One of America’s unique contributions to world culture, the cowboy has captured the imagination of people everywhere. In The Cowboy: Six-Shooters, Songs, and Sex, eight renowned western writers report on what the cowboys really were like and what they are like today. Contributors detail how the cowboys lived, loved, and died, how they fared when ranchers switched from running cattle to entertaining dudes, and how the media have depicted the cowboy.

Viewers of films and television shows might imagine the dude ranch as something not quite legitimate, a place where city dwellers pretend to be cowboys in amusingly inauthentic fashion. But the tradition of the dude ranch, America’s original western vacation, is much more interesting and deeply connected with the culture and history of the American West. In American Dude Ranch, Lynn Downey opens new perspectives on this buckaroo getaway, with all its implications for deciphering the American imagination. Dude ranching began in the 1880s when cattle ranches ruled the West. Men, and a few women, left the comforts of their eastern lives to experience the world of the cowboy. But by the end of the century, the cattleman’s West was fading, and many ranchers turned to wrangling dudes instead of livestock. What began as a way for ranching to survive became a new industry, and as the twentieth century progressed, the dude ranch wove its way into American life and culture. Wyoming dude ranches hosted silent picture shoots, superstars such as Gene Autry were featured in dude film plots, fashion designers and companies like Levi Strauss & Co. replicated the films’ western styles, and novelists Zane Grey and Mary Roberts Rinehart moved dude ranching into popular literature. Downey follows dude ranching across the years, tracing its influence on everything from clothing to cooking and showing how ranchers adapted to changing times and vacation trends. Her book also offers a rare look at women’s place in this story, as they found personal and professional satisfaction in running their own dude ranches. However contested and complicated, western history is one of America’s national origin stories that we turn to in times of cultural upheaval. Dude ranches provide a tangible link from the real to the imagined past, and their persistence and popularity demonstrate how significant this link remains. This book tells their story—in all its familiar, eccentric, and often surprising detail.

The 'OTIS ADELBERT KLINE Ultimate Collection' is a comprehensive anthology showcasing the diverse range of Science-Fantasy Classics and Sword & Sorcery Tales penned by the prolific writer, Otis Adelbert Kline. Known for his vivid imagination and skillful storytelling, Kline's works transport readers into exotic worlds where futuristic science and ancient sorcery collide, creating a rich tapestry of adventure and excitement. The blend of science fiction and fantasy elements in Kline's writing sets him apart as a pioneer in the genre, with his influence extending to later authors like Edgar Rice Burroughs and H.P. Lovecraft. Otis Adelbert Kline, a contemporary of pulp fiction luminaries such as Robert E. Howard and H.P. Lovecraft, drew inspiration from his travels to remote corners of the world and his avid interest in archaeology and history. His deep knowledge of different cultures and civilizations is evident in the intricate world-building and detailed backstories found in his tales. Fans of imaginative and thrilling tales that seamlessly blend elements of science fiction and fantasy will find 'OTIS ADELBERT KLINE Ultimate Collection' a must-read. Kline's timeless stories continue to captivate readers with their intriguing plots, colorful characters, and imaginative settings, making this anthology a valuable addition to any enthusiast's library.

Includes Part 1, Number 2: Books and Pamphlets, Including Serials and Contributions to Periodicals July - December)