The Cowboy Way: An Exploration of History And Culture

"Few readers of The Cowboy Way will be surprised that real cowboys of the late nineteenth century differed markedly from their twentieth-century mythical counterparts, but they may learn much about the nature and extent of that difference."—Western Historical Quarterly. "[Helps] us distinguish the historical reality of the cowhand from the myths that now surround the cowboy. . . . Both a general audience and scholars will appreciate this volume."—Southwestern Historical Quarterly.

"Whether discussing the myth or the reality of the cowboy, his work clothes, his place in film history, his humor, or his songs, these essays once again demonstrate the strength of the cowboy as cultural icon."—Roundup Magazine. "Promises to get at the truth behind the cowboy myth . . . [and suggests] all kinds of reasons why the cowboy should have held his place in the American imagination for so long."—Bloomsbury Review.

Sixteen essays explore cowboy music, dress, humor, films, and literature. Some examine the cowboy’s powerful symbolic life. Others look at African American, Hispanic, Native American, French, and English cowboys, the great cowboy strike of 1883, and even the origins of the term cowboy itself.