Texas Books

I've known Jim Peters for many years, and have been at his side and witnessed both his investigative talent (who can forget Las Vegas 1995?) and skill at obtaining info from people not always willing to provide it. This is an entertaining story and a too brief glimpse into the life of a true Texas Ranger, before the computers and DNA changed the profession forever. Read it and wish you were there.

Jim Peters must have one of the most pleasant personalities I have ever read about. Many of his "stops" brought laughter from his partners as well as himself. Wish I could have been Casper, the friendly ghost, on some of these capers! I would have laughed out loud too!! This is a great story of a modern day Ranger, maintaining the true tradition of the Texas Rangers. Wish there were more like him and that their stories could be told also. They will always be heroes in my books and I will continue delving into everything I can read about them. Way to to Ranger Jim! You were/are "a hell of a Ranger."

As one who is friends with Jim Peters, I can recommend this book to anyone who is a Texas history buff, especially those with an interest in Ranger lore. Jim truly was a Ranger when "Rangers were Rangers".

Jim Peters, Texas Ranger is extremely readable as it consists of great stories of the activities of this reknowned and capable Texas Ranger. The Rangers, of course, are the best of the best, and Jim Peters was highly respected by his fellows. He was involved in the resolution of a lot of high-profile cases and the book is an interesting piece of both true crime and history.

Jim Peters has had a remarkable life, and it's fascinating to read about his adventures as a Texas Ranger. The author makes you feel as though you're right there with Peters and the Rangers as they piece together evidence and track down the bad guys. The fact that these are true crime stories makes them all the more interesting. The ones involving coldblooded killers make you grateful for the courage and dedication of men like Jim Peters. Other stories involving lesser crimes and dumb or unlucky criminals are very funny. A neat book.

This novel should be read as a part of our Texas history classes. It gives a wonderful perspective from the Indian point of view. It is the most moving novel I have read in a long time. Highly recommended!

This was a great book, and I think it is enjoyable to read. I think if you want good books with more of a down-to-earth base, then you should read this.

From LIBRARY JOURNAL, 1 Sep 1999: This novel might more accurately be titled Killing Náudah because when its central character is recaptured by Texas Rangers in 1860, having been abducted by Comanches 24 years earlier, she has long since ceased thinking of herself as Cynthia Ann Parker. Basing his fictional speculation on a careful reading of the historical record, Brashear chronicles the heartbreaking descent into despair of a proud woman who could not forget her warrior husband and two sons. With no one heeding her requests to be returned to her husband and sons or even to receive news of them, Parker finds images of their torture and death blending with her recollections of Comanche life. Uncomfortable with the tight clothing, unfamiliar language, and restrictive social customs of white society and rejected by much of her family, she finally begins a scheme to go back to the Plains. Public library patrons will appreciate this engrossing novel, which can also supply a personal perspective to supplement history texts.

From PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, 30 Aug 1999: Previous novels based on the sketchy history of Cynthia Ann Parker, the white mother of Quanah Parker, the legendary Comanche leader, have focused mainly upon her life among the Comanches, which began in May 1836, when the nine-year-old daughter of a Texas Ranger was taken captive by a Comanche raiding party. Brashear adheres to the facts, but goes further in imagining her inner life after she becomes a Comanche in spirit. Unlike other captives, who over the next five years are returned to their families, Cynthia Ann steadfastly refuses to be bartered back to white civilization. She marries Comanche Chief Peta Nocona and bears two sons and a daughter. In 1860, Cynthia Ann is seized-with her baby daughter, Toh-Tsee-Ah (anglicized: Topsannah)-by a band of Texas Rangers who massacre and mutilate a camp of Comanche women and children. Taken against her will to an elderly uncle near Fort Worth, she protests bitterly and begs to be returned to her Comanche family. Thwarted and grieving, she gradually withdraws deeply into herself, changing her name to She-Mourns, and making several unsuccessful attempts to escape from the mostly well-meaning but inadvetently cruel relatives where she is sent in succession. After Topsannah dies three years from her mother's recapture, Brashear depicts Cynthia Ann as becoming virtually catatonic; she dies in 1870. Brashear's research is impressive, and the members of the extended Parker family are fairly and carefully drawn. If his habit of rendering his heroine's speech in Comanche is distracting, he succeeds in conveying her anguish as an eternal exile. But the narrative drags on with needless detail, and Brashear's elaborate recreation of She-Mourns's inner life eventually leaves the reader numb.

