Lone Star Lawmen: The Second Century of the Texas Rangers

Book Description

Hailed as "a rip-snortin', six-guns-blazin' saga of good guys and bad guys who were sometimes one and the same," Robert M. Utley's Lone Star Justice captured the colorful first century of Texas Ranger history. Now, in the eagerly anticipated conclusion, Lone Star Lawmen, Utley once again chronicles the daring exploits of the Rangers, this time as they bring justice to the twentieth-century West. Based on unprecedented access to Ranger archives, this fast-paced narrative stretches from the days of the Mexican Revolution (where atrocities against Mexican Americans marked the nadir of Ranger history) to the Branch Davidian saga near Waco and the recent bloody standoff with "Republic of Texas" militia. Readers will find in these pages one hundred years of high adventure. Utley follows the Rangers as they pursue bank robbers, bootleggers, moonshiners, and "horsebackers" (smugglers who used mule trains to bring liquor across the border). We see these fearless lawmen taming oil boomtowns, springing the ambush of Bonnie and Clyde, facing down angry lynch mobs, and tracking the "Phantom Killer" of Texarkana. Utley also highlights the gradual evolution of this celebrated force, revealing that while West Texas Rangers still occasionally ride the range on horseback and crack down on smugglers and rustlers, East Texas Rangers--who work mostly in big cities--now ride in high-powered cars and contend with kidnappers, forgers, and other urban criminals. But East or West, today's Rangers have become sophisticated professionals, backed by crime labs and forensic science. Written by one of the most respected Western historians alive, here is the definitive account of the Texas Rangers, a vivid portrait of these legendary peace officers and their role in a changing West.

Customer Reviews:

The REAL story of the Texas Rangers - the good, the bad and the ugly.......2007-06-27

An accurate accounting of the modern-day Texas Rangers. A must read for the Texas Ranger enthusiast and those interested in the history of law enforcement in Texas. I loved the section about "Garrison's Rangers". A real good read!! I highly recommend.

A VALUABLE ADDITION TO TEXAS HISTORY.......2007-03-18

Much to the pleasure of Texans and history buffs acclaimed historian Robert Utley returns with his sequel to Lone Star Justice (2002) thus bringing the saga of the Texas Rangers to the present day. Many have been introduced to the Rangers via television with such programs as Walker or Texas Ranger, yet it is left to Utley to deliver the most telling and intriguing story of all.

We read, "One Riot, One Ranger. A single Ranger could quell an incipient riot. Rangers and Texans alike reveled in the image of the stalwart, fearless lawman facing down an angry mob. On occasion it came close enough to happening to provide at least an inspiration for the slogan."

Yes, the Rangers were and are, for many, men of mythic stature. Utley debunks some myths while perpetuating others. History is at its most fascinating as the Rangers enter the twentieth century leaving their beloved horses behind and chasing criminals in motorized vehicles. They're no longer after rustlers but set their sights on modern criminals and the utilization of contemporary methods, such as forensic science.

With Lone Star Lawmen readers view the Mexican Revolution (a dark point in Ranger history) and visit towns made rich and lawless by oil. The dramatic capture of Bonnie and Clyde is retold, as well as the Branch Davidian tragedy near Waco.

Prodigiously researched Lone Star Lawmen is one more valuable addition to Texas history.

- Gail Cooke

Truth Trumps Mythology--Not a Moment Too Soon.......2007-02-18

As a proud native Texan I have relished the mythology of the Texas Rangers as much as anyone else. But after a century and three quarters of a steady diet of stories of larger-than-life Rangers who could do no wrong it is past time that we begin to understand these lawmen as the real men they were. Some of what they did was extraordinarily good and some extraordinarily bad. Robert Utley, who has never yet stepped back from pushing fact in the face of popular mythology, has helped us know the genuine background of Texas as few others have done.

The Best History of the Texas Rangers, Period........2007-02-18

Robert Utley shows again why he is the dean of western history with the second part of his masterful account of the Texas Rangers. While this isn't as romantically wild and woolly as the previous volume--it's inevitable, as automobiles replace horses and the solving of cases relies on more technical tools--it's still engaging and colorful. A great historian--and a great storyteller--does a magnificent job once more.

A True Master Rescues History from the Pit of Myth.......2007-02-18

Robert M. Utley follows his masterful account of the first century of the Texas Rangers, Lone Star Justice, with another tour de force, bringing the story up to date. Brilliantly written and meticulously documented, as always with this celebrated historian of the West, this book traces the transformation of a frontier peace force at the beginning of the 20th century to today's internationally recognized investigative and law-enforcement force, a small band of efficient professionals whose frontier history will always hang over them. Casting off frontier ways was not always easy, politically or professionally, as Utley clearly explains. He is not afraid to deal with the controversial aspects of his subject's history, in particular repeated charges of racism and high-handed brutality. This is no love poem to this sometimes controversial organization, as Utley takes on the negative as well as the positive, with judiciouos balance. On the whole, his judgment of the Rangers, for all the regrettable elements of their past, is favorable, and he concludes that the organization has not so much overcome its history as learned from it. A welcome corrective to the romanticizing that usually characterizes stories about the Rangers. Recommended to anyone interested in the history of Texas, the West, and law enforcement. Given that issues involving the US border with Mexico are in the forefront lately, this book provides informative background.

