Biting the Dust: Wild Ride and Dark Romance of the Rodeo Cowboy and the American West

Looks at one year on the rodeo circuit, telling the story of modern cowboys traveling the country chasing a dangerous eight-second dream of fame and fortune on the back of a wild horse or bull

At his best, Johnson, Denver bureau chief of the New York Times , composes prose that shows him to be something of a poet as he offers tribute to the last romantic figures of the Old West: rodeo cowboys. Mostly from the plains states, they grow up with horses, some starting to ride as young as age four. Virtually all of them dream of making enough money to become ranchers. Their lives are hard. Participating in dozens of rodeos throughout the year, they run the risk of serious injury and even death on the job, if not on the wild rides they take traveling from event to event, often hundreds of miles apart. Detailing their triumphs and disappointments as well as their tragedies, Johnson brings these cowboys into the arena as, one by one, they fly out of the chute. Author tour.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

A grueling year on the rodeo circuit with the bronc busters and bull riders who keep alive what Johnson calls America's ``most powerful myth.'' Joe Wimberley of Cool, Tex., is typical of the rodeo riders of the new Old West, says Johnson, Denver bureau chief of the New York Times. Wimberley was born and raised a cowboy, but his family lost the ranch when he was a teenager. He took to the rodeo at 18 and began winning in the 1980s, earning as much as $40,000 in a season, one-third of which went to entry fees and travel expenses. Kicked in the head by a bull and nearly killed, Wimberley hung up his spurs at 30. As the author notes, ``Cowboys do not wonder if they will become badly hurt, but when.'' Debt-ridden and injury-plagued, they spend the season sleeping in the backs of pickup trucks and in cheap motels. They accumulate points for remaining on the back of a wild, bucking horse for eight seconds; they get no grade or points if they are thrown. The top 15 riders in each category compete in Las Vegas in December for the $2 million purse in the National Finals Rodeo. The ``All-Around Cowboy'' (top vote-getter in three events) can make as much as $250,000, but most earn far less. Johnson offers welcome historical background, tidbits, and profiles of cowboys such as Turk Greenough, a star in the 1920s and '30s who went on to become a Hollywood stuntman. Today's stars, such as Ty Murray, the King of the Cowboys, who has won four consecutive national championships, and the Etbauer brothers, all three of whom qualified for the finals, represent what Johnson believes is a dying cowboy tradition, in spite of rodeo's growing popularity. Johnson sees through the noisy gaudiness of modern rodeo without offering a shrill expos‚. He depicts tough, hard-working men living with privation and pain for the sake of eight seconds of furious heroics. -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Rodeo is part of America, a vivid metaphor of the vanished frontier. The dictionary defines rodeo as "a public exhibition or competition of the skills of cowboys," but it is far more, a sport with a distinct identity and traditions that appeals to a special kind of person. It is an exceedingly dangerous game that attracts young men, many from rural and working-class backgrounds, who dream of winning enough prize money to finance their own ranches. The adventurous lifestyle, shared hardships, and good friends frequently exceed in importance the elusive winnings. Johnson's book brings to life the reality of a year on the rodeo circuit so vividly you can feel the grit in your teeth. Presented in a journalistic style, this personalized account breaks through the romantic image to reveal the real thing; short vignettes and word pictures showcase the personalities, thoughts, and feelings of the competitors more graphically than illustrations. An evocative view of the American West as its traditions are lived today. Fred Egloff

Exploring the life of the modern rodeo cowboy through observational vignettes, the author paints a depressing picture of the circuit: low pay, high expenses, continuous travel, and the constant threat of injury, illness, and death. In this microcosmic look at a facet of rural American culture, Johnson raises awareness of the modern cowboy's lifestyle and dilemmas. However, the specter of animal cruelty and a warped sense of what is important in life is never far from the personalities Johnson writes about. Readers who find rodeo enthralling as both a sport and a connection to the old West may find some enjoyment here. Others, like animal rights activists, will have their grievances confirmed and won't feel any sympathy for the rodeo lifestyle. A marginal purchase, except where rodeo is popular.
David M. Turkalo, Social Law Lib., Boston
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.