Cowboy CL

The star of this book is its art. From the rugged visions of Charles Russell's paintings to vintage photographs and advertisements to Hollywood stills, each image sparks interest and draws the reader into the accompanying text. Arranged loosely by chronology, Cowboy takes the reader on a ride through the Old West, beginning with the "birth of the American cowboy" in the latter part of the 19th century. The format, as its name suggests, is reminiscent of an old-time album (think Time-Life profile book), successfully blending both research exposition and interesting trivia throughout. A wide range of topics are touched on, from clothes and language to the law and outlaws, and all types of media are used to illustrate the text. For example, a section of cowboy "uniform" includes a reproduction of a stereoscope card depicting a cowboy on a horse; a Stetson hat advertisement, a pen-and-ink drawing of a man in long-johns, and many vintage photographs, including one colorized to illustrate the impact cowboys continue to have on American fashion even today (al la Levi Strauss). One complete section is dedicated to how Hollywood has perpetuated and even shaped our vision of the brooding, mysterious cowboy; and a brief final chapter addresses the life of modern-day cattle ranch cowboys. Cowboy offers a wonderful overview of its subject, and is an excellent resource for both research and entertainment.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's a book with only about 100 pages but it very informative and fun. It tells the story of the birth of the Cowboy to Cowboys today and the New Old West. It is packed full of interesting pictures. I have this book on my coffee table and have given this book as a gift to several of my friends who enjoy rodeo and the cowboy way of life. I highly recommend it.