| Chasing the Rodeo: On Wild Rides and Big Dreams, Broken Hearts and Broken Bones, and One Man's Search for the West Contributor(s): Stratton, W. K. (Author) |
|
 |
ISBN: 0156031213 ISBN-13: 9780156031219 Publisher: Mariner Books OUR PRICE: $19.94 Product Type: Paperback Published: May 2006 Annotation: "Filled with delicious rodeo tidbits. Stratton's the perfect tour guide, a natural-born storyteller whose prose is as lean as a cowboy and as poetic as a sunset, rendered with a delight and wonder that are downright infectious."--"The Boston Globe" Rodeo has grown into an international, prime-time television sport. Steeped in tradition and Western spirit, it calls aspiring cowboys and cowgirls to its rough-and-tumble fame as they repeatedly risk their lives for eight seconds of triumph. In "Chasing the Rodeo," Kip Stratton takes us into the addictive core of rodeo, bull riding, and the circuit. Immersed in this world, he collides with the specter of his "rodeo bum" father, finding part of the cowboy dream that was his father's legacy. "Chasing the Rodeo" is a tribute to the famed characters of the old West and a riveting look at the superstars of the new. And best of all, it's one bucking, riveting, glorious ride. "If you love the sound of the bell, the thud of hooves, and the sight of a twisting ton-and-a-half bovine, round up a copy of this book. "Chasing the Rodeo" is a mighty fine book for any cowpoke."--"St. Louis Post-Dispatch" W. K. (Kip) Stratton is a native of the Southwest. His journalism has appeared in "GQ, Sports Illustrated, Outside, Southern Magazine," and the "Dallas Morning News." He lives in Austin, Texas. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Sports & Recreation | Rodeos - Biography & Autobiography | Sports - Biography & Autobiography | Personal Memoirs |
| Dewey: 791.840 |
| LCCN: 2004023119 |
| Physical Information: 0.78" H x 6.26" W x 7.62" (0.69 lbs) 336 pages |
| Themes: - Cultural Region - Western U.S. - Topical - Country/Cowboy |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: From its roots as the quintessential Western pastime, rodeo has grown to an international, prime-time television sport. Steeped in tradition and the independent spirit of the range, aspiring cowboys and cowgirls are called to its high-stakes, rough-and-tumble fame as they risk their lives for eight seconds of triumph. In Chasing the Rodeo W. K. Stratton follows this quest for one season of the pro rodeo and bull-riding tours. He explores the history of the chutes -- from rodeo's disputed origins (Prescott, Arizona, or Pecos, Texas?) to its current skyrocketing popularity. But out on the trail Stratton finds more than calf-roping and unrideable bulls, uncovering a culture complete with myths, codes of honor, million-dollar purses, Cowboy Church, and the kinds of legends that make good stories unforgettable. Just such a story emerges here as Stratton tells of his runaway rodeo bum father --Cowboy Don -- whose specter haunts his travels on the circuit. As he learns more about the life that proved too seductive for his father to abandon, Stratton fills in a portrait of the man he never knew but whose legacy he couldn't help but inherit. Filled with cowboy longing and rodeo dreams, this is a tribute to the characters of the West -- Freckles Brown, Lucille Mulhall (the first cowgirl), Wild Bill Hickock, Lane Frost, and today's superstars like Jesse Bail. In the great tradition of Wallace Stegner and Ken Kesey, W. K. Stratton fashions an expansive tale out of the gritty reality of the life around us. Chasing the Rodeo is a bucking, riveting, glorious ride -- you'll want to hang on for the whole go-round. |
Contributor Bio(s): Stratton, W. K.: - W.K. (Kip) Stratton is the author of four books, including Backyard Brawl, Chasing the Rodeo, and Boxing Shadows. He has written for GQ, Sports Illustrated, Outside, Texas Observer, the Dallas Morning News, and others. He lives near Austin, Texas. |