already "marked" many of the shots and distances. Good reference for anyone studying the battle, I am going to the site this summer, and read this as a preface...Ivery

Best book on the Adobe Walls battle available. Covers every aspect from the structures, to the archaeology, people (both anglos and native american), the battle, the occupations, etc. Great info on the archaeology, including ammunition, guns, dinnerware (plates etc), blacksmithing,etc. I learned much about the battle, the times, the people, the construction of the trading post, who, why, when, how.
Highest recommendation!

This is one of the best books on Adobe Walls, ( the other being the life of Billy Dixon). It takes you all the way through, from start to finish. The last half of the book is about the archeology that was done in the 70's. It gives a real insite into the hide hunters and store keepers lives during the six month's at the Walls.

That Manuel Ramos' chicano mysteries have gone out of print gave me the blues as I enjoyed reading the entire series and longed for more. When I recommend a writer / title to friends I like it when the book's in print. Blues for the Buffalo is back in print and I hope it won't be too much longer before all of the Luis Montez series becomes available again. The Denver attorney enjoys an interesting relationship with his father, as a worthwhile sidenote to a series of interesting and exciting mysteries. Blues plays against the legend of the Brown Buffalo, Oscar Zeta Acosta, who plays a central role in the novel, even in Zeta's absence. More interesting is Ramos' introduction of a Mexican American...who offers an interesting contrast to the older Montez. I looked forward to having Ramos spin off the new character, but then the books disappeared. Hopefully readers will discover Blues and create demand for the other titles, inspiring a clever publisher to commission Ramos to get back to work and meeting his obligation to readers who enjoy a good mystery with the added bonus of adding to a body of chicano literature that brings some of the freshest perspectives to literature written in the US.

Blues for the Buffalo and the Manuel Ramos series of detective novels featuring Luis Montez is worth a second, third, and fourth look. Readers who enjoy outstanding mysteries will reward themselves by picking up Manuel Ramos' Blues for the Buffalo. When I recommend a novel to friends, I want them to read it, and it helps that the novel is in print. Until recently, Ramos' novels have been out of print, so the publication of his "last" Luis Montez novel is great news, for a number of reasons.

first, Ramos writes arrestingly interesting and rewarding fiction. His stories include not only the crime stuff but a reputable character. Montez, when he's not dueling bandits, avoiding seductresses, or getting shot in downtown Denver, enjoys a warm relationship with his aging father that any middle aged reader will find personally involving. Luis Montez is one of the most interesting characters mystery readers will meet.

More, Ramos' chicano character and milieu informs readers of a world few have intimate familiarity. The chicano point of view at once enlarges a reader's experience with unitedstatesian culture as well as leads the reader to discover other chicana and chicano writers in the genre. Multiculturalism has not been this rewarding since Walter Mosley came on the scene.

The novel of the moment, Blues for the Buffalo, alludes to Oscar Zeta Acosta. Readers know Zeta as the "samoan" attorney in the Hunter S. Thompson works, e.g. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, but, unless they've also read Acosta's The Brown Buffalo, won't recognize him. Ramos plays a trick of sorts, Zeta is not in the book but the events surround his mystery. One needn't know the Acosta legend to enjoy Ramos' novel, but reading _Blues_ makes for a rosy future if the reader were to pick up Acosta's two books, as well as find the entire Ramos oeuvre.

Ramos introduces a Mexican American character in this novel who could become his next character in a series of the character's own stories. The contrasts between the 60s chicano, Montez, and the 80s chicanesque detective, inform a perspective on chicano and mexican cultures that readers will not find in the news nor in the popular media. For this alone, Blues offers worthwhile reading.

Fun, though is the singular reason anyone might pick up Ramos' stories. Reading Blues, plain and simple, is fun.

Ramos' work has gone out of print, and it is with gratitude that Blues for the Buffalo has come back onto the market. Read it, then encourage your friends to do likewise. An insightful publisher might notice the enthusiasm of Ramos' readers and bring back the entire series. Better, the publisher might commission Ramos to get back to work and give us more Montez, and, hopefully, that new character, and in the process, provide unitedstatesian readers with insights into a people and culture rarely met in US fiction.

