Cattle and Us, Frankly Speaking

Sandy Campbell is a reference librarian in the Science and Technology Library at the University of Alberta.

This book, by the former editor of Cattlemen Magazine, is an odd mixture
of fact, reminiscence, and opinion; it might best be described as an
“amusing textbook,” because it is packed with information that is
presented in an informal and occasionally humorous style. The content
reads like a melding of a series of strongly opinionated editorial
columns, most of which are staunchly on the side of the cattle industry.
And while some of those opinions are well supported with scientific
references, others are not.

Those involved in the cattle industry will most likely enjoy the
characters and history that make up a large part of the book; as a
result, public libraries in cattle country will definitely want to buy
it. For academic libraries supporting research in the areas of Western
Canadian history and culture and rural sociology, however, Cattle and
Us, Frankly Speaking is recommended with reservations.