Don't Fence Me In: Images of the West

Midwest Book Review
Featuring the photography of David Stoecklein, the illustrations of Buckeye Blake, and interviews and stories from cowboys and ranchers all over the American West, Don't Fence Me In is more than just another pretty coffee-table picture book. Don't Fence Me In addresses the modern-day cowboy and how his way of life endures in our society today. Whether they are working on their own ranch or "riding for the brand", these men take pride in their horses, their gear, and the land they care for. Not only do they live the life of the cowboy is the closing decade of the 20th century, they strive every day to preserve the heritage handed down to them and to keep in alive in the coming years of the 21st century. This collection of photographs and the narrative text they illuminate tells a story of incredibly beauty, rugged landscape, horses, cattle, flora, and the cowboy at work and at play, through the rain and the snow, the dust and the brush. Don't Fence Me In is a masterwork that would grace the Western Americana and/or photography collection of any personal, academic, or community library.


Yippy-Yi-Yea Western Lifestyles, Winter 1998
Both wit and seriousness of the photos and text give a rich and rare peek into the cowboy's way of life and make this book a treasure


Book Description
This collection evokes the feeling of the west through images and stories of this incredibly beautiful and rugged landscape, it's flora, horses, cattle and people. Through a decade of photography spanning ten Western states, Stoecklein depicts the modern-day cowboy at work and at play, at sunrise, and sunset, in all kinds of weather.



From the Back Cover
Don't Fence Me In is a collection of photographs evoking the feeling of the West through images of this incredibly beautiful and rugged landscape, its flora, horses, and cattle. This book depicts the cowboy at work and at play, at sunrise, and sunset, in all kinds of weather.
These photographs were taken during the past decade in ten western states: Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Texas, Arizona, Wyoming, New Mexico, and California. I photographed cowboys who are living the traditions of the Old West; folks who live the life of a cowboy and strive to preserve the heritage handed down to them. Whether they are working on their own ranch, or on someone else's spread, these men take pride in their gear, their hordes, and the land they care for.
As he did for Cowboy Gear, Scott Preston researched old cowboy poetry to accompany many of the photographs in this book. Jack Goddard contributed a story about the weather which illustrates both the beauty and fury of nature and how it shapes the spirit of the West.
There are interviews with cowboys, short stories about winter in the high country, the western horse, and riding for the brand, all of which are accented by spectacular photographs and illustrations.



Excerpted from Don't Fence Me in : Images of the Spirit of the West by David R. Stoecklein, Buckeye Blake, Dan Streeter. Copyright © 1996. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved
Sky is his ceiling, grass is his bed, saddle is the pillow for the cowboys head, way out west where antelope roam, coyote howls 'round cowboy's home. -Cowboys home


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Don't Fence Me In is a book about the cowboy lifestyle. The photos for this book were taken over the last ten years in ten western states, and include 96 different cowboys and over 30 ranches. I interviewed cowboys about their lives, their families, their ranches, riding the range, working for the brand, cow dogs, breaking horses, building saddles, roping, and rodeo life. I wanted to show the spirit of the West in my photographs, and through interviews, I wanted to present what the West is really like, and what the spirit of the people is. Renowned western artist, Buckeye Blake, helped me design the book and created the illustrations. Don't Fence Me In is a must for your collection whether you are an avid fan of the West or simply mystified by this lifestyle.


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