Rare Book Monthly
Book Catalogue Reviews - April - 2008 Issue
The Characters of the American West Return with Old West Books
A senescent Bryant Brooks.
Item 136 is the Memoirs of Bryant B. Brooks. Cowboy, Trapper, Lumberman, Stockman, Oilman, Banker, and Governor of Wyoming. Obviously, Brooks did many things in his life, including his service as Wyoming Governor from 1905-1911. However, Brooks did not get around to publishing his memoirs until 1939. Reportedly, 250 copies were printed by Arthur H. Clark, but only 88 were sold, the rest being given to Brooks to do with as he pleased. According to noted western writer and historian J. Frank Dobie, obviously not a big Brooks fan, "It was merely printed to satisfy the senescent vanity of a property-worshiping, cliche-parroting reactionary who made money ranching before he became governor of Wyoming." On the bright side, this will always be a scarce book. And, for those of you who, like me, are not as literate as Dobie, "senescent" means "approaching advanced age." Actually, by 1938, he was more than approaching senescence as Brooks was age 78. $300.
Item 199 is the story of a forgotten "cattle king," who ought to be remembered at least for his name: Fountain Goodlet Oxsheer. Oxsheer built up some of the largest herds, and largest ranches ever seen in Texas and Mexico in the years after the turn of the century. Oxsheer managed to sell his lands in Mexico just in time to get out before the revolution, but two other times he was not so lucky. He was forced to sell off thousands of head of cattle for a fraction of what he paid, along with most of his land when beef prices collapsed after the First World War. After rebuilding his fortune in the 1920s, he would be crushed once again when cattle prices crumbled after the stock market crash of 1929. He died two years later at age 82, not enough time to rebuild his empire. The book, published in 1986, is The Forgotten Cattle King. $35.
Old West Books is found online at www.oldwestbooks.com, telephone 817-557-4830, email oldwestbooks@earthlink.net.
