Customer Reviews

Ranch Life and the Hunting Trail

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"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.

"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.

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.

Having misplaced my earlier printing of this book (by the University of Nebraska Press) I ordered the Kessinger Publishing, LLC release of this title, only to be terribly disappointed. The Remington drawings are so poorly reproduced that some appear as blacked-out, scarcely discernable blobs, rather than the wonderful sketches they originally were. This printing appears to be a very poorly-reproduced copy of earlier ones, with much quality lost. Find a copy of the extremely attractive Nebraska (Bison) edition instead.

I purchased this book as a gift for my son-in-law who enjoys T. Roosevelt books. They live in the area that is the setting for this book. The fact it is an old first edition copy makes it even better. Book is worn but that's part of the charm.

Got the book in good time it is as advertised. Some dog eared pages but still a good buy,

This is one of my all-time favorite books which I also appreciate for its historical value, having been written by one of our greatest presidents, yet before he became a national political figure. Reading Roosevelt's own words is pure pleasure.

Some people say the "Wild West" is simply a Hollywood concoction; that is never happened. It did happen--it just didn't last much longer than a decade. After the virtual eradication of the Indians and buffalo, they were replaced by cowboys and cattle. The cowboys were needed to keep the cattle together and steer them always toward fresh, safe grazing, away from other outfits, in a completely unfenced Western frontier. In only a few short years, however, the lands were claimed by wealthy cattlemen, fenced, and became ranches. The cattle could no longer wander off, and so really the cowboys became ranch hands, and the West began to lose it wildness.

Roosevelt was there on the Great Plains directly after the Indians and buffalo were removed, and before the fencing was accomplished. He greatly admired, and perhaps romanticized the cowboy life, but he wrote a first-hand account of that life, persuading his friend the great Frederic Remington to accompany it with what have become many of our most-loved classic Western illustrations and paintings.

The account of his venturing out into the Dakota winter to bring a band of common thieves to justice is rather mind-blowing, when you consider how our history would have been altered had he died during this escapade, which he easily could have.

Roosevelt was also a keen observer of nature, which is actually what true sportsmanship is about. Seeing--for himself--wild animals and birds in their pristine natural habitats brought joy to his soul. Along with earning the respect of the cowboys he so admired, living the ranch life and riding the hunting trail also healed his heart--broken at the deaths of his wife and his mother--enabling him to go on and lead the United States into the 20th century with such foresight that it can truly be called The American Century.

What a great book - too bad the reproduction in this hardcover is not so good. Try Ranch Life and the Hunting Trail for an edition of this book with crisp illustrations, It's less than half the price brand new.

I have an original copy of this classic. Not a photo-copy. NOT much else of Americana as spectacular.