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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
TR's Writing At Its Finest!, January 9, 2004
"Ranch Life And The Hunting Trail" is Theodore Roosevelt's narrative of his life and experiences during his time in the Dakota Territory of the 1880s. Published in 1888, it displays Roosevelt's writing at this finest. His picture words make the scenes come alive in all their splendor. This is a TR I never knew existed. For anyone with a love of western adventure, this book is it! Besides providing the sheer enjoyment of reading, this book actually teaches the reader much about the life and economy of the era. I had always heard about the open range and the roundup, but this book makes the concepts clear. Cattle and horses were left to feed on the open range. The herds were divided during the roundup, with the calves given the brands of their mothers, as the way to assert property rights in the cattle. The devastation of a severe winter cannot be imagined until you read an eyewitness account, and few are written as well as this. The challenges of the hunt and the unique characters of the West can be experienced vicariously through the pages of this book. Frederic Remington's illustrations add visual images to the written word. This book is an excellent choice for anyone with longing for the lure of the Old West or a window into the world of Theodore Roosevelt.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
TR's Writing At Its Finest!, January 9, 2004
"Ranch Life And The Hunting Trail" is Theodore Roosevelt's narrative of his life and experiences during his time in the Dakota Territory of the 1880s. Published in 1888, it displays Roosevelt's writing at this finest. His picture words make the scenes come alive in all their splendor. This is a TR I never knew existed. For anyone with a love of western adventure, this book is it! Besides providing the sheer enjoyment of reading, this book actually teaches the reader much about the life and economy of the era. I had always heard about the open range and the roundup, but this book makes the concepts clear. Cattle and horses were left to feed on the open range. The herds were divided during the roundup, with the calves given the brands of their mothers, as the way to assert property rights in the cattle. The devastation of a severe winter cannot be imagined until you read an eyewitness account, and few are written as well as this. The challenges of the hunt and the unique characters of the West can be experienced vicariously through the pages of this book. Frederic Remington's illustrations add visual images to the written word. This book is an excellent choice for anyone with longing for the lure of the Old West or a window into the world of Theodore Roosevelt.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Vintage Teddy, January 30, 2005
From someone who has lived this life on the great plains from cowboy to hunter, this book is in every detail right on. It is written in Teddy's classic modest style (who else could float the Missouri during spring break up chasing criminals with guns and describe it with as much excitement as buttering toast).
It also is a repeat of some of his earlier works as this seems to be a bit of transitional book of when he was about leaving the Elkhorn for the east.
The Wilderness Hunter is more poetic and Hunting Trips of a Ranchman is a better read, but the history in this book of how Montana and the Dakotas were made safe by lynch justice makes this one interesting too.
The sketches by Remington are wonderfully historic to study and add a great deal to this book.
This book though is like all of Teddy's in settling down with a friend and always looking for his next book to find a campfire with him again.
Thank God Mr. Roosevelt wrote so many wonderful books.
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