[Note: this reviewer apparently couldn't tell Comanche from Spanish, in which some of Cynthia Ann's dialog is rendered-with translations.]

Cynthia Ann's story and that of her famous son Quanah are well known, but her tragic end is not. A wrenching testimony to what ignorance, prejudice, and well-meaning but thoughtlessly cruel intentions can do, Brashear's novel is highly recommended for history readers and serious students of Native American culture.

Excerpts from some reviews:

from Midland (TX) newspaper, Nov 7, 1999: The story of Cynthia Ann Parker has become legend. Kidnapped from Parker's Fort near Mexia by raiding Comanches in 1836, she was completely assimilated into the Noconi band. She married tribal leader, Peta Nocona, and bore him two sons, Quanah and Pecos, and a daughter, Toh-Tsee-Ah. Late in 1860, she and toddler Topsannah, as the whites called her, were recaptured by Texas Rangers and returned to "civilization" and the extended Parker clan. Cynthia Ann never adapted to white culture. She was shunted from one Parker family member to another. Convinced she was a captive of the Texans, Cynthia Ann was determined to escape to the high plains and the Comanche way. The Parkers neither cared for nor understood Cynthia Ann's obsession with returning to her homeland and her people.

from Judy Alter, The Bookish Frog, Fall 1999: ... an innovative novel about Cynthia Ann Parker. Just when we thought there are no new twists to that old story, Charles Brashear proved us wrong-in a novel with footnotes. (Don't ever say were are afraid to try something new!)

from Amarillo News-Globe, Sunday, Dec 12, 1999, p. 19D: Two novels particularly suited for fireside reading are _____ and "Killing Cynthia Ann" by Charles Brashear.... this new book focuses on her life after her return to Anglo culture. Though presented as a novel, the story is well-researched. The book is even annotated, unusual for fiction.

from Fort Worth Star Telegram, Sunday, Dec 5, 1999: Charles Brashear is a conscientious author who is careful of his sources. What he's done is search out the most authentic records available, then build a novel by filling in imaginary details of emotions, relationships, conversation and background. The fiction device gives the reader a historical overview of the period, plus a vivid picture of a woman who lived with constant, unhealable heartache.... I like the placement of historical notation along the side margins very much. They are less disruptive, easier to go to and return from, than footnotes at the bottom of the page.

from Waco Tribune-Herald, Saturday, Nov 6, 1999 (Brazos Living, p. 8B) Brashear believes our interest in Cynthia Ann Parker more than a century after her death stems from a variety of reasons: our disbelief that someone could prefer another way of life to the American way; our collective guilt in the ultimate fate of American Indian cultures; and an unconscious desire for a simpler life, such as American Indians practiced. "Cynthia Ann's story of wildness keeps haunting us because we see in it a gross injustice that has never been righted. They killed the wildness in her, which we half suspect may have been the better part. And, while we may not be personally responsible, we feel a sort of communal guilt for the wrong done her," he explained.

This is one of Cotton's more entertaining novels. It keeps your attention from beginning to end, and you hate for it to end, as you really like the supporting characters, and don't want anything happening to them. Sam Burrack is one of my favorite fictional characters, and I often wonder what would have happened had Sam Peckinpah brought him to the screen. I can only dream . . . .

This is the forth western I've read by this author. My favorite so far has been Bloods Land because I really enjoyed the way the female gunfighter handled herself. After reading about Texas Bob, Mary Alice and the ranger, I think I might have a tie on my hands. ( Could it be I'll find all of his books are this good??? ) So far so good. This one was given to me for Chiristmas by my (X) fiance. I started reading it the other night in front of the fire and only stopped for an hour or so before finsihing it from front to back. Now that I am a full fledged Western-Fan, I love curling up near a warm fire and reading a Ralph Cotton book. I recommend this book to anybody who likes action adventure and good thoughtful storytelling. I want more, Please!!!

