This absorbing biography, written by Kleberg's top assistant of many years, captures both the life of the man and the spirit of the kingdom he ruled, offering a rare, insider's view of life on a fabled Texas ranch.

"Centennial series of the Association of Former Students, Texas A & M University ; no. 49." The story about America's largest and most progressive cattle ranch.

Covering 825,000 acres in the Coastal Plain and Brush Country of South Texas, King Ranch, established in 1853, looms large in Texas and American history. Since its founding by the energetic and visionary Richard King, it has indelibly captured for generations the essence of the American West. As Tom Lea asserted in his epic 1953 history, the spirit of the place “is alive in the land itself, in the far quietness of growing grass and grazing herds.” In King Ranch: A Legacy in Art, editors Bob Kinnan, William E. Reaves, and Linda J. Reaves have assembled a team of collaborators to present a beautiful, informative account of the ranch and its place in the artistic heritage of the region. Pairing original paintings by artist Noe Perez with insightful essays from curators Bruce Shackelford and Ron Tyler, this book celebrates the many ways “King Ranch culture” has enriched appreciation for the decorative, practical, and fine arts in Texas and the greater American West. Opening with a foreword by Jamey Clement, former chair of the board for King Ranch, Inc., and continuing with a brief introduction to the ranch’s history by Bob Kinnan, King Ranch: A Legacy in Art will heighten appreciation of the natural beauty and artistic influence of this legendary place.

Praise for KINGS OF TEXAS "Kings of Texas is a fresh and very welcome history of the great King Ranch. It's concise but thorough, crisply written, meticulous, and very readable. It should find a wide audience." -Larry McMurtry, author of Sin Killer and the Pulitzer Prize--winning Lonesome Dove "This book is about the King Ranch, but it is about much more than that. A compelling chronicle of war, peace, love, betrayal, birth, and death in the region where the Texas-Mexico border blurs in the haze of the Wild Horse Desert, it is also an intriguing detective story with links to the present-and a first-rate read." -H.W. Brands, author of The Age of Gold and the bestselling Pulitzer Prize finalist The First American

King Ranch. The name is embroidered in the tapestry of Texas, rising from the sunbaked coastal plains in the infancy of the state itself. King Ranch is the inspiration of legends and speculation, tradition and history. Rawhide-tough through drought, Indian attacks, Civil War, and the Great Depression, among other trials, King Ranch is the star of Texas. Now the memoirs of Helen King Kleberg Alexander-Groves, the only child of Bob and Helen Kleberg, give a personal glimpse of life on the storied ranch of the Kings and the Klebergs. This intimate and compelling book chronicles not only the history of the ranch but also the life of Bob and Helen Kleberg, the first family of cattle ranching. From the Santa Gertrudis, the first cattle breed developed in America and the first breed recognized worldwide in over a century, to the Triple Crown–winning Thoroughbred Assault, Bob and Helen Kleberg changed the ranching industry. The memoirs of “Helenita” open the door to the romance of Southwest cattle ranching, as well as the grit, glory, and inner workings of King Ranch in Texas and its ranches around the world. With over 200 photographs, some by Toni Frissell and many by her close friend and fellow photographer Helen Kleberg herself, this lavishly illustrated portrait includes accounts of the Klebergs’ famous hospitality, extended not only to the celebrities who were entertained regularly but also to the Kineños, the loyal ranch hands first brought to King Ranch by Captain King. Hemingwayesque photos depict hunting adventures in the Texas brush country—for which the ranch is still famous. Bob and Helen Kleberg of King Ranch is a view from the center of the King Ranch legacy, perpetuated now for some 150 years. Bob and Helen Kleberg of King Ranch is a requisite addition to the library of any ranching, history, or Texana aficionado.

Waiting for Daylight consists of photographs taken while working cattle from horseback on the King Ranches in South Texas, Brazil, Argentina, and Australia. The photographs capture an era when people lived out their lives on lands that were often inhospitable with great herds of red cattle and fine cow horses. These beautiful, historic images communicate a feeling of constant renewal combined with the sense of suspended time.

This is a sampling of recipes from the many families and friends associated with King Ranch.