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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 found the following review helpful:
Last Buckaroo Aug 25, 2009
By Rickmech
"Rick J."
Having known the author, Mackey Hedges, it was a special treat to read his book. Mackey and I were best of friends during our early teens. He and his family were neighbors in Kansas. There was never a doubt that Mackey's destiny was to be a buckaroo. The great surprise was that Mackey could spin the yarns about the life of a real buckaroo in such a riveting and fascinating way. Although this type of book is one that I would not normally read, it was a great read! I hope I can reunite with Mackey and hear more about his life as a buckaroo.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Old-timer, young sidekick, many adventures . . . Jun 02, 2010
By Ronald Scheer
"rockysquirrel"
This is one of the best books I've ever read describing the day-to-day, real-life work of cowboys. There is something of a story to follow in this novel, but once you get past the fairly far-fetched antics at the beginning, you're treated to an informative description of what it's like moving from one ranch job to the next -- each time getting used to a new boss, a new bunch of cowboys and horses, and the conditions of various kinds of ranch operations and cow camps in various seasons of the year. There are a few digressions, as Tap the narrator in his sixties recalls adventures from earlier times. Mostly it's the absorbing accounts of working cowboys who seem completely real, like they could walk right off the page.
The novel is set in the Great Basin of the West, so the lingo, the gear and the cowboy way are all buckaroo-style, harking back to the vaqueros from old California. The terrain is mostly Nevada and Oregon. In northern California the two heroes take jobs packing dudes into the mountains. Later they settle down for a while working in a huge feedlot operation. There's also a side trip to Arizona, where our boys fetch up with an outfit of Apache Indians, and the author explores in fascinating detail the uneasy relationship between white cowboys and their Native American counterparts.
It's also a story of friendship, as old-timer Tap acquires a young, greenhorn sidekick, Dean, who knows kickboxing but not much about what it takes to be a cowboy. Over the seasons and years, the boy learns a great deal, giving the reader a chance to learn some things along with him. The author captures the romance of cowboying without denying the discomforts, the dangers and risk of accident and injury, and the potential for conflict between men who don't get along. The novel is punctuated with several violent fights, and there are two or three accounts of accidents sending cowboys to hospital emergency rooms.
This book was a great pleasure to read. I'm happy to recommend it to anyone with an interest in cowboying, ranching, and the West.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
a pup with try is a "wannabe" - an old proven dog is one who is still a "wannabe" Feb 12, 2011
By Nancy L Johnson
If you don't understand the mentality of a young person who wants to be a cowboy, then Mackey will explain it.
If you're lucky enough to be born into the life style of Ranching and cattle and want to pursue it (or have) then you will enjoy Mack's stories and appreciate how a wannabe with "try" might be worth feeding.
If you weren't born into the life style but always wanted to pursue it or understand it, then you will learn from Mack.
If you're a prude, closed minded, indoorsey or have no sense of humor then you won't appreciate Mack's works, but you will miss out on some great stories.
Put it on your bucket list because I laughed til I cried.
If you enjoy "Last Buckaroo" then read "Storm Shadow" and he well explain things in more detail.
Roger Johnson
 If You Want To Read About The Real Thing Sep 06, 2011
By 2sequoyah
I just read this book for the second time. If you want to read about the buckaroo life by someone who has actually lived it, I highly recommend this book. I recognized a few of the characters from the Sierra pack station section from my own time in that part of the words. Great book.
The Best Book I have Read To date. Sep 03, 2011
By The Ledgend
I am not a big book reader, but i try and read a book once or twice a year. I like some westerns and more of a true story type book. I ride horses and rope, and cowboy when i can. This was one of those books that made me wish i was there with these guys all the time. Was hard to quite reading, but that is the kind of book i like. I recommend this book to anyone that is looking for a semi modern/western/cowboy/buckaroo style book. Hope anyone that reads this book, enjoys it as much as i did. Now i have to find another book that is just as good.
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