10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Full of Information!, April 6, 2000
This is an excellent resource for anyone interested in wild horses and mustangs. The author does a great job of providing historical knowledge and facts about the early relationship between wild horses and men, and about how horses roamed America before they were reintroduced by Europeans. The author also discusses current issues involving mustangs and their future in the American West. This book is so good I definately needed it for my personal collection.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A remarkable book. Conveys meaning, insight, understanding, and sensitivity., February 15, 2006
This review is from: America's Last Wild Horses: The Classic Study of the Mustangs--Their Pivotal Role in the History of the West, Their Return to the Wild, and the Ongoing Efforts to Preserve Them (Paperback)
This book first came to my attention when I saw a review of it in Time Magazine, 1970(!), and then again in a National Geographic issue 1977.
My first copy (Ballantine Books, Inc. May 1973) became so dog-eared and worn, that I bought the revised edition (Lyons Press) as a gift to myself in Dec 2000.
Quite a remarkable book in it's history, coverage and research. The mustang has been much maligned by ranchers and the U.S. government as a nuisance and classified as "domestic strays," thus various methods have been used to round up these poor beasts (remember the film "The Misfits"?)and subject them to every kind of mistreatment imagineable, including death.
Thankfully, through the efforts of Ms Ryden and her book, and various animal protection agencies, we now recognize the important contribution and legacy that these horses have played in the history and settlement of the American west. They are the only living heritage and symbol of the history of the west, and as such, should be granted protection as an endangered species from all levels of government in the U.S.
A truly wonderful book. A must have for every horselover. Belongs with Ms Ryden's companion book "Wild Horses I Have Known" which features full colour, full page, never before published photographs not seen in her first book.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thorough and well written, April 20, 2011
This book is written by a naturalist who does excellent field work! Her chapters on wild horse band behavior, and on the place of the horse in Native American life (and hearts), are my favorite, but every chapter contributes to the wealth of knowledge and research available to those of us who want to get a full picture.
It occurred to me that the information on the legislative efforts at various levels of government and on what was going on at BLM sites at the same time would take a great deal of research to pull together. Having read several other books on this subject, this is the most complete coverage I have encountered to date. Best of all, she was there! This is not completely secondhand information. It is possible that the new book by University of Arizona's J. Edward de Steiguer may be as thorough, but I have not purchased it yet.
It is truly unfortunate that competing interests, a lack of integrity in our government under all administrations to date, and long-held beliefs, based on facts or fiction, interfere with what should be the animals' return to the land of their species' origin.
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