One Ranger: A Memoir (Bridwell Texas History Series)

Average customer rating:

Bought a second one as a gift
Powerful autobiography
One Ranger is one OUTSTANDING book.
A truly great read!
Get to know a Texas Ranger!

One Ranger: A Memoir (Bridwell Texas History Series)
H. Joaquin Jackson , and David Marion Wilkinson
Manufacturer: University of Texas Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Lone Wolf Gonzaullas: Texas Ranger
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ASIN: 0292702590

Book Description

"Joaquin Jackson's frank and colorful account of his long career as a modern-day Texas Ranger thrills like an action novel, yet the stories are true, sometimes funny, sometimes tragic, but always gripping. I could hardly put the book down. . . .The writing is superb."

—Elmer Kelton, voted the Greatest Western Novelist of the Twentieth Century by the Western Writers of America and award-winning author of The Time It Never Rained and The Good Old Boys

"There's adventure here, and wit, and camaraderie, and poignancy, all delivered with a certain swagger by a man who never wanted any other life but the one he chose, and who did his best as he saw it all along the way."

—Bill Wittliff, distinguished photographer, writer, screenwriter, and producer, whose credits include The Perfect Storm, The Black Stallion, Legends of the Fall, and Lonesome Dove

"Joaquin Jackson told me that West Texas weather is so dry and hard on women that his wife put Crisco on her face. That is the colorful storytelling you can expect in this book...really wonderful tales that are told in true Texas language."

—Ann Richards, former Governor of Texas

"It is great to see my friend Joaquin Jackson's life celebrated. It is a life well lived!"

—Tom Selleck

"This is a ripping good tale. . . . It bestows a rare understanding of people who live, react, and reflect as our society's protectors and sanctioned hired guns."

—Jan Reid, writer-at-large for Texas Monthly and editor of Rio Grande

"An authentic piece of American history—the West has a peculiar grip on all of us and Texas most of all. This book takes its place in the legacy of Texas literature, and, of course, the name Joaquin Jackson is already legend. David Marion Wilkinson has done a splendid job."

—John Milius, screenwriter of The Wind and the Lion, Apocalypse Now, and Jeremiah Johnson

"This is the best modern-day Ranger memoir I have seen."

—Mike Cox, author of Texas Ranger Tales II and The Texas Rangers: Men of Valor and Action

"At last there is a personal recollection that does justice both to the Ranger legend and to the Tejanos whose story was long left from the pages of the Texas experience."

— East Texas Historical Association

When his picture appeared on the cover of Texas Monthly, Joaquin Jackson became the icon of the modern Texas Rangers. Nick Nolte modeled his character in the movie Extreme Prejudice on him. Jackson even had a speaking part of his own in The Good Old Boys with Tommy Lee Jones. But the role that Jackson has always played the best is that of the man who wears the silver badge cut from a Mexican cinco peso coin—a working Texas Ranger. Legend says that one Ranger is all it takes to put down lawlessness and restore the peace—one riot, one Ranger. In this adventure-filled memoir, Joaquin Jackson recalls what it was like to be the Ranger who responded when riots threatened, violence erupted, and criminals needed to be brought to justice across a wide swath of the Texas-Mexico border from 1966 to 1993.

Jackson has dramatic stories to tell. Defying all stereotypes, he was the one Ranger who ensured a fair election—and an overwhelming win for La Raza Unida party candidates—in Zavala County in 1972. He followed legendary Ranger Captain Alfred Y. Allee Sr. into a shootout at the Carrizo Springs jail that ended a prison revolt—and left him with nightmares. He captured "The See More Kid," an elusive horse thief and burglar who left clean dishes and swept floors in the houses he robbed. He investigated the 1988 shootings in Big Bend's Colorado Canyon and tried to understand the motives of the Mexican teenagers who terrorized three river rafters and killed one. He even helped train Afghan mujahedin warriors to fight the Soviet Union.

Jackson's tenure in the Texas Rangers began when older Rangers still believed that law need not get in the way of maintaining order, and concluded as younger Rangers were turning to computer technology to help solve crimes. Though he insists, "I am only one Ranger. There was only one story that belonged to me," his story is part of the larger story of the Texas Rangers becoming a modern law enforcement agency that serves all the people of the state. It's a story that's as interesting as any of the legends. And yet, Jackson's story confirms the legends, too. With just over a hundred Texas Rangers to cover a state with 267,399 square miles, any one may become the one Ranger who, like Joaquin Jackson in Zavala County in 1972, stops one riot.

Customer Reviews:

Bought a second one as a gift.......2007-10-16

I'll keep this short. The book is awesome.... Joaquin Jackson is John Wayne with a real badge.

