Ranch of Dreams: The Country's Most Unusual Sanctuary, Where Every Animal Has a Story [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

Cleveland Amory (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1997

After reading "Black Beauty" as a child, Cleveland Amory dreamed that one day he would have a ranch where animals would not be abused, but would spend their days roaming proud and free. Now, the author of "The Cat Who Came for Christmas" shares the remarkable stories of the countless animals who have been saved from death's door at the Black Beauty Ranch in East Texas, a sanctuary Amory himself founded. Simultaneous hardcover release from Viking. 2 cassettes (Nonfiction)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In Ranch of Dreams, Cleveland Amory recounts his adventures traveling hither and yon for the Fund for Animals, saving creatures from human excesses. A zoo lover since being introduced to Anna Sewell's Black Beauty during childhood, Amory has made a great project of founding and maintaining an East Texas ranch that serves as a sanctuary for endangered and abused creatures, from burros evicted from the Grand Canyon to a great menagerie of kinkajous, foxes, pigs, aoudads, buffalo, and elephants, among others. He is a gracious and knowledgeable commentator on the lives of these animals, and a man of considerable tact, which must have helped when dealing with, say, the Defense Department in his efforts to save wild goats from a California island used for gunnery practice. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Amory does more than adopt stray cats (see The Cat Who Came for Christmas); he has an entire ranch where abused or threatened animals find a haven.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Penguin Audio; abridged edition edition (November 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140867198
• ISBN-13: 978-0140867190
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,450,687 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars heart breaking, December 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Ranch of Dreams (Hardcover)

This is the best piece of non-fiction ever written. It is about an amazing ranch that takes in abused animals and their stories. The abuse mentioned in this book is horrible. From the tortured wild horses to the outrageous mistreatment of circus elephants. I could not put this book down. The only times that I did was when the tears blurred the pages.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very touching., December 7, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Ranch of Dreams: The Heartwarming Story of America's Most Unususal Animal Sanctuary (Paperback)

I was a bit dubious about reading this book, especially after my fiance thrust it at me and demanded that I read it the whole way through. Not really having read anything by Amory before, this was the first time. The stories within the book are at the same time inspiring and heartbreaking. It's wonderful to read about caring and hope in a world that can be so callous and cruel towards the animals. It was inspirational, and after finishing it I made a vow to make a donation towards his efforts. The book documents his honorable cause in great detail, and it would be hard for anyone to find a reason to put the book down.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ranch of Dreams Made Me Proud To Be A Texan, November 13, 2001

By 

Charlene Gomez (Corpus Christi, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ranch of Dreams (Hardcover)

Having never read anything by Cleveland Amory before I was quite surprised to learn of Black Beauty Ranch in East Texas.Ranch of Dreams opened my eyes to what really goes on behind the circus tents,most haunting and heartwrenching the cruel treatment of the elephants,ripped from their mothers and herds and beaten into submission.Dear Mr Amory;he passed before writing a follow up book. The book is well worth the read,a lesson in human compassion,and when you are finished,pass it on to a friend.