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"There is the gift of comfort and awe that comes to all of us, learning about our ancestors and the harsh landscapes
they inhabited and the lives they made and the country that was made upon those lives. To tell their stories is the task of
poets--Wyoming's James Galvin, Texas's Larry McMurtry, England's Bruce Chatwyn: authors I thought of often while reading Michael
Pettit's "Riding for the Brand," an intimate account of one of the legendary families of cattlemen who settled the
West, a heartfelt and eloquent homage to the generations that carried us here, and the generation today that tends to their
legacy, keeping the myths of the West alive. One thing you know about Pettit after reading his book--this cowboy rides for
the brand of fine literature and wonderful storytelling."
--Bob Shacochis, National Book Award-winning author of "The Immaculate Invasion" and "Easy in the Islands"
Reviews:
"This wonderful book describes in gritty detail everything you ever wanted to know about the ranching life....[and]
includes many lively anecdotes that make it vivid and interesting." --Santa Fe New Mexican, February 5, 2006
"His narrative is a genuine celebration of ranch life that succeeds in avoiding frills. It extols the isolation,
resourcefulness, hardship, hard work, dangers, toughness, perseverance and humor associated with everything from branding
calves to baking biscuits." --Albuquerque Journal, February 5, 2006
"Pettit never misses a beat...informative and charming." --San Antonio Express-News, March 5, 2006
"With a storyteller's eye for evocative detail, Michael Pettit tells the story of the Cowden family of West Texas
and New Mexico....One man's search for identity through his connections to a family, a place and a way of life....Exceptional
skill in presenting character, action and history in detail." --Tulsa World, April 23, 2006
"Pettit tells the story well without any of the good ole boy flavor, but with the style of a literary novel of
the West...This is a marvelous history of a ranching family from past to present." --Roundup Magazine, June 2006
"Pettit shares his personal experiences working the family ranch over the years and delves into the origins and
growth of the outfit....Ultimately 'Riding for the Brand' is a hymn to the ranching life." --Alabama Press-Register,
June 30, 2007
To Order, Contact:
University of Oklahoma Press
Attention: Order Department
2800 Venture Drive
Norman, OK 73069-8218
Toll Free: 800.627.7377
Local/International: 405.325.2000
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