If you are anything like me, I find the long nights of winter a great time to catch up on some reading. I have quite a stack of books that seems to have accumulated lately, but I am doing a number on it. I am a confessed John Grisham fan and just finished his latest book, The Confession. I am a bigger fan of his earlier books set in rural Mississippi, but his latest are not bad. Now I have moved on to finish Up to My Armpits: Adventures of a West Texas Veterinarian by Charles Edwards. This is a great autobiography by this large animal vet, depicting many adventures on farm calls. Recently I also finished 6000 Miles Of Fence by Cordia Sloan Duke. This was a great read from the historic XIT ranch of Texas. The stories of the cowboys and wranglers from the ranch live on as Mrs Duke has used their journal entries in this collection of stories from the days on the ranch.

Books on my to-be-read stack include The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan, and Food Inc. And of course there are several Western classics and paperbacks to pad the time between tougher reads. A few of these books may be from the other side of the aisle from the livestock industries, but I think it is important to hear from the other side to understand my beliefs.

In a post from a couple weeks ago, there were some great books recommended written by those more “literate” cowboys. Check out those in the comments on that post.

What books have you read recently and what reads do you recommend for those wanting to learn more about ranch life or where their food comes from? Join in the conversation on the I am Agriculture Proud Facebook group and see what others are reading.

Published by Ryan Goodman

Ryan Goodman works in grassroots advocacy as a communications consultant with beef cattle farmers and ranchers across the United States. He is a proud alumnus of Oklahoma State University, with studies focusing on cattle reproduction and nutrition. Ryan's experience in the beef industry range from family farms and ranches in several states to large feedlots and non-profit policy organizations. Ryan is an avid trail and ultrarunner, proudly showing how beef can be an important part of a healthy diet and active lifestyle. Find Ryan on social media as @BeefRunner.