Customer Reviews

Horse Tradin'

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Whoever said that Green's stories were hokey must be young, and not appreciative of bootstrap operations. Ben Green was a self-made man, sizing up opportunities as an enterprising youngster. He shows determination, he demonstrates decision-making skills, and he always plays within the framework, ever flavored with a fine-tuned sense of humor. In short, he's the sort who made this country great, and what we are woefully short of in today's crop of youngsters. I know; I'm a retired middle school teacher. I'd recommend this book to any of my former students, except most of them don't like to read.

Ben Green's book "Horse Tradin'" will be enjoyed by about anyone from Texas or with an interest in cowboys and horses. Green was born in 1912 and this book tells stories of his horse tradin' experiences as a boy and young man in the late 1920s and 1930s before the automobile made the profession of horse trader obsolete. Green was a bit more than the simple cowboy he portrays in this book. Research into his life tells us that he was educated in Veterinary medicine at Cornell and in England, so he didn't spend all his time trying to make a buck by sharp trades.

One suspects that Green, like all good traders, stretches the truth a bit in some of these 20 stories, but there is an air of authenticity and affection for horses and cowboying that is hard to resist. "I rode into Mineral Wells one day on a new dun horse with black mane and tail that weighed about eleven hundred pounds and had a nice way of carrying himself -- a six-year old, stylish enough..." Now that's a description of a man who knows his horses. Green tells of his shenaningans as a trader, and also of the times that he was taken himself -- by a southern gentleman who sells him a blind horse and by an Indian in New Mexico who sold him wild horses tranquilized by "sleepy" grass to make them appear tame.

Green makes you long for a time gone by, capturing the feel of a cold Texas morning, the taste of "bachelor's grub" like beans, beef, and potatoes, and the virtues of "hard-twisted, ill-tempered, unbroke Mexican mules." Texans bought this book in vast numbers when it was first published and it deserves to be recalled as an outstanding bit of Western Americana.

Smallchief

I nearly always give my books away---which was what I did with Horse Tradin' over 40 years ago. Now I wanted to give a copy to a grand niece and was not surprised that hard copies were nearly unavailable. I was pleased to see that someone had the good horse sense to publish this Green classic in paperback for contemporary readers. Even so I paid up for a used hardback and just finished rereading the book. It would have been worth twice the price.
Probably only people that now live in rural areas can appreciate the freedom and casualness of life before World War ll. You would never know from reading these stories that Ben Green was an educated professional man. He was a self effacing gentleman that may no longer exist. Other reviewers have covered the content of the book and there is no need for my repeating. Do yourself a favor and get and read this book.
I only wish that someone would make a movie of 3 or 4 of these wonderful stories. When you read the book you will know what I mean.

Bought this for a friend and they were very pleased.
Wonderful to be able to find books that are not in most stores.

Just can't get enough. Great story. With Ben K Green's books it is always just more of the same. Just what I want!

There are many things to chuckle about and many experiences that relate to our world now in this book of horse trading tales. We actually felt that we learned a little insight to some sales jobs we have been subjected to. It is a great read for older kids; we have been reading it out loud to our children (11,14) and we have all really enjoyed it. An all American classic cowboy story, what could be better?

I read this book many years ago and am glad to see it reissued. Even my non horsey kids enjoyed the stories. It's even worth rereading.

This is a book of odd little tales written with a western "flair". The line drawings are nice but the stories were occasionally a bit hokey for my taste. Good for those who like old westerns and beans from a can on the grill.