Charles Goodnight: Cowman and Plainsman

If you are looking for an authentic work on the Old West, the West that really existed, not the West fabricated by Hollywood, this work by J. Evetts Haley is sure to please.Charles Goodnight was a most remarkable man. He emigrated to Texas from Illinois at 9, was hunting with the Caddo Indians at 12, entered the cattle business at 20 and guided the Texas Rangers at 24. His 2,000 mile Goodnight-Loving cattle trail delivered Texas Longhorns through Comanche territory from West Texas to New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming long before the railroads or settlement. He established the JA ranch in the Texas Panhandle in the former Comanche stronghold of Palo Duro Canyon, dominating nearly 20 million acres of range, and would go on to be highly regarded for his breeding techniques. Under his management, the JA ranch would return 72% on invested capital for 10 years. He appears to have been a good, fair man but hell on rustlers.But his most significant contribution to Texas and the Nation was as a conservationist. Alarmed at the slaughter of the buffalo, in 1876 he preserved a herd on his ranch. Descendants of that herd still exist in West Texas as well as numerous zoos throughout the country. Importantly, it was from this herd that bison were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park in 1902.This is a fine biography about a man whose life spanned the settlement of Texas. It took Mr. Haley 10 years to compile the detailed history, stories and yarns contained in this book. It was time very well spent. Haley will make you laugh and tug on your emotions but mostly it will amaze you that a no nonsense, iron willed man like Charles Goodnight could come from such a humble, frontier existence to accomplish so much good for his State and Nation.

Great story based on real characters n story

Charles Goodnight is the genuine article. A giant of the Old West, and J Evetts Haley brings him, the times, and the hardships of a cattleman’s existence during those times to life!The prose used is unlike any modern depiction, and clearly captures the characters, vistas, flora, fauna, and historical importance, vividly.Thanks to my Uncle Tom (a giant to me and a cow man himself) for the recommendation.Chris

This is a very interesting book. Usually books with any historical value read like a 10th grade history text book. They just list facts or what the author says are facts and a lot of dates. Very mundane. This book takes in accounts from the men that lived it (including Charles Goodnight himself) and puts it into a narrative that is easy to follow along with. I am not sure why I never had this in my library before now. There are things in this book I have never heard tell about from alligators in the Brazos west of Waco to how the old timers positioned the trail crew to create the proper length and width of a herd of longhorn steers while driving them up the trail. If you are a fan of Lonesome Dove this is a must read tale of the real men that Larry McMurtry based his classic novel on.

The character Charles, had me hooked. I read more than I had since college. Excellent Been two weeks since you took the fire stick, and you told Pat it was to be a couple days not weeks. Don't you just love family. I have a little sister like that. Just want my shirt back, that was in September still trying to get itBeen two weeks since you took the fire stick, and you told Pat it was to be a couple days not weeks. Don't you just love family. I have a little sister like that. Just want my shirt back, that was in September still trying to get it..interpertation of the

Very good read, full of details.

Having read literally hundreds of books on Texas history, many of them referenced the role that "Charlie" Goodnight played. This first hand account filled in many gaps and reinforced more clearly Goodnight's contributions to his beloved Texas. One cannot read this book and not come away with a tremendous respect for all of his contributions to the development of Texas -- esp the post-Civil War era. He deserves to be recognized -- and honored -- for all he did. A true Texas icon! I highly recommend this book for the reasons outlined.

This is a great book. Most of the book is told as a chronological story that weaves together some great Texas history with the early life of a great Pioneer and Texan. Reading this book I came to the conclusion that Larry McMurtry's Characters and part of his story for Lonesome Dove were "borrowed" from this much earlier work of non-fiction. Personally, I find the truth and the actual history more fascinating than McMurtry's fiction. This is a good read. Great information and much of it given to author first hand while Mr. Goodnight was still living. References are extensive and the legacy Mr. Goodnight left is very well documented, supporting his first hand descriptions. As rough and tough as Charles Goodnight was and had to be to survive, he was a civilized man with a tremendous sense of morals and a sense of duty. That lesson alone makes this a biography worth reading.

Was a gift