Cowboy Life on the Sidetrack
by Frank Benton
Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Frank Benton, himself a wealthy rancher, provides a series of first-hand sketches of cowboy life of the late 19th and early 20th century from stories gathered from the "sidetrack." These were working cowpunchers with a subculture of their own who did the day-to-day work of the ranches. This is an important part of American history preserved for us in these stories. - Summary by Larry Wilson
Chapters
Select a chapter to play
| Dedication and Preface | 2:24 | Read by Larry Wilson | |
| The Start | 10:39 | Read by Dale Latham | |
| Chuckwagon's Dream | 7:31 | Read by Dale Latham | |
| Grazing the Sheep | 4:41 | Read by Francisco | |
| Letters from Home Brought by Immigrants | 7:04 | Read by Francisco | |
| Eatumup Jake's Life Story | 4:39 | Read by Bill Mosley | |
| The Schoolmarm's Saddle Horse | 5:44 | Read by Bill Mosley | |
| Selling Cattle on the Range | 7:10 | Read by Bill Mosley | |
| True Snake Stories | 5:48 | Read by Wayne Anderson | |
| Chuckwagon's Death | 8:21 | Read by AnthonyJackson | |
| Disappearance of the Sheepmen | 9:28 | Read by AnthonyJackson | |
| Our Arrival in Cheyenne | 7:45 | Read by AnthonyJackson | |
| The Post-Hole Digger's Ghost | 7:37 | Read by AnthonyJackson | |
| Grafting | 5:34 | Read by Kim Gibbs | |
| The File | 5:29 | Read by Kim Gibbs | |
| The Cattle Stampede | 10:51 | Read by Michele Fry | |
| Catching a Maverick | 12:52 | Read by Wayne Anderson | |
| Stealing Crazy Head's War Ponies | 15:50 | Read by AnthonyJackson | |
| The Cattle Queen's Ghost | 15:14 | Read by Sonia | |
| Packsaddle Jack's Death | 17:09 | Read by Bill Mosley | |
| A Cowboy Enoch Arden | 8:14 | Read by DrPGould | |
| Grand Island | 4:48 | Read by DrPGould | |
| ''Sarer'' | 16:40 | Read by DrPGould | |
| Arrival at South Omaha Transfer | 16:17 | Read by Bill Mosley | |
| The Final Roundup | 1:51 | Read by Larry Wilson |
Reviews
questcequecestquecettechosela
Very fun read/listen! I especially appreciated the variety of reading volunteers, as they brought lively personality to each chapter. I chose this audiobook on a whim - I’m neither into cowboys or rail travel - but was pleasantly surprised at how much I was enjoying the stories.
Historybuff1066
Very funny read. One must forgive some period derogatory references we now find offensive, but railroads will have to remain pilloried or where is fun?