A. Rainey (ARainey47@yahoo.com) , A retired trucker and rancher in MT, 12/23/2007

Cotton's stories all always Top Notch, and Killing Texas Bob is one of his best. I won't reveal the story and spoil it for other readers, and I don't whine about minor slips and type-os I find in most books today. But as one of the millions of readers who CAN and DO appreciate westerns that are more than one dimentional, to Mr. Cotton I say the two words Texas Bob uses to thank the ranger,'Much Obliged.' Not many writers create characters like Ranger Sam Burrack and Texas Bob. The ranger is as mild-mannered and tough as always, but the new character,Texas Bob, is the kind of man I remember hearing about growing up in West Texas in the old days when a man lived and died by his word. Like the ranger, Texas Bob never wavers from what's right even when it's about to cost him his life. He stands his ground on a reputation that is so trusted his enemies and their lies could not tarnish his name. He is known for his sense of fairness and his rock solid values as a man you can trust, but a man you don't want to push too far. Texas Bob is a fair tribute to all the old Texans whose words I hear coming from his mouth. These are the kind of strong characters the western genre was built on. Thanks to Cotton we still get to hear, see and understand them. Keep them coming, Mr. Cotton. 'Much Obliged.'

I've complained in the past about Ralph Cotton's historial slips in his books sold as "historical novels." He has done pretty good in this one, and I can overlooked the trivial things that detract from the "historical" nature of book.
This story has a very good plot and lots of action; and of course the good guys win.
But I could not help finding the watch-evidence error. The killer removed the watch from the stagecoach guard's body (Teddy Wade) on Page 98. On Page 271 it suddenly was the Sheriff's watch; but he was killed after the stage holdup and the killer was never near his body.
Sloppy plotting, but I consider this one of Ralph Cotton's better stories... perhaps my comment will get the author's attention.
Although the author ain't a Louis L'Amour, Max Brand, or even a Ralph Compton, I do enjoy his books and I think he's getting better with practice!

Killing Texas Bob is one more in an ever growing list of the classic American West stories we have come to expect from this gifted and original author. Cotton's work never dissapoints. We all have our favorite authors, and when it comes to accurate action and adventure westerns, for my money Mr. Cotton sets the standard. His stories are limited only by the reader's ability to identify and understand the various levels of human interactions and complexities. Comparing one writer's work to another is too rude and condesending for my taste, so I will leave that particular task to those who consider themselves better qualified to do so. I have enjoyed all of Ralph Cotton's books, as well as the books he wrote for Ralph Compton's estate after Compton's death. As a carreer teacher of English and History, and as a lifelong western fan, I highly recommend Cotton's work to anyone searching for beautifully written, solidly crafted Historical Westerns with depth and meaning far above the typical genre fare. Thank you, Mr. Cotton. American literature needs more characters like Texas Bob Krey. I hope we haven't heard the last of him.

This book is the winner of the 1998 Spur Award for Best Western Novel (selected by the Western Writers of America).

Cynthia, has captured the events of a very special time in our history and built beautiful characters around the very people who played such an important role in that point in time of the american west.

Cynthia Haseloff has written a great western that very much deserves the 1998 Spur award recieved from the Western Writers of America.
The Kiowa Verdict is based on the trial of two Kiowa Indians, Satanta and Adoltay also called Big Tree, for taking part in the "The Warren Wagon Train Massacre." Satanta led about 100 Kiowas and Comanches and attacked a wagon train with only a dozen white men. This took place west of Fort Richardson, Texas, in the spring of 1871. There was little doubt who was responsible, for Satanta himself bragged to Quaker Indian agent Lawrie Tatum at Fort Sill:

"Remember this. If any other Indian comes in here saying he led the raid he will be lying, because I, Satanta, led it."

Satanta and Big Tree were the first Indians to be tried in a white man's court in Texas for crimes committed against Texans.
Historically both Satanta and Big Tree were convicted of murder and sentenced to hang. Governor Edmund J. Davis commuted their sentences to life imprisonment. Later Satanta committed suicide by leaping headfirst from a second story window at the Texas State Prison in Huntsville and smashing his head on stone paving.

Adoltay, or Big Tree, a young warrior, converted to Methodism while in prison, was eventually released, was ordained as a Methodist minister, returned to the Kiowa-Comanche lands around Fort Sill and was instrumental in converting many Kiowas and Comanches to Methodism.

