My Favorite Book, Part 29

We citizens of the United States sometimes forget that we do notown the West. Most everything that counts as cowboy came to us from south ofthe border, courtesy of Spanish and Mexican vaqueros. And their influence, alwaysadapted for regional use, did not stop at the Canadian border. Cowboys are bigin Canada.

I was reminded of that fact with this novel, BreakingSmith’s Quarter Horse. The book was recommended by my friend Doris Daley from Alberta. She is as fine a poet, reciter, and writer asyou’re likely to find anywhere.

Written by Paul St. Pierre, the details of cowboy life in BreakingSmith’s Quarter Horse will be recognized by anybody who loves and lives the West, butwith a unique north-of-our-border flavor that captures the quirks and customs ofa time and place where the West was wild, the winters cold, and a sense ofhumor a necessary tool in coping—the sense of humor (or ‘humour’ as they spellit in Canada) perhaps most important of all. As you smile through page afterpage, and occasionally laugh out loud, you’ll wonder if the Indian cowboy—ahorse whisperer of sorts—will ever find time in his not-so-busy schedule to seeto the breaking of Smith’s quarter horse.

I thank Doris Daley for therecommendation. You will too.