The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 53, July 1949 - April, 1950 Page: 332

Southwestern Historical Quarterly

XIT. He interviewed heirs of the original owners. He examined
the sixty thousand reports, letters, and other documents-two tons
in all-deposited in the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum at
West Texas State College at Canyon.
Covering the same ground as Haley's work and using many
of the same sources, Nordyke's book differs from the earlier one
in several respects. It omits the Spanish background, and it takes
the point of view of the ranch managers more often than that of
the owners. In particular, it shows the first manager, B. H. "Bar-
becue" Campbell, in a more favorable light than does Haley's
history.
Nordyke's book is written in a more popular style than that
of its predecessor. If it does not have quite the smell of saddle
leather of Haley's, it nevertheless makes lively reading. It is
packed with color and action and contains many amusing anec-
dotes. Some of the descriptions and conversations are so detailed
that some readers may wonder whether they are touched up with
fiction. But only one who has examined the voluminous mass of
ranch records and correspondence can answer that question.
Although Cattle Empire has no bibliography or index and
almost no notes, it does include several appendices giving ranch
reports and rules. There are sixteen pages of excellent illustra-
tions from photographs. The book will give many Texans a better
insight into the development of the High Plains. Outside the
state, it should open the eyes of many who may have supposed
that what they had heard about Texas bigness was mere tall talk.
WAYNE GARD
Dallas, Texas
The Texas Story. By Ralph W. Steen. Austin (The Steck Com-
pany), 1948. Pp. ix+451. Illustrations. $3.50.
The Texas Story was written "to present to the people of Texas
a complete, accurate and readable account of the dramatic and
romantic events which make up the history of a great State." The
author has held to this purpose, and it may be said that he has
succeeded in his ambition. He has made a synthesis of the great
mass of historical material covering the history of Texas which
is both accurate, readable and entertaining. There has long been

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