Readers everywhere deserve the opportunity.

Too bad more people have not paid attention to Manuel Ramos' books. He writes "mystery" novels featuring the Chicano lawyer Luis Montez, but don't let the genre tag lead you to diminish his books. BLUES FOR THE BUFFALO is an excellent crime story but it's more about the search for Chicano identity -- and forsaken cultural identities. The "Buffalo" in question here is, of course, the legendary lawyer and author Oscar Zeta Acosta. A fun reading experience would be to read Acosta's THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A BROWN BUFFALO then zip straight into BLUES FOR THE BUFFALO. Good stuff.

This book took me back to a time and place I have only seen in my dreams. The descriptions and the family tales are truly exciting, interesting and the stuff western ledends are made of. What a wonderful family history and place. I plan on visiting in the near future.

The current generation of Selman's offer a retreat for birders, outdoors people and horse riders. I am looking forward to my late spring adventure along the Buffalo Creek.

If you are at all interested in natural history, history, the prairie, Oklahoma, or families in general, this is a book you will greatly enjoy. It 's also a beautiful book with generous numbers of great black and white photos. Definitely a "must read."

The Buffalo Creek Chronicles is a team effort, uniting the photographs and commentary of Don House, memoirs by Sue Selman and observations by Gary Lantz focusing on the personal, cultural and natural history of the Selman Ranch, some 16,000 acres of native prairie along Buffalo Creek in northwest Oklahoma.

The ranch dates back to when founder J.O. Selman herded longhorns up from Texas during the 1890s while he accumulated land of his own in the big, unfenced cattle country known as the Cherokee Strip.

J.O., or "Jimmy Few Clothes" as he was called due to the stark poverty that inspired him to join a trail drover crew at age 15, eventually amassed more than 60,000 acres between the North Canadian and Cimarron Rivers. Today Sue Selman's children represent the family's fourth generation to live and work on the ranch.

Lantz and House spent over a year exploring the ranch from every angle-on foot, through the window of a pickup truck, in the saddle, in a wagon pulled by a team of draft horses.

During that time they became acquainted with Selman family history, the sodbusters who lived in dugouts carved into dirt bluffs, pioneers who arrived here in covered wagons, epidemics that swept the countryside, plagues of grasshoppers, cowboys with a taste for whiskey, the last horseback bank robbery in Oklahoma, blizzards, dust storms, droughts. The authors found Indian artifacts and ancient buffalo bones half buried in the banks of Sleeping Bear Creek. They rode with the Selmans as they celebrated their family heritage during a two day longhorn cattle drive held on the ranch. The men dodged rattlesnakes, made the acquaintance of a few porcupines, helped guide hunters from as far away as Buffalo, New York and watched a remnant flock of lesser prairie chickens stage a spring courtship drama that once thundered from every suitable knoll stretching from the Cimarron River sandhills to the rainshadow of the Rockies.

A sampling of some of each can be found in this book, along with Sue Selman's recollections of growing up in the rough `n tumble Buffalo Creek cattle country during the 1950s, a time when little girls learned to rope as well as cope in what was traditionally a man's hard-edged, sunburned world.

This book is about cows, grass and a proud heritage and culture seeking new ways to survive. Fickle cattle markets have prompted Sue and her children to explore nontraditional land use practices, including fee hunting and nature tourism, to keep the family together and the ranch intact.

A special section devoted to Don House's black and white photographs seeks to portray the stark dignity of a landscape that oftentimes unnerves visitors due to the encircling bigness of it all. Capturing he Buffalo Creek country on film is an exercise in interpreting overpowering horizons, a landscape that must be dissected and examined in increments, then somehow visually and philosophically reconnected to grasp the sum of all the parts.