One of the characters in this novel, Joseph A. Woolfolk, a Confederate and Frontier Regiment veteran, was appointed by the Thirteenth District Court of the State of Texas to defend the Kiowas. The prosecutor was S. W. T. Lanham, who later became governor of Texas.

Transcripts of the trial don't exist, so what courtroom action there is - and of course the thoughts and fears of Joe Woolfolk - are entirely fictional. What is real is the fact that poor Joe Woolfolk instead of putting up a token defense, actually defended his clients in court.

To paraphrase the sometimes Western writer Mark Twain, "the reports of the death of the Western have been greatly exaggerated." The modern Western has been part of the American literary scene ever since - and arguably long before - Owen Wister introduced readers to "The Virginian" in 1902, and it shows no signs of riding into the sunset.

Cynthia Haseloff has captured the spirit of the American frontier in a way that kept me spellbound from beginning to end. Not only did I come away with a true sense of the era, but I also became a new fan of the Western genre, as well (at least the Haseloff Western genre). I can't wait to read her prequel to this book, "Satanta's Woman." I would highly recommend "The Kiowa Verdict" to anyone looking for a great beside-your-bed read.

Cynthia Haseloff has made a grand effort in this fictionalized history account of a raid by Kiowans on a freighter train, a trial and a verdict. Because records of the events have mostly been destroyed, or were deliberately never made, Haseloff has been forced to assume a lot about what happened and why it happened. It's generally a good job.

The legalities of trying Comanches and Kiowans raiding into North Texas while residing 'out of reach' in Oklahoma weren't vague at the time. The raiders understood enough of the law to know they were immune from prosecution by Texans for depredations in Texas if they escaped to Oklahoma. In this instance, the laws were ignored. Two men responsible for a raid that resulted in the deaths of several freighters and torture of one were arrested, taken back to Texas, tried and hanged.

From a strictly practical perspective, it was probably the right method of dealing with the event, though illegal. Even though Comanche raids continued for several years after this trial, the security of refuge provided by the Oklahoma Territory was never again to be trusted. Comanches who remained at war with whites in Texas were forced to remain on the high plains and face white retribution for their acts. This eventually allowed Colonel Ranald McKenzie to destroy the entire horse-herd of the raiding bands, putting them afoot and ending their ability to conduct raids without exterminating the entire tribe.

The fate of Penateka Comanche, the Karankawa, the Lipan Apache, the Fara'on Apache, and many other tribes caught in the vicegrip of Spanish and Anglo migration into the American West and Southwest is a bloody illustration of the other alternative.

The author has done a good job of reconstructing the events, the setting, the characters and the context. I recommend it for anyone interested in that phase of Texas history.

Judging from these often humorous, sometimes poignant, but always brash and candid letters, it is probably safe to assume that few writers have had such widely varied experiences as has Larry L. King. Spanning over 40 years, King's fascinating and provocative letters--along with his no-holds-barred reminiscences interspersed among them--provide a virtual autobiography of this novelist, playwright, essayist, and commentator. What makes this epistolary volume especially interesting is that King suffers no fools lightly, appears to be intimidated by no one, and is always ready to prick the balloons of the famous--and oftentimes pompous. (His accounts of working with actor Burt Reynolds and dancer Tommy Tune are particularly hilarious.

Larry L. King is an American hero. His work should be required reading for anyone who even thinks about the writing life. He ought to win the Nobel Prize, but then, he's a Texan so probably doesn't qualify.

Parents of small children desperately need sleep, so I cannot recommend that they read this book--it has kept me awake for two nights in a row. It's as hard to put down as any thriller, and a whole lot funnier than most.

This book takes the reader inside the head and heart of a working writer and reveals the triumphs and the despair that are staples of a writer's life. There are a lot of famous people in it, too.

King's book of letters take you inside the heart and head of one of America's most perceptive and humorous writers. Roy Blount once said that King writes like an angel would if it grew up in West Texas and drank. It's hard to improve on Blount's assessment. King's rollicking missives, directed to friends, family, politicians, critics, and fellow writers offer a fascinating portrait of the writing life. There's also the vicarious thrill of reading someone else's mail. Stories range from fellow author William Styron's run-in with "Mexican boo-smoke" to King's feud with the "alleged actor Burt Reynolds." The fact that a book this interesting has been published by a university press instead of a major trade house is as indicative as anything of the sorry state of affairs in the publishing industry these days. King's book, like himself, defies the mold.

