Customer Reviews

Cactus Tracks and Cowboy Philosophy

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A few years ago I awoke to National Public Radio's Morning Edition and to the voice of some easy going, homespun cowboy reading a poem that had me in stitches by the third verse. As I read "Cactus Trails..." I could hear Black's easy voice utter each word. While his departure from veterinary medicine is a loss to that community, it is a clear gain for easy going, common sense, sanity seeking people caught in the cross hairs of our cell phone, pager, eEVERYTHING society. Thanks to Baxter Black's commentary and writings we have an excuse to slow down a bit each day and get in touch with the basics. Will Rogers would love this guy!

Baxter has done it again. He manages to mix humor with social commentary, kind'a makes you think and belly laugh at the same time. Some of this book is politically incorrect--well, good for it! this country takes itself far too seriously, and it needs a good makin'-fun-of, and Baxter is the man for the job. You don't have to be a buckaroo or farmer, or vet to "get" these poems and short stories. It helps to be human, and not one encased in a shell of narrow-minded political correctness! One story in particular, about the frozen septic tank lid, had me laughing so hard I thought I was going to have a conniption. Moments of side-splitting laughter are intertwined with real stories of real people that are touchingly poignant. Bax hits the mark here. Great job!

A joy to read. Full of cowboy poetry & short stories. Some you could see as vividly as if you were there when it happened. It brings back alot of memories of incidents that have happened to me, or I've been witness to. A must for any cowboy or cowgirl.

My husband can't put this book down! Baxter Black's clean and side-splitting "talk" is entertaining for all audiences. My mother, my husband, and my best friend have all loved this book.

Pigs, Politicians,Chickens, sheep, all have a good goin' over by the Bax. Shows the true "Attitude" of a workin' cowpuncher, and an example of how someone can get their tie re-arranged.

From the first page this is a great book. Since I am a horse person and my husband is a pilot certain stories really hit the mark. It is a wonderful book to just have sitting around. Many times friends of mine will just pick it up to thumb through it and end up asking to take it home. I really recommend it!

Somebody please ~ This item was not received. I can't find a way to contact anyone at Amazon.com to tell them it was not received. If you monitor these comments please get this to somebody that can help me. Ellie

eXCELLENT LIGHT HARTED READING. WILL ORDER MORE OF BAXTER BLACK IN FUTURE. SOME OF THE STORIES WAS VERY EASY TO ACTUALLY FEEL AS IF YOU WERE LISTENING TO HIM.

One of our friends can quote Baxter Black poetry from memory. Our friend raises longhorn cattle. This morning about 100 of us gathered at his ranch for a work day: chainsaw and splitting logs, mucking out the barn, weed whacking around the fences. One girl brought her western band and serenaded us from the top of a flatbed truck. Fortunately it was only 80 degrees today, and how many groups of friends do you think could come up with 5 log splitters, 4 John Deere front end loaders, a tractor trailer to haul dirt to redress the corrals, and 15 chainsaws large enough to cut 2 1/2 foot diameter trunks into disks of firewood length?

After we all ate home made apple pie, marionberry cobbler, hamburgers, bratwurst, his home grown corn, our friend started spouting Baxter Black's cowboy poetry from memory. It was hilarious. Truly what happens in the country is funnier than anyone could ever make up.

If you want to laugh out loud (yes longhorn jump metal fences leaving them bent and ram American pickups leaving humungous dents) this is the book for you.

Also view Temple Grandin a woman whose life became forever intermixed with animals through her loving pushy mother. Re-view DVD listening to the voiceover by Temple Grandin herself, the director, writer. Animals as healing.
Nell woman clean, healthy, well loved and cared for by her mother in Carolina woods in isolation. Listen to commentary by Jodi Foster.

Sunset about Tom Mix and Wyatt Earp and
Murphy's Romance with James Garner and Sally Field are funny relaxing DVDs about western life, small town values and creating commons for helping one another.
Broken Trail (Two-disc) human dignity
Conagher settlers' hard life
The Warrior's Way eccentric western
Son of a Preacher Man country values

Can never tell when life will throw an unexpected cow pie at you, so be grateful for what is, laugh out loud now.

9/17/11 update: our friend's Celebration of Life was today. He chose no chemotherapy or radiation, preferring to live his life with the reality of nature instead of toxic interventions. His legacy will always be laughter.

I got this book from the library only to find out that I love this book! I'm totally gonna buy it! Some of it is questionable, but most of it so very funny! I love this book. I was trying to find some books at the library about cowboys because I'm totally into them. I found this book in the adult section, but still I really like it! I'm reading every story and poem in it! I really would recommend this book. Not just for cowboys or cow gals but for anyone who wants a good laugh!