Twilight of the Tenderfoot

Back in 1977 Diane Ackerman wrote to Albert Mitchell to ask if she might visit his cattle ranch in New Mexico to experience what branding season was like. She asked not to be pampered and to be allowed to ride with the cowboys and live the lifestyle authentically. He agreed and a long visit ensued. Ackerman is an east coast Cornell grad student when she sets off on this journey. She's a poet and this was her first prose book. It's a memoir of her three seasons at the ranch (branding, shipping and calving season). As always, Ackerman's writing is strong and poetic and full of wonder and heart. There are hilarious moments of pranking by the cowboys. Ackerman with her wild hair, bright lipstick and purple chaps must have seemed an easy target to these young men and they must have been surprised at her ability to keep up with them. Ackerman describes the terrain,climate and bone-aching work intimately and well. The Tequesquite Ranch was (is?) a ranch run by a family with strong values and big hearts.