Cecil's Western History Collection #1 - August 2024

Like I said; almost 400 book titles in our library; many of them out of print (except for maybe our "re-prints", others priced way way up there ... if you can find one.

Like I also said;  I have more books here than I know .... well, not true;   I DO know what to do with them.  Set up a grand collection that you can read at your leisure (or pass some out to friends; Holiday gifts etc).

So, there will be a few more of these sets as I can get things organized, but here is the first.  Hope you enjoy.

     1.  Recalling the Buffalo; The Martin S Garretson Collection.  U of Alberta; 2012.  Garretson was one of the early members of the original American Bison Society and one of a handful that gets credit from saving the bison from extinction.  Very well researched volume with many of Garretson's own sketches and historical photos.  Took me a long time to get the University and more specifically the Bruce Peel Library to ship me this box (they had to go find one in their archives).  Sure glad they did!  41 pages.  Soft cover.

     2.  A History of the JA Ranch; Harley True Burton.  The JA Ranch - one of the five largest ever in Texas, was founded in the Palo Duro Canyon by Charles Goodnight and his financial partner, James Adair.  Reprinted from the 1934 Journal of the Texas State Historical Association, but originally published in 1927 (2 years before Goodnight passed on), in the Southwestern Historical Quarterly.  It was the thesis Burton submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School of Fine Arts; University of Texas in June 1927 as part of his Masters of Fine Arts degree requirements.   Again, well written and well documented.  140 pages; soft cover.

     3.  The Cook and the Cowboy; Frank Widmer.  Though it was written for the Canadian Angus Beef folks, the Swiss touch Frank imparts to some very very simple dishes is impressive.  No wonder he was Executive Chef at Hyatt Regency Zurich ... over 20 years.  I met Frank back probably in 2006 and quickly came to realize how he thinks and how he cooks is so simple .... and so elegant at the same time.  Great guy (and at one time he did offer to translate these recipes for bison cuts.  Told him then; no real need ... and later he wrote to say he agreed.  Beautiful pictures; nice thoughts and some excellent ways to prep bison (or beef if you really insist).    Hardback with slipcase.  90 pages.

    4.  Black Gun, Silver Star; the Life and Legend of Frontier Marshal Bass Reeves;  Art T. Burton.  2006.  New Edition.  This is the "bible" on Reeves by an extremely knowledgeable author.  Don't know about Mr. Reeves?  You should.  Want to know pretty much the real deal on Bass?  This is the book!  Paperback.  350 pages including epilogue, index and notes.

     5.  Charles Goodnight, Father of the Texas Panhandle; William T. Hagen.  2007.  This book, by a marvelously simplistic author with a huge knowledge of Western History and distinguished professorships at multiple universities (but he doesn't write like a professor!!) fills in the later years of Mr. Goodnight's life - the part Hagen recognized was omitted from the Charles Goodnight, Cowman and Plainsman by J. Evetts Haley back in 1935.  An easy and excellent read; 137 pages paperback.

     6.   The Beads of the Bison Robe Trade; The Fort Union (N.D.) Trading Post Collection.  Steven Leroy DeVore;  1992.  A relatively technical look at the actual beads that have been found at or near ... or known to be from Fort Union.  Pretty dry and something only a bead collector might love .... but it does give a really nice peak into one of the huge facets of the mid 19th century world of the upper midwest native tribes that became involved in the fur trade - the Assiniboine, Blackfeet, Crow, Sioux and others.   Beautifully printed paperback.  135 pages including index and references.

     7.  A "surprise" .... hope you enjoy this one, too!

So, 7 very involved and interesting reads for ......