The Log of a Cowboy


Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

(4.7 stars; 313 reviews)

The Log of a Cowboy is an account of a five-month drive of 3,000 cattle from Brownsville, Texas, to Montana in 1882 along the Great Western Cattle Trail. Although the book is fiction, it is firmly based on Adams's own experiences on the trail, and it is considered by many to be the best account of cowboy life in literature. Adams was disgusted by the unrealistic cowboy fiction being published in his day; The Log of a Cowboy was his response. It is still in print, and even modern reviewers consider it a compelling classic. The Chicago Herald said: "As a narrative of cowboy life, Andy Adams' book is clearly the real thing. It carries its own certificate of authentic first-hand experience on every page." (Introduction by Wikipedia) (9 hr 54 min)

Chapters

01 - Up The Trail 15:44 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
02 - Receiving 27:04 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
03 - The Start 18:10 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
04 - The Atascosa 25:25 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
05 - A Dry River 21:09 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
06 - A Reminiscent Night 20:36 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
07 - The Colorado 27:32 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
08 - On the Brazos And Wichita 27:26 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
09 - Doan's Crossing 21:14 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
10 - No Man's Land 35:06 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
11 - A Boggy Ford 28:34 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
12 - The North Fork 15:36 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
13 - Dodge 35:53 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
14 - Slaughter's Bridge 33:56 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
15 - The Beaver 12:12 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
16 - The Republican 26:58 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
17 - Ogalalla 27:03 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
18 - The North Platte 20:17 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
19 - Forty Islands Ford 31:03 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
20 - A Moonlight Drive 30:29 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
21 - The Yellowstone 31:55 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
22 - Our Last Campfire 21:49 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
23 - Delivery 26:47 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)
24 - Back To Texas 12:47 Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Reviews

Fantastic! Loaded with authenticity!


(5 stars)

This is a stellar story about a wide range of things that happened on an extended cattle drive -- both the ordinary and the extraordinary. Five months' worth of stories, as they travelled from the Mexican/Texas border all the way north to Montana. You'll learn way more than you ever could from watching a string of westerns. I enjoyed every mile of their adventure, with the exception of the bears near the very end. I highly recommend this to everyone! And this Librivox volunteer did a fantastic reading job as well :)

great reader pleasant old time book


(4 stars)

the reader is excellent and easy to understand. the book is a true account and has all the classic features of a cattle drive. drought, campfire tales, stampede, indian etc. Not really exciting, but holds your interest. good book for young and old readers alike.


(4 stars)

mostly well written, racially derogatory, (long time ago) and didn't care for incident with bear, other wise it was pretty good story, very well read... and surprisingly accurate can tell Adams actually had some real trail riding experience.. I am closer to 60 then i am 50, and my grandfather was an actual trail riding cowboy, but he was old when my mom was born. but I have some first hand experience at cowboying, and old timer's tales of old day's long gone... and Andy must of had some riding experience.

Slow-paced delight.


(4 stars)

This is a great story to listen to on a warm, starry night by the campfire while smoking a good cigar. It's a story about a five-month cattle drive, told by a young cowboy. It takes us back to a time when disrespect was settled with a six-shooter, and a kind word was repaid with sincere hospitality. The reader will not find too much action or suspense, instead, it feels like a slow-moving river meandering through wistful memories. After all, how exciting can a cattle drive be?

Keeping ties to our history.


(5 stars)

The author has given me much to ponder. This was the life and heritage experienced by my family five and six generations back. I have such appreciation for the lives they led and difficulties that they endured. The experiences of this young man have given me another glimpse into the past I grew up hearing about. My thanks also to the narrator and his presentation. Sheri Zumwalt Smith

A real cowboy


(4 stars)

A 3000 mile cattle drive from Texas to Montana in 1882 narrated by someone who knew. For those of us whose knowledge of the cowboy comes from Hollywood, this is a wonderful eyeopener to the hardships, skills, and intelligence of this now lost breed of men. Many thanks to the reader. TheBookworm (Manchester, UK)

A-ONE


(5 stars)

A thoroughly interesting adventure, all the more enjoyable because of its factual nature. I learned a lot about thue cattle drives and the amazing amount of different challenges which had to be met daily. Many thanks to the author for his low-key distribution of knowledge, and kudos to Richard Kilmer for making it real.

Sounds like my Grandpa


(5 stars)

Wonderful real life story. My Grandpa had the life of a real Texas cowboy and man. We lived together in the old home ranch in Texas. It was the best life four kids could had. This story sounds like my Grandpa telling us about his growing up days.