Powerful autobiography.......2007-09-16

"One Ranger" by H. Joaquin Jackson is a suprisingly well-written and powerful tale of one man's journey through the turbulent times in law enforcement that marked the sixties, seventies, and into the eighties. Jackson is a throwback to a simpler time who nevertheless fully understands the momentous transition of society that is taking place around him, and he captures the triumphs, tragedies, and hair-raising incidents that marked his career in the Texas Rangers. A very enjoyable read.

One Ranger is one OUTSTANDING book........2007-09-03

People who say that there are no more heroes have not been introduced to Texas Ranger H. Joaquin Jackson. One Ranger: A Memoir, will allow you to get to know Ranger Jackson through the smiles and tears. When you finish this wonderful book, you will wish it was longer, but be of good cheer, One Ranger Returns will soon be available.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs to be reminded that in this cynical world, great men still walk among us.

A truly great read!.......2007-07-14

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The subject matter was close to my heart to begin with, but the ease of reading about Joaquin and what was dear to his heart made the whole experience a treasure I didn't want to end! Mr. Jackson is a fine outstanding human being and has done credit to the badge he wore.

Get to know a Texas Ranger!.......2007-07-09

If you love Texas History and the Rangers, you will not want this book to end. I felt like I was sitting on the front porch, listening to this man tell me his story personally. I laughed with him, cried with him, and experienced his years of keeping Texans safe.
This book may not be a literary work of art but it is very special and gives great insight into the life of a modern day Ranger. Joaquin told his story and held nothing back, for good or bad, and his honesty was refreshing.

Average customer rating:

The Texas Ranger
Tarnished Star
I needed "minor surgery" after this one
The Texas Ranger~Good Book!
Please Don't Encourage Her

The Texas Ranger
Diana Palmer
Manufacturer: HQN Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0373770235

Book Description

He is a true Texas Ranger.

A man of integrity with a soul of steel -- pursuing honor and justice is as natural as breathing in Marc Brannon's line of work.

Called to the scene of a high-profile murder, Brannon finds himself pitted against the vibrant -- and vulnerable -- junior investigator from his past. Years ago his heart had been intertwined with Josette Langley's . . . until she'd made an explosive accusation that had sent shock waves through political circles -- and shattered his faith in her.

Now they are back together again . . .

And there is more at stake than just their stubborn pride. For this homicide investigation is becoming more complex and dangerous with each passing day -- and time is not on their side. Can these disillusioned lovers close in on the truth before the culprit claims another victim?

Or will they both be caught in the cross fire . . . ?

Customer Reviews:

The Texas Ranger.......2007-05-27

DP is one of my favorite Historical Romance writers. She enterlaces history through out her books. You are not wasting time reading fictional work but rather, you are getting educated as well on various subjects. DP is well read herself and does a great job researching her material.

The town of Jacobsville has become legendary in DP's books. It was named after its founding father Big John Jacobs who also founded an empire here. The county is likewise named Jacobs. DP has a lot of charm and humor in her stories. She tells compelling tales with her Jacobsville Tough Guy Cowboys, Sheriffs, and Mercenaries. This is a good book to read if you are a western fan and like the Texas Rangers. Good reading material--I gave this one a five star rating.

Tarnished Star.......2007-01-24

Only my second book by this author and I don't remember the first one. I am wondering how dumb she thinks her readers are that she has to repeat the same facts over and over and over. For instance that our hero and heroine were once almost lovers, except she couldn't, but they never got over each other. That she dresses like an old maid and he is soooo attractive he turns all the girls heads. He wears an off-white stetson he tips over his piercing gray eyes and he has a hair roughened chest. I agree with other readers that who done it was not at all hard to guess and I've only read the first 160 pages. Does anyone ever heed the warning given by other readers to skip this one? I didn't think so.

I needed "minor surgery" after this one.......2006-08-23

Texas Ranger Marc Bannon finds himself forced to work with the woman he has spent the last two years trying to forget. After finding themselves on opposing sides of a murder case, Josette joined the state attorney's office in Austin while he did a quit stint in the FBI before retuning to the rangers. When the man jailed in the murder that was the catalyst of their breakup escapes from a work furlough and winds up murdered himself, it looks like a possible mob hit.

As the two walk the tight rope trying to solve the crime and refrain from picking up where they left off, both are finding that they are still attracted to one another - but can Josette forgive Marc for betraying her trust?

This is such an obvious segment of a series of stories - so many under-developed characters pop in and out of the story, expecting the reader to have read the other novels. The suspense was light - it does not take a brain surgeon to determine who is behind the killings - and if I had to hear the term "minor surgery" one more time... If this is the level of storytelling I can expect from the rest of the series, I can bow out now. Which is a real disappointment since "Paper Rose" and "True Colors" showed a lot of promise.

The Texas Ranger~Good Book!.......2006-07-06

I enjoyed this book. It is the story of Marc Brannon & Josette Langley. Despite their differences Marc is still drawn to Josie. They need to uncover the truth about a murder & see that justice is served.

