The Canadian Cowboy: Stories of Cows, Cowboys, and Causes

Patricia Myers is a historian with the Historic Sites and Archives
Service, Alberta Community Development.

Andy Russell is no stranger to lovers of western Canadian history and
lore. In his latest book, he takes the reader on a new journey deep into
cowboy culture. From the arrival of the first horses and cattle in North
America to the establishment of the first dude ranch, he blazes a clear
trail through centuries of ranching history.

Russell’s skill lies in his storytelling. The history of cattle
drives, saddles, barbed wire, and cowboy clothing comes embroidered with
a story at every turn. The stories come from an honored oral tradition,
where events and characters often assume legendary stature. Many of
Russell’s tales come from his own family’s tradition, stretching
from his grandparents’ ranch near Lethbridge through his parent’s
ranch and his own country upbringing.

This makes The Canadian Cowboy a memoir, but not one bounded by the
author’s lifetime. Cowboy culture, Russell clearly shows, is
cumulative, the result of knowledge shared through both oral and
practical traditions. He expresses an unapologetic nostalgia for days
gone by. “It was wild then, and it was wonderful,” he says of
southern Alberta ranch country just after the turn of this century. His
memoir offers the reader a dollop of history, a good serving of longing,
a dash of reality, and a wealth of tall tales.

There is much here that will surprise and delight both the professional
and the armchair historian.