Jan Freed once again provides all her readers with a light hearted look at relationships between men and women. This title proves to be just as hysterical as the last one in The Malloy Men series. We were treated to the second brother, Cameron, in this latest book.

I always enjoy the interactions between her characters, and the dialogue is always excellent. This story's focus is on two partners in an Ad Agency. They've known one another since college, and have worked together since. With a little plan and a nudge from Elizabeth, Cameron begins to see that partners at work isn't all they could be.

I always head right out to check the shelves when one of Ms. Freed's books is due out. Once found, I read them in one sitting. And they're well worth the wait! I recommend this title, as well as any of her others! Enjoy!

Once again Jan Freed has given us a book that is truly a pleasure to read. I always head out early looking for her titles to hit the shelves. This latest book is the second in The Malloy Men series. The last one was hysterical and this one proves to be the same. The dialogue between Cameron and Elizabeth is funny, without feeling forced or stilted. I love her characters, and the interaction between them. She has a set of more minor characters that you get to know in this book as well. Her hero and heroine have known each other for years....and it just takes a little plan and a nudge for her to have him reconsidering their relationship. I loved this one, as I love all of Ms. Freed's titles. Enjoy!

Cameron Malloy's life has been one of constant ease. His great looks have allotted him a revolving door policy where women are concerned and he has made a success of his advertising company, on the surface. In truth, his concern with the image of his company has marred the perfection of his life and now he must pay the price, in more ways than one.

Elizabeth, Cameron's partner and longtime friend, has loved him for years. So when Cameron verbally explodes in her face and reveals painfully pent up truths about her inability to handle reality, Elizabeth hands him the reality of her resignation. Now Cameron must hurry to regain what was overlooked and underappreciated in order to save a friendship he has come to count on implicitly.

This is the first novel I've ever read by Jan Freed and I enjoyed it tremendously. Cameron Malloy commits plenty of blunders throughout this novel but it is clear that Elizabeth is ready to give as good as she gets where he is concerned. I enjoyed the fact that her resignation from his company liberated her in many ways even though a deal is in place that ties her temporarily to it. Her subsequent actions reflect that she can no longer stand back and watch life unfold in front of her and Cameron is at his wit's end trying to reconcile the Elizabeth he's known with the Elizabeth he is discovering. This is a fantastic story about a man who learns what the consequences are for taking things for granted the hard way.

...THE LAST MAN IN TEXAS is an entertaining Malloy Men talethat lives up to the quality level set by its predecessors. The storyline will remind readers of the thirties romantic romps such as His Girl Friday. Cameron is extremely brilliant in business and equally stupid in love. Elizabeth is loyal to the man she loves until he breaks the camel's back. References to and visits from stars of previous novels add to the overall homecoming feel of the novel that helps turn Jan Freed's tale into an amusing boardroom romp.

Harriet Klausner END

I really enjoyed this story about Cameron and Elizabeth. It was filled with humor as these two characters found their way into each other's heart. I found myself caught up in the tangled web they called a relationship. It was a fast read full of romance and fun.

A great look into a very interesting life. If you are interested in life in the west or in shooting western firearms or just long range shooting in general, this book is a must read. I highly recommend it.

Few books capture the spirit of the American West so well. Billy Dixon participated in both the battle of Adobe Walls and the Buffalo Wallow fight. His accounts of these battles and experiences of life on the frontier have been plagiarized by screen writers for decades.

Mr. Dixon was a humble man with determination, ability, and grit the likes of which are seldom seen. This combination of humility and awesome ability make him a real-life hero and legend, deserving a place in the American consciousness on the level of Daniel Boone.

If you have read "On the Border With Crook", you will also love this book.

Having grown up on the remote ranch lands in the Texas Panhandle, just a stone's throw from the site of the Battle of Adobe Walls, I grew up hearing from the old timers who knew him, stories of the great plainsman, Billy Dixon. Since my early childhood, Dixon has been one of my heroes. In 1913, Dixon was approached by an Oklahoma newspaperman with an idea that he should write his autobiography. With the encouragement of his wife, Olive, Dixon decided some folks just might enjoy hearing his stories. Sadly, his passing precluded the finish of the book, necessitating the change from autobiography to biography, with the finishing touches by his wife, Olive. The book was originally published in 1914, only months after Billy's death. It was reprinted in 1927.