Please Don't Encourage Her.......2006-02-23

This has to be one of the worst books I have ever read...Diana Palmer needs to buy a Descriptionary so she can broaden her terminology and quit using the same words in different ways...You can only have so many 'wicked smiles', 'smiling wickedly', and 'he said with a wicked grin.' By the time you are a quarter of a way through the book you have already put two and two together and know who the bad guys are...Maybe I need to move to Texas and become a Ranger because the very CLUELESS Marc Barron and his girlfriend that works for the State Attorney couldn't figure it out until the woman was in front of him pointing a gun....DUH!...Maybe if the Ranger spent more time trying to work the case instead of dipping his wick into his former girlfriend every 3 pages then it would have saved everyone a lot of time and maybe some of the characters in the book would still be alive and well...He more or less sexually assaults his former girlfriend every chance he gets, when she says no he says yes (can you say rape?)and then makes comments that scream SEXUAL HARRASSMENT LAWSUIT FROM HELL...The characters aren't very well written, the former girlfriend is far more forgiving than the Virgin Mary at the Crucifixion...I would love to meet a woman like her that forgave me after I treated her like the main character did....Bypass this book, don't waste your time on it...A soap opera is more intelligently put together than this book....Talk about someone typing out garbage just to make a quota...Woof!...I have read better prose on the back of a shampoo bottle while taking a crap...Burn this book if you ever get your hands on it and save the world from this kind of tripe...If I could rate it lower than zero I would be in negative 7 digits...I think you catch my drift...

Average customer rating:

A Texas Sky (Yellow Rose Trilogy Series)
Go Lori Wick!
Texas Sky (Yellow Rose TrilogySer.)
Trouble just seems to follow Darvi . . . .
Excellent

A Texas Sky (A Yellow Rose Trilogy #2)
Lori Wick
Manufacturer: Harvest House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0736901876

Book Description

A Texas Sky delivers the vibrant characters and heartwarming romance that keep 2,000,000 readers burning the midnight oil with each new release. Book 2 in the Yellow Rose Trilogy.

Injured Texas Ranger Dakota Rawlings returns to work early, but his boss objects and asks him to escort his niece to another town. Darvi and Dakota are attracted to each otherâ€”especially when they realize theyâ€™re both believers.

Mistaken for another, Darvi is kidnapped. When an abductor takes a shine to her, he refuses to release her. Unable to imagine how God could rescue her, she is amazed when Dakota appears!

A heartwarming story of two people who learn to trust the Lord and receive the gift of love.

Customer Reviews:

A Texas Sky (Yellow Rose Trilogy Series).......2007-01-04

Lori Wick is my favorite author. Her books are an easy read and always well written. I could not put this book down until I read it cover to cover. Anyone who likes historical Christian fiction will love this book as well as any others written by Lori Wick.

Go Lori Wick!.......2006-06-06

Lori really outdid herself with this whole series. Texas Sky is my favorite of the three. Dakota and Darvi make such a cute couple and I was inspired when I read about their adventure together. Readers will hold their breath and stay up till midnight to read this book. I know I did!

Texas Sky (Yellow Rose TrilogySer.).......2005-10-21

The Book kept me reading it. was wonderful. I love it

Trouble just seems to follow Darvi . . . ........2004-04-17

But Dakota is always there to get her out of it.
Darvi is eager to see her old friend, Merry, to tell of her new found faith in Christ. Dakota, a Texas Ranger, agrees to see her out to her friends home and then to the train station.
On the way to the train they encounter many obstacles but the biggest is when Darvi is mistaken for a newspaper reporter and is abducted. Even after her abductors realize their mistake, one of them, Seth, decides to keep her and marry her.
I thought this was an excellent book. With Dakota and Darvi both struggling to understand their new faith, they seemed like real people. I definitely would recommend this book, especially if you are a Lori Wick fan.

Excellent.......2004-01-01

This is my favorite of this series. Trouble just seems to find Darvi where ever she goes, and Dakota is always there to make things right again. An excellent Book!

Lone Star Justice: The First Century of the Texas Rangers

Average customer rating:

Justice for Texas Justice
Justice Done
Best Book Ever on the Early History of the Texas Rangers
Quite imbalanced
A rip roaring account

Lone Star Justice: The First Century of the Texas Rangers
Robert M. Utley
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0195127420

Amazon.com

The Texas Rangers have alternately been described as "fearless men of sterling character" and "ruthless, brutal, and more lawless than the criminals they pursued." The truth, says Robert M. Utley in Lone Star Justice, "lies somewhere in between the extremes." The Rangers got their start in 1823, and for half a century they were "citizen soldiers periodically mobilized to fight Indians or Mexicans." They were professionalized in 1874, when they became lawmen employed by the state of Texas. Utley summarizes their colorful history under the leadership of figures like Jack Hays and Ben McCulloch. They came to national attention during the Mexican War, when they fought with distinction under Zachary Taylor at Monterey and also served as scouts throughout northern Mexico. As lawmen, they were noted for apprehending fugitives (the murdering outlaw John Wesley Hardin fell to one of their bullets) and controlling mobs, but they were less successful at putting bad guys behind bars (a problem that the author blames on "a defective criminal justice system"). At bottom, Lone Star Justice is a sober-minded but generally admiring assessment of a unique group of men. --John Miller

