Buy new:
-10% $17.08
FREE delivery Tuesday, May 14 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$17.08 with 10 percent savings
List Price: $18.95

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Tuesday, May 14 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Only 7 left in stock (more on the way).
$$17.08 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$17.08
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$14.58
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
Pages are clean with no marks. very little wear. Vg condition. Ships directly from Amazon! Pages are clean with no marks. very little wear. Vg condition. Ships directly from Amazon! See less
FREE delivery Tuesday, May 14 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$17.08 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$17.08
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

J. W. Williams
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Big Ranch Country (Double Mountain Books) Paperback – July 15, 1999

by J. W. Williams (Author), Lawrence Clayton (Introduction)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 26 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$17.08","priceAmount":17.08,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"17","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"08","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"QgQ%2FqqZfCfPzqz8%2FqC1lfcv5ZYwScdH3NdRSGzQiBzTTU2rOokhihACklQnalnGR0GjA86N1BJOsqhkQJgJcp53VKyR4CJBfLOWMKPXj0vHlQu2KRFlFOxRc6IEsWXglRHyNou3wxMU%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$14.58","priceAmount":14.58,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"14","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"58","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"QgQ%2FqqZfCfPzqz8%2FqC1lfcv5ZYwScdH3gM%2Fy3YhSgUT0b4QqVm9WdivyLqcLjItoFR07xR9nm9OduIhU540hKf2CFnlCetSnoTey3hJlN8e9sjEICSrKM5199Nu2NNQ8ehkxlnVFjMSUtxrC2BY9ghN5XXE9FH47iY%2BeT2syd0jgce7qF5Jk8tavadaNZ8mF","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

J. W. Williams’s classic survey of the big ranches of the Southwest reaches deep into the stories of key players in American ranching history. Colorful tales of the finest cutting horse, the meanest cow thief, the most princely cowman of them all--even the hair-raising details of gunplay with a badman whose name cannot be revealed--are told in bare-knuckle fashion that leaves no cushion to soften the truth. This is an account of many journeys by car down roads that led to roundup grounds and to chuck with the cowboys; to the ranch homes of those who built the great cattle empires; to the Burnetts, the Spurs, the Pitchforks, and the Matadors; and to many points along the way where ranching history was made. A master storyteller, Williams connects these sites to living legends of the cattle and beef industry. He spent the night beneath the stars in Colonel Goodnight’s Palo Duro Canyon, drove across the state line near the original XIT fence northwest of Amarillo, and glided along the base of the impressive Sawtooth Mountain for out in the Reynolds’ Kingdom of the Long X, half a hundred miles west of Fort Davis. The Big Ranch Country reaches far up into the Texas Panhandle, deep into the Big Bend of Trans-Pecos Texas, and down south to the great ranch empires of the Texas coast. Williams was the first to publish maps of most of the great Texas ranches and tells many of little-known stories of the land that once was home to Boley Brown, the prince of good neighbors; Quakers who moved to the plains to escape the wicked world; and the Hank Smiths, whose famous old rock house was once the last “outpost of civilization.”
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    308 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Texas Tech University Press
  4. Publication date
    July 15, 1999
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 1 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0896724166
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0896724167
  8. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

The Big Ranch Country (Double Mountain Books)
$17.08
Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14
Only 7 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Rich Grass and Sweet Water: Ranch Life with the Koch Matador Cattle Company (Volume 32) (Centennial Series of the Association
$16.11
Get it as soon as Monday, May 13
Only 12 left in stock - order soon.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Matador Land and Cattle Company
$21.95
Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16
Only 1 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

J. W. Williams chronicled the ranches of West Texas and the Panhandle as he encountered them in the 1940s and 1950s. The Big Ranch Country was first published in 1954 and was reissued by Texas Tech University Press in 1999.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Texas Tech University Press; New edition (July 15, 1999)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 308 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0896724166
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0896724167
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 26 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
J. W. Williams

J. W. Williams

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
26 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Quentin M. Thomas
5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read for Lover of Texas History
Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2017
Verified Purchase
I have driven all over west Texas, especially the areas identified and detailed in this book. What an enjoyable trip Mr Williams took me on. The detail was beyond belief and he reminds me that regardless how much I study about the great ranches of Texas, there is always more to learn. Get a cup of coffee along with your detailed map, place it on your lap, began to read this book, and follow 1954 road trip travels to these great ranches. The photos and maps add a special touch. His vivid detail and descriptions are invaluable to the student and his antidotes add a wonderful flavor to the book. His story of "Ole Hub" and his description of his chuck wagon supper make you feel you are right there. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did!
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Jim W. Vanover
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2022
Verified Purchase
This is a very good informative book about the big ranches. It written sometime ago but if you love the big ranches there’s plenty of info here.
Helpful
 Report
Bert
4.0 out of 5 stars Sometimes dry as these kind of books are but I would recommend it to anyone interested in who owned the big ...
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2016
Verified Purchase
This is a very historical book that makes you aware of the big ranches in west texas. Sometimes dry as these kind of books are but I would recommend it to anyone interested in who owned the big ranches.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Barbara Nichols
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting information about ranching!
Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2014
Verified Purchase
Having worked on a ranch in my teens, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Ranching is a hard job and heartbreaking at times. I loved the cattle and hated when the big trucks pulled up, in the fall, to take them away to get killed. Ranching is not an easy job and it takes a smart, hard working, serious rancher to succeed. Ranches are far apart so it's also a lonely job. You get to know your horse better than your family or friends. You learn to live with yourself and be content. Cowboys don't have much interaction among themselves but they learn a lot about life and animals. This book gives a small taste of life on a ranch.
6 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Nora L Reed
5.0 out of 5 stars Living in the Ranch Country
Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2014
Verified Purchase
Our son, that lives down in the country, this book was written about, and knows where the ranches are, had loaned us his book"the Big Ranch Country" to read. We are country people that love reading these kind of stories , because we spent a lot of our childhood on ranches where our kin folks worked.

We have friends with interest in the same kind of reading so we got a book for ourselves to loan and 2 others to give as. Gift. One of them lived in that area when he was young and his folks knew some of the people in the book personally.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Red Raider Jones
5.0 out of 5 stars Ranching History
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2010
Verified Purchase
TTU press is to be commended for preserving our ranching history by
making this book available. Though it is but one man's documentation and does not cover every land owner or cowboy who settled the rolling plains of Texas, it does mention many of the well known brands. I would recommend this book to those who value and are searching for ranching history. I wish more of the old timers could have put their stories in print.
5 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
TexasGrandma
5.0 out of 5 stars Learn something
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2018
Verified Purchase
How life and times have changed. Not so much for the best now
Helpful
 Report
MHL
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2017
Verified Purchase
Very much enjoyed
Helpful
 Report