Those original copies are near impossible to find. I spent many years trying to locate a copy. Then in 1987, a limited edition leather-bound reprinting was done. I have number 34 of 50. I always thought it was such a shame that so many people would never have the opportunity to know of Dixon's story. So of course, I was thrilled to learn that in recent months, THE LIFE OF BILLY DIXON, by Olive K. Dixon, was once again reprinted, this time with enough copies of this wonderful book for everyone.

When we think of Plainsmen, buffalo hunters, Indian fighters and the like, many people come to mind such as Buffalo Bill Cody or Wild Bill Hickock but these folks have nothing over Billy Dixon. The only difference being, Dixon never sought fame. Had he succumbed to the dime novelists of the time, his name would be a household word today, for his adventures and accomplishments hold full measure to anyone of that era.

As this book was originally intended an autobiography, the story is told in the first person account, which makes the reader feel as though you are sitting at a campfire, listening to Dixon tell of his adventures and hardships. This book truly and avidly brings to life, a true life adventure story that anyone who appreciates that era or that lifestyle, will not want to miss.

Anyone who has ever earned the Congressional Medal of Honor, as Dixon did at the Buffalo Wallow fight, deserves to have their story told in vivid detail, but Dixon's life is presented here in such fascinating detail as is rarely achieved. Surely Miss Olive's, as she was affectionately known throughout the area, background as a school teacher contributed greatly to the telling of this story by adding literary prose equal to the most accomplished of writers.

If you appreciate true life adventures, the kind told without the need for embellishment for the sake of sensationalism, this is a must read. From the loss of his family very early in life, his early days as a young bullwhacker, the transition to a buffalo hunter, Indian scout, postmaster and rancher, it's all covered in explicit page turning detail. My only regret to this magnificent story is that it should have been another thousand pages. I absolutely hated seeing this book come to an end. This is a real life story that deserves to be heard and one that you will not soon forget.

Monty Rainey
www.juntosociety.com

This book reminded me of the axiom of Benjamin Franklin's autobiography that a good life comes to a person who is thrifty, kind, honest and modest. This is the perfect description of Billy Dixon.
I will not give away any of the life of Mr. Dixon as it is a wonderful treasure to explore, but I will state you will regret like I did in his modesty at times does not allow him to explore in detail his life. "The Shot" at Adobe Walls is barely a mention, but he makes up for it in detailed memories of the battle which Hollywood and authors would never dream of. This is the key to the Life of Billy Dixon in that his attention is in the little things which he gives to history. Everyone knows of the herds of buffalo as far as they eye can see, but Mr. Dixon will tell you about the buffalo as only one man who knew them.
I will offer one warning though and that is do not read the forward by the historian as all he does is steal parts of the book in 20 pages of droaning on and it will be better for the reader to let Mr. Dixon introduce himself in this book and then read the forward last if you feel the need.
As a witness to Mr. Dixon, I read Buffalo Bill's autobiography and to show the difference in these 2 boys without detracting from Mr. Cody, when Bill Cody was a boy among the hard bitten men of the plains the worst would hit him. Billy Dixon though in the same period with the same men was befriended by them and they took him under their wing. That is the kind of good soul Billy Dixon was.
The adept reader will soon enough recognize how much of the book is Mr. Dixon's own words, the few times his wonderful wife explains things for him as he had passed on and the fortunate few times an editor weighs in with a few lines. Billy Dixon in his modesty is the most powerful force in the book and that is the way it should be.
In finishing the book, I could only think what an honor it must be for the living relatives of Mr. Dixon to know they are related to a man of such character. America has been blessed in having his story and having so many thousands of people who built our nation.
Bill Dixon was awarded the Medal of Honor and we are honored to have him. He was the kind of friend everyone hoped they would have as he always was a friend. He learned the lesson of life in having all his family to die when he was a child, so Billy Dixon was a friend forever when he was yours.
5 stars for Mr. Dixon.