Book Description

From The Lone Ranger to Lonesome Dove, the Texas Rangers have been celebrated in fact and fiction for their daring exploits in bringing justice to the Old West. In Lone Star Justice, best-selling author Robert M. Utley captures the first hundred years of Ranger history, in a narrative packed with adventures worthy of Zane Grey or Larry McMurtry. The Rangers began in the 1820s as loose groups of citizen soldiers, banding together to chase Indians and Mexicans on the raw Texas frontier. Utley shows how, under the leadership of men like Jack Hays and Ben McCulloch, these fiercely independent fighters were transformed into a well-trained, cohesive team. Armed with a revolutionary new weapon, Samuel Colt's repeating revolver, they became a deadly fighting force, whether battling Comanches on the plains or storming the city of Monterey in the Mexican-American War. As the Rangers evolved from part-time warriors to full-time lawmen by 1874, they learned to face new dangers, including homicidal feuds, labor strikes, and vigilantes turned mobs. They battled train robbers, cattle thieves and other outlaws--it was Rangers, for example, who captured John Wesley Hardin, the most feared gunman in the West. Based on exhaustive research in Texas archives, this is the most authoritative history of the Texas Rangers in over half a century. It will stand alongside other classics of Western history by Robert M. Utley--a vivid portrait of the Old West and of the legendary men who kept the law on the lawless frontier.

Customer Reviews:

Justice for Texas Justice.......2007-09-16

Until this book the best book on the Texas Rangers was he Webb book. Utley is a modern historian and those who prefer to live in the past in their culture will be disappointed in this book. It is a modern rendition for modern readers. That is not to say it is weak in research or in bringing the past to life. What I mean is this book is written in the now and doesn't adhere to the old rules of whitewash.

A major benfit of this work is the ointroduction to many of Edmund J. Davis, cast as the worst governor in Texas history. A Reconstruction governor responsible for the formation of the Texas Rangers as a force to enforce Reconstruction policy as he saw it and fight the elements that became the Ku Klux Klan.

This is a refreshing and interesting work on the taming of the old west.

Justice Done.......2007-08-02

The book is not only quite detailed in the description of the exploits of the early Texas Ranges, it maintains the air of education without the normally associated dullness or boredom found in many textbooks.
Mr. Utley paints a straight-forward, no-holds approach to telling the facts as he has found them. Gone are the visions that our hero's of old are without fault, quite the opposite, you find that our hero's from this era are simply common men with some interesting virtues and a belief that right is right. It would be rather refreshing to find some of this level or morals in today's society.
The book is an excellent read. One any Texican-file will find quite interesting.

Best Book Ever on the Early History of the Texas Rangers.......2007-02-18

Having just read Utley's second volume on the rangers, Lone Star Lawmen (I read this book when it came out), and found it a worthy sequel to this one, excellent in every way, I decided to see what Amazon readers had said about the first volume, Lone Star Justice. It appears that some folks don't like giving up cherished myth and folklore in favor of real history. And there are one or two who have well-formed PC prejudices against the Rangers, and are equally unhappy when presented with real history; they are like those who condemn an actor for portraying a villain (so to those I say, if you don't like the Rangers, don't take it out on Utley; he's not one, he just tells their story, and it is unfortunate that the truth does not conform to your suppositions). Those readers who appreciate accurate history, well written and meticulously documented, have given Lone Star Justice five stars. So do I. This is an excellent book, rigorously accurate, always interesting, full of dramatic incidents and memorable characters arrayed in their context. If you are interested in the history of Texas, the West, law enforcement, or just a good read, you'll enjoy this book. Better yet, get the set--Lone Star Justice and Lone Star Lawmen, and follow the history from beginning to the present.

Quite imbalanced.......2005-04-26

The problem with this book, aside from the fact that it's just a rehash of the last dozen or so Ranger histories, is Utley's bizarre fascination with racism: namely, all Texas Rangers are evil racists whose actions can only be explained by racism. Case in point:

Rangers are after a Mexican bandit who killed a Ranger. They find two mexicans and try to halt them, whereupon the two take off, then ambush and kill a Ranger. Utley breaks in and says, Oh that's okay. They were scared that the racist rangers would have hung them.

The Brownsville incident, where the black Army troops shoot up the town? Utley concurs that they probably did it--but, the town was full of racists, so they were justified.

Every single event involving the Rangers in this book is written off as racist fervor. This PC attitude, frankly, is just sickening.

Only in the last few pages does Utley mention that we should keep an open mind about the subject; but by then, the reader has probably thrown the book away in disgust, or come out of it thinking the Texas Rangers were the militant wing of the KKK.

A rip roaring account.......2005-01-18

For those who know little of the rangers but are western enthusiasts or simply interested in the American West, this is a wonderful action packed rip roaring account of the Texas rangers. The volume spands the time frame from Texas independence in 1836 through to the 1900s. The Mexican war is covered as are conflcits with Mexican bandits, and the Comanches, as well as the norms of frontier justice. This reads like a novel, but brought to you by famed historian Utley its all true and what more the writing is fantastic. This makes a wonderful present.

