“An eye opening and heart touching portrait of a culture and industry that we are in great danger of losing. This book will help readers understand the urgency of preserving the Western ranchlands inhabited by families and rural communities that provide nourishing food for our nation, preserve a healthy natural environment and entrust that great American values will endure.”
– Mike Callicrate
“When Great Ranches of the West came in the mail, my wife and I sat down and checked out every picture and every story. I don’t know what her childhood cowgirl dreams might have been, but I certainly reminisced about every stick pony and felt cowboy hat I ever owned. Did you have a wheeled plastic pony named George Horse and trundle around your grandmother’s kitchen on it? From yesteryear’s stories of founding great ranches, to the heroic challenge of running a ranch in the twenty-first century, Mr. Keen has captured in text and photos the bit of cowboy we would all like to be.”
– John Stark, Duncanville, Texas
“American independent ranches are a vanishing part of our history. This book, thru excellent photographs and captivating short stories, introduces the reader to a few ranches that have stood the test of time. I have enjoyed reading these stories with my children, educating them in a part of American culture they dont have a chance to see. Through the stories we’ve learned about the source of food for our table, the need for conservation and preservation of Western ranchlands, and the benefits of a work ethic that prevails in these ranching families. This book should be read by all American families, so future generations will understand the heritage we have in the ranching way of life, and that its culture may not be lost.”
– B. Ross, Colorado
“Jim Keen captured the essence of the West, from the rugged beauty of Place to the nobility of the generations of dedicated Westerners who built and work the ranches. His pictures are breathtaking and carefully placed. They take us into the lives of the ranchers. These wonderful families preserve a way of life that is known around the world. It was thrilling to see pictures of people I’ve met. This is no coffee table book. I give it 5 stars!”
– Jerrold Westbrook, Colorado
“I loved going through this book. All of the photography is superb and so lifelike. This man has such a talent for combining the ordinary and making an outstanding visual image and communicates it so well to the viewer. The stories are so realistic and draw you right into the pictures. I was so enamored by the story concerning the Salmond Ranch in Montana, that I searched the internet and found that a movie was actually made about “The Cattle Queen of Montana”. As a result, I have now found and viewed the movie.”
– Raymond Johnson, Texas
“Great pictures and stories about the ranches all across the West – 17 states! I did get to visit the Nottingham Ranch in Colorado (unfortunately no relations). Even though I have lived out West (Texas and Colorado) for much of my adult life, I have never been able to even visit very many ranches. This gives me inspiration. But having horses as a kid kept my love of horses, cattle, and ranches/farms alive. I highly recommend it as a coffee table book that will not stay on the coffee table.”
– Deborah Nottingham, Colorado Springs, CO
“We have thoroughly enjoyed the excellent photographs and stories in this book! Of particular interest is the Bledsoe Ranch where my husband, John, has stayed numerous times while coyote hunting in the area. Personally knowing the Bledsoe family made that section our favorite part of the book. Mr. Keen captures interesting pictures very artistically with beautiful color.”
– Janet Cunningham, Glen Elder, KS
“One of the things that makes a ranch great is its history. Jim Keen has done a crackerjack job of picking out stories from the past that shed light on the present. This combination of the history with his award winning photography makes for a stunning book.”
-Tom “Dr. Colorado” Noel, Professor of History at The University of Colorado, Denver
“In Jim Keen’s one-man exhibit, “The Great Ranches of the West” at Denver International Airport, passengers were offered a respite to the hectic experiences associated with travel. The responses received about Jim’s photography were extremely positive and moving. The unique subject matter that he has so successfully mastered brings to the viewer a sense of place and romance to a way of life. The beautiful images in “The Great Ranches of the West” convey solitude, hard work and harsh conditions. They transport the viewer to a vanishing part of our history.”
– Colleen Fanning, Art Program Manger, Denver International Airport
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