This book details the story of a young man, a fictional character, Clem Barnett, during the late 1940's and 1950's, raised as a boy in the mid-west with dreams and visions, based on romantic books and movies, of being a cowboy in the West. He finds himself venturing far from his home in northeastern Oklahoma to hire-out on two very different ranches; first, one in Montana and later, one in Idaho. There, he learns about ranching, the cattle business, and most importantly, about life. He also learns what the modern, for the time period, cowboy is and how it differs greatly from his romantic vision. He faces many adventures and interacts with a host of colorful characters in search of his dreams. Because the story occurs in the early 1950's, the young man is faced with the horrors of participating in the Korean War, and more importantly, facing the emotional effects thereafter. Unlikely characters assist in his recovery and he gains respect and love for the people of the Basque culture who helped him. The story ends with a simple love story and a realization that dreams can be elusive. In the end, he finds peace and happiness and seems to come close to living the life of the romantic cowboy he envisioned. Others see in him a person who so loves the life of a cowboy and confers upon him the title of the last romantic, real life, American Cowboy.

Let your senses soar as the author takes you on an exciting journey into the world of wildlife conservation as seen through the eyes of a wildlife veterinarian. The author's descriptions of the exciting captures, the wildlife, scenery, colorful characters, and the ugly politics of his work are precise, vivid, and extremely entertaining and informative. His account of an African lion waking up while being attended to in the South Luangwa National Park of Zambia, Africa, and being stranded on top of an icy, foggy mountain in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, while working on Dall sheep, gives the reader a sense of the dangers. Go along with him to the mysterious swamps of southern Florida, the grassy savannas of Africa, the fringes of the Gobi desert in Outer Mongolia, and the high deserts of the American west to feel the excitement of the chase and the beauty of the country. Share the author's frustration as he attempts to help solve the mystery into the cause of the specie's impending demise. At times, it's a story of sadness, yet hope for all wild creatures that reside just beyond that wild horizon.

How would any of us react when faced with having to make a decision about risking our own life to save a stranger? And, why would we make such a decision? That is a decision which those in the life-saving services make each day. Who are these people and why would they risk their life to save another? Those are questions that are dealt with in this exciting and thought-provoking novel. The backdrop of this story is the exciting adventures at sea of men serving in the U. S. Coast Guard along the coasts of Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. It is a story of heroism, self-sacrifice, enduring friendship, and romance. But, men in the Coast Guard also have their dark side; it is also a story of humanity dealing with drugs, alcoholism, susicide and even murder. Mostly it is a story about fear and one's determination and ability to understand and overcome it. The story is set in the Vietnam war era, and in an attempt to avoid the horrors of war, Cody Stiles, the main character, joins the U. S. Coast Guard. But, there, he is forced to face his most ghastly fear, that of not only drowning but drowning in water that is dark and mysterious. Tragedy as a young boy, watching his older brother drown in a farm pond in Kansas, making no attempt to save him, and his father believing that he is a coward, shaped the young life of Cody Stiles. In the end, he makes an unconscious decision that affects the lives of many.

This book details the story of a young man, a fictional character, Clem Barnett, during the late 1940's and 1950's, raised as a boy in the mid-west with dreams and visions, based on romantic books and movies, of being a cowboy in the West. He finds himself venturing far from his home in northeastern Oklahoma to hire-out on two very different ranches; first, one in Montana and later, one in Idaho. There, he learns about ranching, the cattle business, and most importantly, about life. He also learns what the modern, for the time period, cowboy is and how it differs greatly from his romantic vision. He faces many adventures and interacts with a host of colorful characters in search of his dreams. Because the story occurs in the early 1950's, the young man is faced with the horrors of participating in the Korean War, and more importantly, facing the emotional effects thereafter. Unlikely characters assist in his recovery and he gains respect and love for the people of the Basque culture who helped him. The story ends with a simple love story and a realization that dreams can be elusive. In the end, he finds peace and happiness and seems to come close to living the life of the romantic cowboy he envisioned. Others see in him a person who so loves the life of a cowboy and confers upon him the title of the last romantic, real life, American Cowboy.