Seth J. Frantzman

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Murder in the Back Country
What a start!
Another Winner
Track of the Cat
track of the cat

Track of the Cat
Nevada Barr
Manufacturer: Putnam Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0399138242

Book Description

Anna Pigeon has fled New York and her memories to find work as a ranger in the country’s national parks. In the remote backcountry of West Texas, however, she discovers murder and violence. Fellow park ranger Sheila Drury is mysteriously killed, presumably by a mountain lion. But the deep claw marks Anna finds across Drury’s throat and the paw prints surrounding the body are too perfect to be real. This is the first time Track of the Cat is available on audio.

Customer Reviews:

Murder in the Back Country.......2007-08-03

When the National Park Service puts a bounty on a killer mountain lion, it rubs National Park Ranger Anna Pigeon's fur the wrong way. It's a knee jerk reaction from the Park's leadership: Mountain Lion Attack! Kill the animal first, ask questions later. Or maybe no questions need to be asked at all. Something stinks at the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, and it's not just the brutal death of a fellow park ranger whose half eaten dead body was found by Anna in the back country. It's the naturalist vs. the politicians. The Park Service, neighboring cattle ranchers and developers all want the mountain lion disposed of. It seems Anna, suspicious of things that are a little too neat, is the only one taking the animal's side.

This is Nevada Barr's kick off novel, and a good one it is. Anna Pigeon, park ranger, is the hero. Unlike most, Anna is a law enforcement ranger. She didn't think there would be much law enforcement to do in this remote park in West Texas. Most enforcement types are stationed in parks close to urban areas where most crime takes place. Anna chose the law enforcement route because the Protective Division does not only the serious cop stuff, but Search and Rescue, where the real action is. When a mountain lion kills a human, it is not a crime, but when the humans make it look like it was done by an animal, yes, no matter if it is in the bedroom or on a city street or the back country, that is murder.

Because of the excellence of the writing, the natural world as a backdrop, and the character of Anna Pigeon, I've read several of Barr's books and have enjoyed them all.

What a start!.......2007-07-15

Nevada Barr begins her series of Anna Pigeon mysteries with this intriguing story set in Guadeloupe Mountains National Park (Texas). Having read A Superior Death first (the second novel in this series) and then Endangered Species and Deep South before going back to read the series in consecutive order of publication, I was wondering how I'd see Anna in Book No. 1. She's not an altogether sympathetic main character, but she grows on you. The intricacies of the plots in the novels seem to grow, but even that in "Track" is full of detail and enticement. For those who are "detailed" people, I'm sure they will find these mysteries alluring. I look forward to reading all 13 of the mysteries.

Another Winner.......2007-06-29

Nevada Barr tells a good tale with interesting characters and setting. I highly recommend her books.

Track of the Cat.......2007-05-15

Good beginning to the Anna Pigeon series. A couple of murders, mysterious only to Anna, but intriguing in their setting: the Guadeloupe Mountains in western Texas. Well written, not heavy, entertaining.

track of the cat.......2005-12-05

The starting of this book is very slow, then it turns into a book you can't put down. The main character in the book is Anna Pigeon, who is a park ranger in West Texas. She is hiking down in the walls of McKiirick Canyon and she find another park ranger dead. The ranger had cat scratches on her. Everone thinks a cat killed her but Anna just can't believe that a cat in West Texas would kill and not eat its prey. Anna start investigating on her own. She uncovers other clues. As she does many other deaths occur. The end of this story is a big surprise. Read it, it's very intertaining.

Terry Texas Ranger Trilogy: Terry's Texas Rangers, Reminiscences of the Terry Rangers, the Diary of Ephraim Shelby Dodd

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Texas Civil War Trilogy
Wonderful Collection Of First Person Accounts

Terry Texas Ranger Trilogy: Terry's Texas Rangers, Reminiscences of the Terry Rangers, the Diary of Ephraim Shelby Dodd
J. K. P. Blackburn , E. S. Dodd , and L. B. Giles
Manufacturer: State House Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

West | Regional U.S. | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

None but Texians: A History of Terry's Texas Rangers
Texans in the Confederate Cavalry (Civil War Campaigns and Commanders)

ASIN: 1880510456

Book Description

The ten companies of the Terry Texas Rangers were officially activated into the Confederate Army as the 8th Texas Cavalry Regiment, but throughout the Civil War they were known by the name of their first commander, Col. Benjamin F. Terry, who fell at the battle of Woodsonville. In over 200 battles including Shiloh, Bardstown, Perryville, Murfreesboro, Chichamauga and Knoxville, they gave credence to Gen. John B. Hood's remark that there was "no body of cavalry superior." When the South finally surrendered, there were scarcely enough men left to form one company. This volume of vivid descriptions, of the first-hand experiences of men in the ranks throughout the duration of the war, makes available three of the rarest pieces of Texana concerning the Terry Texas Rangers' role in the Civil War.

Customer Reviews:

Texas Civil War Trilogy.......2006-11-05

I have been interested in Civil War history and wanted to read about Terry's Rangers since they came from the part of Texas I live in. This trilogy further reinforces how poorly equipped many of the Southern troops were and how much of their time was foraging the land for food, water, and horses. This was a good book.

