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King of the Cowboys [Hardcover]

Ty Murray (Author), Steve Eubanks (Contributor)
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)


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Book Description

May 6, 2003
The most famous rodeo champion of all time tells his amazing true story -- and opens a fascinating window into the world of the professional cowboy.

Ty Murray was born to be a rodeo star -- in fact, his first words were "I'm a bull rider." Before he was even out of diapers, he was climbing atop his mother's Singer sewing machine case, which just so happened to be the perfect mechanical bull for a 13-month-old. Before long, Ty was winning peewee events by the hatful, and his special talent was obvious...obvious even to a man called Larry Mahan. At the time the greatest living rodeo legend, six-time champion Mahan invited a teenaged Ty Murray to spend a summer on his ranch learning not just rodeoing but also some life lessons. Those lessons prepared Ty for a career that eventually surpassed even Mahan's own -- Ty's seven All-Around Championships.

In King of the Cowboys, Ty Murray invites us into the daredevil world of rodeo and the life of the cowboy. Along the way, he details a life spent constantly on the road, heading to the next event; the tragic death of his friend and fellow rodeo star Lane Frost; and the years of debilitating injuries that led some to say Ty Murray was finished.

He wasn't. In fact, Ty Murray has brought the world of rodeo into the twenty-first century, through his unparalleled achievements in the ring, through advancing the case for the sport as a television color-commentator, and through the Professional Bull Riders, an organization he helped to build.

In the end, though, Ty Murray is first and foremost a cowboy, and now that he's retired from competition, he takes this chance to reflect on his remarkable life and career. In "King of theCowboys," Ty Murray opens up his world as never before.



Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This breezy autobiography is an excellent insider's glimpse into the roughshod world of the contemporary competitive rodeo business, of which Murray is undoubtedly a superstar. The youngest rider to win the world all-round championship, Murray is also the first to win it seven times, the first to win more than one million dollars in prize money, and the first to successfully market himself to a wider sports-world audience. Although Murray is only in his early 30s, he manages to cover substantial ground here, from family roots in the famous Miller Brothers' 101 Ranch in Arizona and riding his mother's Singer sewing machine-"the perfect mechanical bull for a thirteen-month-old"-to early professional success at age 19. Part of the book's charm comes from Murray's gleeful acknowledgment that he is living the life he has always wanted to live, "from the time I was old enough to walk." Murray also credits growing up in a family of riders, and gaining early support and training from legendary rider Larry Mahan-whose six-time championship record Murray would go on to break-and successfully recovering from serious knee and shoulder surgeries that he describes in unsparing detail. Murray's story embodies the substantial change in the rodeo-rider image from old Western movie cliches to its current incarnation in the slick but still entertaining Professional Bull Riders organization. Murray's sizable fan base is certain to rope this one in, but the book's engaging style has the ability to draw in readers unfamiliar with his story.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

All eight-year-olds know what they want to be when they grow up; most of these dreams are just that, but Murray made his come true. He wanted to be a rodeo rider, and, at the age of 32, he has won more riding championships than anyone else. But, as he tells us in this straightforward autobiography, it wasn't a smooth trip from boyhood dreams to adult reality: injuries, suffered when he was poised to climb to the top of his chosen field, threatened to sideline him permanently. But a combination of courage, stamina, and a sheer, unwavering vision saw him through. Although it's simply written--even with the help of coauthor Eubanks, Murray remains a rodeo star, not a prose stylist--the book avoids movie-of-the-week cliches and manages to be entertaining, enlightening (we learns tons about the world of the rodeo), and, at times, genuinely inspiring. Triumph-in-the-face-of-adversity stories are a dime a dozen, but this one is just different enough to stand apart from the group. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 272 pages
  • Publisher: Atria; 1 edition (May 6, 2003)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0743463714
  • ISBN-13: 978-0743463713
  • Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #852,406 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

14 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive and a Well Deserved Ego, April 6, 2004
This review is from: King of the Cowboys (Hardcover)
I'm amazed at how well Ty packed his life into such a neat little package. I feel as though I grew up next to him and followed his progress as close as a proud parent. Any rider with so many marked achievements is going to have positive and motivating things to say and though this may draw fire from some, I feel it's well deserved. If you are good enough to rack up the wins as consistently and methodically as Ty did, then you are good enough to be admired and ignore the sour grapes. Once again, I feel as though I were standing right beside Ty from the time he was a toddler to the day he retired from rodeo and I was able to cheer and cry at the appropriate times. I recommend this book to anyone interested in either Rodeo or Good Sportsmanship. Ty shows how hard work, taking responsibility, passion and determination pay off in the end and provides a good role model to all.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Glad I read it!, January 5, 2007
By 
Avid Book Consumer (Port Huron, Mi. United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: King of the Cowboys (Hardcover)
When I first saw the reviews for this book I shied away from it but then I decided to form my own opinion. I'm glad I did. Not only was it a look into his life but I also got a glimpse of other greats like Cody Lambert, Tuff Hedeman and Lane Frost. I don't believe he was bragging but saying things as they are. It's a very positve book and I had my teenage sons read it. He talks about living your dreams and doing your best. I think it's awesome he went to college and graduated cum laude. He has lived a most interesting and busy life. I don't know about "King of the cowboys" but he's most certaintly at the top the list.
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5.0 out of 5 stars You Go, Cowboy!!, August 25, 2011
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Ok I am a sucker for cowboys. Grew up with dogs and horses. No bulls. I have nothing but respect for the guys who go out there and get on an 1800 pound hunk of beef with a bad temper and ride for 8 seconds. Men have died doing it. More than one.
I enjoyed this very much, the thoughts and training that go into bullriding. It is as much a battle of minds as it is a physical venture, altho obviously you better be damn fit to do it.
A good read for those who appreciate cowboys, bulls, and those who deal with them.
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
"SO," HE SAID, "why do you do it?" Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
three roughstock events, roughstock rider, bull riding title, bronc saddle, saddle bronc riding, breaking pen, bucking machine, riding arm, college rodeo, bull rope, bucking stock, bareback riding, saddle broncs, bull ride, cowboy way, best bulls, calf roping, first cowboy
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Larry Mahan, Swift Current, Jim Sharp, Bad River, Fort Worth, Rookie of the Year, Taking Care of Business, Cody Lambert, Colorado Springs, Lane Frost, Wild West, Las Vegas, Costa Mesa, Jesse Marquez Lomalli, National High School Finals, New Mexico, Shari Van Alsburg, Tuff Hedeman, Bill Pickett, Jim Shoulders, Super Bowl, Aaron Semas, Bad Moon, Bud Light Cup, Butch Myers
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