Don's camera examines not just the landscape, but also moments of time and space contained within that landscape. In addition to his contemporary photographs, he has judiciously selected and edited historical pictures that add faces and places to the personalities represented in the text.

The mission of the Buffalo Creek Chronicles was to write the biography of a ranch that continues to defy all odds and exist under the founder's name, along with the people, the plants, the animals and the weather that comprise the character of this particular place on earth. The Buffalo Creek country can have a hard edge to it, and the people must acquire a special toughness to survive here. Yet at the same time this land can be beautiful and brimming with life. The writers hope this book will give readers a new appreciation for not only our rapidly disappearing native grasslands, but also the ranchers who do so much to preserve what little remains

Charlotte E. Churchill lived a life full of stories. She also lived a life full of tragedy. In reading her work you can get a true sense of her bittersweetness. She pieces together memories, witty metaphors, humor, and heartache, and creates a patchwork of art so haunting and so honest that you cannot help but draw in a piece of her. I must admit I am not one to read a lot of poetry. I prefer novels to poems, but in reading Charlotte Churchill's work I found myself captivated. Like an old friend who has you over on a Thursday afternoon to tell you all the lastest news over a cup of coffee, she was a woman who had definitely found her voice. For anyone who wants a taste of a truly gifted modern American writer who can hold her own with the likes of Sylvia Plath and Joyce Carol Oates, then pick up this collection of Charlotte Churchill's poems. She will surely be missed, but her work is a true legacy.

Charlotte Churchill's poetry is rooted deep in the personal ... beautiful, vibrant words that tell a story about the author and her life experiences. Her expressions are at once chilling and inspiring, brutal and sweet. Add her to the list of accomplished female poets whose voice resonates with those who struggle in being alive.

They tell you when you write these Amazon reviews not to hype any promotional signings, book tours, television appearances etc. Well, nobody has to worry. the poet Charlotte Churchill died mysteriously last year under the wheels of an 18-wheeler bound for who knows where down a lonsesome road in western New York State. She won't be giving any statements. Part Portugese part WASP, the New England thing and the marrying well thing. The only thing good it did her was give her the ability to turn out poems of extraordinary craftsmanship. This is the real deal. The french might call it art brut but the french can be such arseholes. "I signed myself into this state nut house before I killed somebody," she wrote. I wish I would'a done it years ago." She looked like a goddess and society failed her. men failed her and love failed her. This is a great book.

This is a most beautiful and poetic book. A collection of nature based short stories from wonderful perspectives. Magical.

I loved this book. Short and sweet, it's an ingenious example of a writer who likes to experiment in unusual perspectives. With creative abandon, LeGuin speaks to you as a tree, animals, and people from the future. In this book and others, she shows her ability to develop rich characters while going as far from "realism" as she can get. This book includes poems that are each short, meaningful, and awareness-building; if you're a writer they will inspire you to think outside the box. "The Wife's Story" is a must read, very intriguing! She is my favorite write by far!

This is amazing how Ursula K. Le Guin can write. When you are reading about her character you can feel their thoughts - you get new sense which enables you to live the life of the book. In "Buffalo Gals..." you learn about animals and you can take a look at the humankind from outside. Poems in the book show rather unexpectable aspects of what they describe - this is another great ability of UKL. But I recommend this book to the poeple who want to meditate about things, not just to read it.

My son (11) and I have realy enjoyed O'Steel's book. My husband read alot of these books as a child and I can see why! Fast paced, action, adventure, wonderfully descrpitive....made me wish I was a kid again!

I also read this school, but grade school, and then read every other Wm. O. Steele book I could get my hands on. It was a great intro to the genre of historical fiction and good for girls and boys.

To everyone, I wanted to take a moment to tell you how wonderful this book is. I first read it in Junior High School, I fell in love with it. I mustve read it 3 or 4 times since. Its a wonderful story, like all Steele books it leaves the reader spellbound at the end. The description says ages 9-12 but you can be MUCH MUCH older to enjoy this book. It is really a book for anyone with a sense of adventure and an imagination. :)