Wonderful Collection Of First Person Accounts.......2000-12-21

This book is a must have for anyone interested in Terry's Texas Rangers (8th Texas Cavalry). It contains three rare first person accounts of the Ranger's activities during the Civil War including the diary of Ephraim Dodd who was unjustly hung as a spy by Federal troops. There are also several photos and an excellent introduction by Thomas Cutrer. I highly recommend it.

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Glenn Elliott : Still a Ranger's Ranger
glenn elliott , and robert nieman
Manufacturer: Ranger Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0967331900

Average customer rating:

Intriging
An Indepth Study of the Early Rangers
Read it to your kids
An accurate romanticization of the Texas Rangers
A detailed chronology of the Texas Rangers.

The Texas Rangers
Walter Prescott Webb
Manufacturer: University of Texas Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Social History | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

Law Enforcement | Criminal Law | Law | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Lone Star Justice: The First Century of the Texas Rangers
The Men Who Wear the Star: The Story of the Texas Rangers (Modern Library Paperbacks)
One Ranger: A Memoir (Bridwell Texas History Series)
The Great Plains
Lone Star Lawmen: The Second Century of the Texas Rangers

ASIN: 0292781105

Book Description

"The beginning, middle, and end of the subject."

—J. Frank Dobie

Webb's classic history of the Texas Rangers has been popular ever since its first publication in 1935. This edition is a reproduction of the original Houghton Mifflin edition.

Customer Reviews:

Intriging .......2006-12-16

Dr. Webb's account about the Texas Ranger, should spark an interest to the reader's love for Texas History. His account of people's down to earth lives is so remarkable that even President Lyndon B Johnson foward the work. Money well spent. I will add it to the western section of my personal library.

An Indepth Study of the Early Rangers.......2006-04-09

This classic was first published in 1935. The consummate western historian Walter Prescott Webb, assimilated a history of the first century (actually from 1823 - 1935) of the Texas Rangers in his book, THE TEXAS RANGERS: A CENTURY OF FRONTIER DEFENSE. This 1965 reprinting contains a foreword by Lyndon B. Johnson.

Webb covers not only the history of the Texas Rangers, but also focuses on some of its more noteworthy, or to some, notorious, men who wore the star. From Jack Hays to Frank Hamer, the reader is given some of the high points of their careers, from the Battle of Plum Creek to the capture of Bonnie and Clyde.

Webb, great historian that he was, was not a great writer and the book reads rather slowly at times. For entertainment value, I preferred Robert Utley's book of a similar name, Lone Star Justice: The First Century of the Texas Rangers, but this one does cover some interesting material you wont find in Utley's book, so both should be considered for a better understanding of the early years of the Rangers. One frustrating thing about this book, because of its age, most of the books mentioned in the brief bibliography are long out of print and nearly impossible to find. Utley's book being far more recent (2202) contains numerous resources that are more available for further study.

Please don't consider that a knock on this valuable book, however, as much of what is provided here is quite detailed of major events. Webb gives a good account of many specific events in Ranger history and a good narrative of the Ranger's role in shaping the Texas frontier.

Monty Rainey
www.juntosociety.com

Read it to your kids.......2004-04-01

Full of stories of heroes and bad guys, this is a book you can read to your kids and enjoy it as much yourself. If you want to know about the sometimes brutal history of Texas, and the brave men who made our state a safer place to live, this is THE BOOK to read on the rangers.

An accurate romanticization of the Texas Rangers.......2000-12-15

W.P. Webb's history of the Texas Rangers is an excellent example of the 1935 society in which it was written. It is not a "complete" history of the Rangers (through '35), but the facts that he includes are mostly sound. The format is a bit encyclopedic, but Mr. Webb's narration is always beautiful.

The interesting aspect of the book is the facts that Mr. Webb leaves out. While the racist aspects of the Rangers' exploits, expecially during the Mexican War, were well known to contemporary historians, Mr. Webb does not include this part of Ranger history in his volume. Even so, the book is an enlightening read to anyone who can keep in mind that it is not the whole truth.

A detailed chronology of the Texas Rangers........1998-06-28

Written in 1935, this book takes a look at the first 100 years of the Texas Rangers. Not an easy read it is very detailed . This book should be used in Texas History Classes where that course is taught. It offers a realistic look at the brutality of life in frontier Texas. Although slow going at times this book has fascinated me for the twenty odd years I have owned it. I use the index as a source of reference when I want to look back into my native Texas' history. I enjoyed this book and readily recommend it for those interested in the early history of Texas.

