The Last Cowboys

The Last Cowboys follows three generations of the Wright family, champion saddle bronc riders and cattle ranchers from southern Utah. The narrative tracks their dual pursuits of rodeo glory and maintaining their ranching operations in the face of modern challenges. Branch spent three years documenting the Wright family's experiences on the professional rodeo circuit and their work on the family ranch near Zion National Park. The book chronicles their competition successes, injuries, financial pressures, and the complexities of preserving a traditional way of life. The story centers primarily on patriarch Bill Wright and his sons, who have dominated the sport of saddle bronc riding while working to keep their cattle operation viable. Their saga plays out against the backdrop of drought, development pressures, and changing economics in the American West. The Last Cowboys explores themes of family legacy, the evolution of the American West, and the costs of maintaining tradition in a rapidly modernizing world. Through the Wright family's experiences, the book examines broader questions about the future of ranching and rodeo culture in America.

Readers found the book provides an intimate look at the Wright family's dual lifestyle of ranching and rodeo competition. Many appreciated the detailed reporting on modern ranching challenges, from drought to land development pressures. Liked: - Balance between rodeo and ranching coverage - Rich details about financial struggles - Clear explanation of complex family dynamics - Strong sense of place in Southern Utah - Focus on authenticity over romanticism Disliked: - Some found the rodeo technical details excessive - A few readers wanted more focus on daily ranch operations - Narrative occasionally jumps between time periods Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (500+ ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (200+ ratings) Sample reader comment: "Branch respects these people enough to show them as they are - neither heroes nor caricatures, just a family trying to preserve their way of life." - Goodreads reviewer Several readers noted the book avoids both nostalgia and judgment while documenting a vanishing American lifestyle.

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🌟 Author John Branch won a Pulitzer Prize in 2013 for his feature writing at The New York Times 🐎 The Wright family, featured in the book, has produced multiple world champion saddle bronc riders across three generations 🌵 The book chronicles both the family's ranching operations on the Arizona Strip, a remote area near the Utah-Arizona border, and their rodeo achievements 📚 The story spans from 2015 to 2017, during which time the Wright family was struggling with severe drought conditions that threatened their cattle operation 🏆 Cody Wright, one of the main subjects, was inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs in 2017, while Branch was still writing the book