For the last year or so I've been reading books about the Buffalo Hunters on the Plains and had heard of this one several times. When I saw that Amazon finally had an affordable version I put in my order for a copy.
The book was dictated by Mr. Dixon to his wife in 1913, published afer his death in 1914 (he never got the chance to do much more than dictate notes)then revised in 1927 and reprinted in 1987 and 2005. It is written as if he wrote the book although his wife and her publisher actually did the work. I'm guessing that Mr. Dixon was not quite so literate as the writing gives you the impression (very little formal schooling) and some of the descriptive terms must've been inserted by the orginal publisher.
You get a biography of Mr. Dixon starting from about age 14 (some sketchy details before that) when he left his Uncle's home to head west to fight Indians and hunt the Buffalo in 1864. There's a lot of detail about his adventures and travels, first meetings with Indians, his first buffalo kill, the countryside and animal life. The detail on the buffalo hunting parts is actually pretty vague, all of the books by the old timers I've read are, but still very interesting. Mr. Dixon is famous for his shooting during a battle with Indians at the Adobe Walls trading post in 1874, including one lucky shot at about 7/8 of a mile- there are several detailed pages about that battle and the subsequent Buffalo Wallow fight, also in 1874. For the first Dixon was still a Buffalo Hunter, he'd quit the business to become an Indian scout at the time of the second battle. I found it interesting in that while I wouldn't term Mr. Dixon an "Indian Lover" he did have a lot of repsect for the variuos tribes.
The last couple of chapters kind of round up some interesting scraps from that point until the current (1913) day- they're rushed but still of interest for historical and hunting details.
I've also read "The Border and The Buffalo" by John R. Cook and "Buffalo Days": stories from J. Wright Mooar as told to James Winford Hunt, this book is the best of the three and well worth owning.

Beware, if you have been suppressing a wanderlust be prepared to take a trip. Your office, school, or home will seem like a cage as you read about Dr. Pianka's adventures in the expansive Australian Outback.

Although the book is very readable, I only gave it four stars because at times there is a break down in continuity and he strings into random thoughts with multiple repeats. Maybe it is due to all that solitude.

I am a college student studying organismic biology. I am taking an ecology class this semester and our text is by Eric Pianka. Herpetology is one of my passions so when I found out Pianka was a "lizard man" I did some research and came upon this book. It turned out to be everything I hoped it would be. The book is written in a manner that engages the reader; you will be held captive as he writes about his childhood experiences and methods of lizarding.

I am so glad that I had bought this book from Half prize book store and had a chance to read. It helped me to understand the diversity of the lizards within and between the continents of northern America, Australia, and Africa. It also helped me to understand a lot about lizard natural history. The author of this book deserves a lot of credit for his hard work and dedicated service in bringing up so much knowlede about the lizards to the mankind.

Eric pianka is one of the finest ecologists in the world. His excitement and passion for these animals is evident throughout the book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who i interested in ecology an field biology.

Erik Pianka is one of the worlds finest ecologists. His passion for lizard ecology is infective. By the end of book you will feel like you know and have worked with Pianka. His story shows what field biologists are all about.

An accurate accounting of the modern-day Texas Rangers. A must read for the Texas Ranger enthusiast and those interested in the history of law enforcement in Texas. I loved the section about "Garrison's Rangers". A real good read!! I highly recommend.

Much to the pleasure of Texans and history buffs acclaimed historian Robert Utley returns with his sequel to Lone Star Justice (2002) thus bringing the saga of the Texas Rangers to the present day. Many have been introduced to the Rangers via television with such programs as Walker or Texas Ranger, yet it is left to Utley to deliver the most telling and intriguing story of all.

We read, "One Riot, One Ranger. A single Ranger could quell an incipient riot. Rangers and Texans alike reveled in the image of the stalwart, fearless lawman facing down an angry mob. On occasion it came close enough to happening to provide at least an inspiration for the slogan."

Yes, the Rangers were and are, for many, men of mythic stature. Utley debunks some myths while perpetuating others. History is at its most fascinating as the Rangers enter the twentieth century leaving their beloved horses behind and chasing criminals in motorized vehicles. They're no longer after rustlers but set their sights on modern criminals and the utilization of contemporary methods, such as forensic science.

With Lone Star Lawmen readers view the Mexican Revolution (a dark point in Ranger history) and visit towns made rich and lawless by oil. The dramatic capture of Bonnie and Clyde is retold, as well as the Branch Davidian tragedy near Waco.