The Texas Rangers and the Mexican Revolution: The Bloodiest Decade, 1910-1920

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The Texas Rangers and the Mexican Revolution: The Bloodiest Decade, 1910-1920
The Bloodiest Decade Revisted
Texas-Mexican border tensions in early 1900s

The Texas Rangers and the Mexican Revolution: The Bloodiest Decade, 1910-1920
Charles H. Harris III , and Louis R. Sadler
Manufacturer: University of New Mexico Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Mexico | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

Revolutionary | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

One Ranger: A Memoir (Bridwell Texas History Series)
Lone Wolf Gonzaullas: Texas Ranger
Revolution in Texas: How a Forgotten Rebellion and Its Bloody Suppression Turned Mexicans into Americans (The Lamar Series in Western History)
Intervention!: The United States and the Mexican Revolution, 1913-1917
Lone Star Lawmen: The Second Century of the Texas Rangers

ASIN: 0826334830

Book Description

The decade 1910Â-1920 was the bloodiest in the controversial history of one of the most famous law enforcement agencies in the worldÂ—the Texas Rangers. Much of the bloodshed was along the thousand-mile Texas/Mexico border because these were the years of the Mexican Revolution.

Charles Harris III and Louis Sadler shed new light on this turbulent period by uncovering the clandestine role of Mexican President Venustiano Carranza in the border violence. They document two virtually unknown invasions of Texas by Mexican Army troops acting under Carranza's orders. Harris and Sadler suggest the notorious "Plan de San Diego," usually portrayed by historians as a plot hatched in South Texas, was actually spawned in Mexico by Carranza. This irredentist conspiracy, which called for the execution of all Anglo males sixteen and older and the establishment of a Hispanic republic, was designed to cause a race war between Hispanics and Anglos. One of CarranzaÂ's goals was to end the support being given by border residents to his rival Pancho Villa.

The "Plan de San Diego" caused the governor of Texas to order the Texas Rangers to wipe out the insurgency along the border. This resulted in an estimated 300 Hispanics being killed by the Rangers and others without benefit of judge and jury.

The Texas Rangers and the Mexican Revolution is the first Ranger history to utilize Mexican government archives and the voluminous declassified FBI records on the Mexican Revolution.

"There is no other book that focuses on the Texas Rangers in the period 1910-1920. This will be the standard book on the Rangers for this period and probably the most thoroughly researched book on the Rangers in any period."--Alwyn Barr, Professor of History, Texas Tech University

"Harris and Sadler provide the first definitive evaluation of the Texas Rangers and their activities during the first and most violent decade of the Mexican Revolution, 1910-1920. This is a really outstanding, important work"--William H. Beezley, Professor of Latin American History, University of Arizona

The authors document the secret role of the Mexican president in the insurgency against Anglos during the Mexican Revolution and the Texas Rangers' role in ending the uprising.

Customer Reviews:

The Texas Rangers and the Mexican Revolution: The Bloodiest Decade, 1910-1920.......2007-02-12

Written by authors trying to prove a point. Once you get by their prejudice it is a good historical read of the times, which are still relevant today

The Bloodiest Decade Revisted.......2006-12-14

The Mexican Revolution was at its most bloody point during this decade and spilled over to the United States on some occasions. This book analyzes the role of the Texas Rangers, Untied States Military and other groups during the time of the revolution. Mostly it is a policing action to keep violence from spilling over into El Paso but occasionally they are attacking cattle rustlers who cross the border including Pancho Villa. The Texas Rangers were essential in defending the frontier during this timer period and performed many valuable services. While there are several books that exist on the Texas Rangers this is the only one that I have run across that really explains their role within Texas as a whole. Both authors do an excellent job of bringing their knowledge about the revolution and weaving it within the context of Texas History. Their discussion of the Plan de San Diego which was an attempted revolt by Mexicans across the border was truly terrifying and they do an excellent job of giving the governments response to it. This book is excellent for anyone who wants a knowledge about how state forces responded to a crisis during the early 1900's. For those who love the Texas Rangers this is a must have to their library.

Texas-Mexican border tensions in early 1900s.......2004-10-29

During the decade of 1910-20, tensions between Mexico and the United States over incidents relating to Pancho Villa's threat to Mexico's president Venustiano Carranza and U. S. incursions into Mexico led by General John Pershing had become so tense that the "situation was not dissimilar to that of Jewish settlers in the West Bank"; with the small number of white Texans along the border being compared to the Jewish settlers surrounded by a much greater number of resentful Palestinians. In this situation, the Texas governors of this decade--Colquitt, Ferguson, and Hobby--used the Texas Rangers to protect Texas citizens and combat the tactics of Mexicans directed by Carranza and in some cases acting as vigilantes. The unique and in ways controversial activities of the Texas Rangers in this complex, volatile, and fluid situation is the subject the authors hone in on. Harris and Sadler, both former professors at New Mexico State U., bring to light little-known dimensions of the historical events, which continue to affect relationships and feelings between the white Texans and Hispanics in the area. There was much lawlessness on both sides. Mexican Army troops dressed as civilians crossed the border to raid Texas communities. After Texas Rangers executed two Mexican agitators after taking them by force from the F.B.I., the U. S. Attorney General issued an order that all prisoners henceforth be held by the U. S. Army. The situation was especially complicated not only because of points of opposition between Texas and the U. S. Federal Government, but also because of Mexican president Carranza's desire for recognition by the U. S. while trying at the same time to stand up to it. While concentrating on the unique role of the Rangers in this complex historical situation, Harris and Sadler also construct the context in which their activities took place.

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