Horseshoes, Cowsocks & Duckfeet

July 29, 2002
Cowboy poet, humorist and songwriter Black (Cactus Tracks & Cowboy Philosophy)
and cartoonists Black, Gill, Holl and Marsh return in a freshly stirred stewpot of Black's syndicated columns and NPR commentaries, with a seasoning of verses, curses, lists ("Fifty Ways to Fool Yer Banker"), toasts, quotes and random musings: "Do fish ever get tired of eating seafood?" Ex-veterinarian Black writes of many creatures—cats, dogs, chickens, cows, butterflies, horses, sheep and whales. But he also covers a wide range of other subjects—airplanes, dances, ranches, recipes, rodeos, romance, small towns and weddings: "Putting a suit coat on some of those cowboys was like puttin' croutons on a cow pie." Among the outstanding pieces are his controversial critique of the "bad artists" who made cave paintings; "Chicken House Attack," which features a steer running amok in a building with 25, 000 chickens; and "Dear Animal Planet," criticizing the cable channel for ignoring domestic livestock "destined for the food chain." With phrases like "March is the castor oil of months. The collected drippings of winter's oil change," it's evident that Black knows how to lasso the language, but for those who can't keep pace, he offers an extensive glossary of the "cowboy vocabulary." This is campfire humor that sparkles and ignites laughter. (On sale Sept. 3)Forecast:According to Crown,
Cactus Tracks sold more than 60,000 copies. This new book will get a boost into the saddle from loyal NPR listeners as well as from his 10-city author tour.