John Furman Haley lived from 1897 to 1972, from wagon roads to superhighways, from chugging locomotives to rocket-powered journeys in outer space. He was a West Texas rancher, and his attitude epitomized the creed of western ranchers and cowboys of his time. He moved no mountains, toppled no governments, or built any empires; yet he was an embodiment of the character and spirit that creates the distinctive aura which identifies those proud individuals who value freedom above all else.
In this warm and often humorous memoir, Haley's son, himself a rancher, captures the image of a man known...