Prodigiously researched Lone Star Lawmen is one more valuable addition to Texas history.

- Gail Cooke

Robert Utley shows again why he is the dean of western history with the second part of his masterful account of the Texas Rangers. While this isn't as romantically wild and woolly as the previous volume--it's inevitable, as automobiles replace horses and the solving of cases relies on more technical tools--it's still engaging and colorful. A great historian--and a great storyteller--does a magnificent job once more.

As a proud native Texan I have relished the mythology of the Texas Rangers as much as anyone else. But after a century and three quarters of a steady diet of stories of larger-than-life Rangers who could do no wrong it is past time that we begin to understand these lawmen as the real men they were. Some of what they did was extraordinarily good and some extraordinarily bad. Robert Utley, who has never yet stepped back from pushing fact in the face of popular mythology, has helped us know the genuine background of Texas as few others have done.

Robert M. Utley follows his masterful account of the first century of the Texas Rangers, Lone Star Justice, with another tour de force, bringing the story up to date. Brilliantly written and meticulously documented, as always with this celebrated historian of the West, this book traces the transformation of a frontier peace force at the beginning of the 20th century to today's internationally recognized investigative and law-enforcement force, a small band of efficient professionals whose frontier history will always hang over them. Casting off frontier ways was not always easy, politically or professionally, as Utley clearly explains. He is not afraid to deal with the controversial aspects of his subject's history, in particular repeated charges of racism and high-handed brutality. This is no love poem to this sometimes controversial organization, as Utley takes on the negative as well as the positive, with judiciouos balance. On the whole, his judgment of the Rangers, for all the regrettable elements of their past, is favorable, and he concludes that the organization has not so much overcome its history as learned from it. A welcome corrective to the romanticizing that usually characterizes stories about the Rangers. Recommended to anyone interested in the history of Texas, the West, and law enforcement. Given that issues involving the US border with Mexico are in the forefront lately, this book provides informative background.

A well-written history of the Texas Revolution and the events leading up to it. If you're already well-acquainted with Texas history, there's not much of anything new in this book, but H.W. Brands has an excellent eye for the telling detail and a good ear for the vivid quote that make the material feel fresh and lively.

What I especially liked about Brands' approach in this book is that he steers a commendable middle course between the traditional hagiography of flawlessly brave Texan heroes fighting evil Santa Anna for Liberty and the revisionist school of greedy white male slave-mongering mercenaries stealing poor Mexico's land. He shows both the strengths and warts of admittedly self-interested people on both sides of the fight who generally believed they were doing the right thing.

My main caveat for anyone who's well-read in early Texas history and is considering picking up this book for another perspective on the Texas Revolution would be that it takes 11 chapters and more than 250 pages of reviewing Texas colonial history (with the emphasis on Stephen F. Austin's colony) before the book finally reaches the actual outbreak of fighting. But, for someone who's relatively new to Texas history or could just use some brushing up on the subject, those 11 chapters do provide a surprisingly brisk and eminently readable account of Texas history from the first Spanish explorations up to the revolution.

Outstanding book, written with elegance and vigor. If you know the details already you will not find new revelations here, but Lone Star Nation is so well done that even if you aren't especially interested in Texan history, after a couple of chapters you will be. The audiobook, read by Don Leslie, is highly recommended.

Brands writes the "epic" story of these men who fought for Texas independence. He does not write over your head and does not leave the reader uninformed. He does not hold back details about the "mythical" Texas figures who are "larger than life" in most accounts. It is a simple and effective way to learn about the Texas Revolution.

Brands, without being multicultural for multiculturalism's sake, documents both the Hispanic and the Anglo contribution to Texas' independence. He does so without giving saccharine descriptions of either group's leadership or their ability to always get alone with one another, either before or after 1836.

And, in the years leading up to the Texas Revolution, he doesn't sidestep the slavery question either.

That honest eye is important, because in the last section of the book, he carries the story of Texas forward through 1865.

Brands does a great job of weaving the lives of Austin, Santa Anna and others together in a compelling fashion. His vivid narrative style makes you forget you are reading history, but rather makes you feel you are sitting around a fireplace listening to a master storyteller perform his craft with grace and ease.