Buffalo for the Broken Heart: Restoring Life to a Black Hills Ranch

First, O'Brien is just an amazing writer. I could read his writing about nearly anything. However, when he's writing about his passion, he turns it up a notch. This book is awesome, and appeals to a wide variety of interests. If you want to read a great story, learn more about ranching, The West, Bison ranching specifically, this book will help you with all of that. It's also just a really interesting story and O'Brien writes it almost like a novel. Amazing book that everyone should read.

This well-written and engrossing book details in memoir form Dan O'Brien's conversion from cattle rancher (which he did only out of a need to make the land he loved something he could afford to keep) to buffalo rancher.The Great Plains need buffalo. They eat grasses native to the area, and don't just pick off the delicacies, unlike cattle. The grasses and the buffalo provide balance to the ecosystem. O'Brien highlights this engagingly. He has a naturalist's background, and can see both the rancher viewpoint as well as that of the environmental science, and he can get this across to the reader, without being preachy. Rather, he's in love, in love with the wide open Dakota spaces. I want to jump in my car and drive west, to see this wild land for myself.O'Brien recounts the history of buffalo, and the much shorter history (time-wise) of their return to his ranch. He draws on the human interest, talking about neighbors and friends, and their own tribulations on the way. He's unpretentious. What he's set out to do is not always easy, not in the initial steps. You find yourself cheering him -- and the buffalo -- on.An excellent book. This is, indeed, my second reading of this book -- I'd purchased it a few years ago and just finished re-reading it. A keeper.

i don't remember now how i came to learn about this author, but in reading amazon reviews i decided that i should read this book of his first and then try more if i liked this book. yeah, this was a good book. he writes as though he's talking to you and i also like that he explores the underside to every issue, including his own personal issues. the way he writes, you feel as though you are right there as well because he takes the extra moment to explain where he unrolls his sleeping bag when traveling (on the ground next to his truck), or what it feels like to come across the yellow roses a former homesteader once planted. he's a very good writer and i believe you'd enjoy this book whether or not you came to the book because you wanted to learn more about buffalo ranching. as it turns out, this book is timeless and also speaks for most people i know who "live out west", whether or not we are buffalo ranchers or city dwellers, this book understands what it is like to want to live here. almost a five, but not a five because i wanted the book to have just a touch more arch to it than it had. it ended quickly, but with a promise of a sequel. now, i'm off to read the sequel.

I'm not usually a reader of non-fiction and a story about raising buffalo to kill them for meat would not normally get my attention. But it was chosen by someone in my book group and I had to read it. I'm so glad I did.This eloquent and at times poetic account is written with such a love of the animals, of the place and of the natural world in general, that even for a complete urbanite like me, it's irresistible. I loved it. An enthusiastic five stars!

One of the best books I have read in a very long time. Having just returned from Yellowstone this winter, I fell in love with the bison. This book captures their very soul. I love the science and ecology in it. I love the human story in it. I love how the author does not overstate but pulls me in, piece by piece, until I fall in love with the Bison, the Plains, the Earth and the people all over again. I usually am hesitant to rate anything five stars but this book haunts me and earns it well.

This book is hands down one of the best books I have read this year, and my all-time favorite book about the American West. It's captivating imagery and engaging storyline had me completely absorbed. A beautiful blend of a lone man's trial to make something meaningful of his existence and the way the American plains have woven their beauty throughout his days and the ranch's history. A story about a community filled with trials, hardship, and love. A fascinating undertone of rangeland ecology and biology as well. I will buy this book for all my family and friends, and have been recommending it to everyone. Loved it!!

I loved this book for showing the challenges of the Great Plains living while embracing the need for environmentally balanced agriculture. Bison “buffalo” are adapted for the extreme conditions of that region. Cattle are imports and suffer the consequences. If you eat meat- eat bison particularly from this man who recognizes the balance of life and respects and practices humane selection. I loved his Native American references.

Interesting read on the author’s experience on the Great Plains with his Buffalo ranch. Much information about the environment and people of that area. We’ll written!

One of my favourite books ever. It shows how your thoughts will direct your life, in a good way!

Gute Mischung aus Story und Informationen zum Thema Büffel Zucht.Good Mix out of Story and Information related to Buffalo Ranches

Réservé aux contemplatifs. Une belle histoire (vraie) d'un homme qui décide d'elever des bisons. On se prend d'amitié pour ces majestueuses bestioles et on vit le roman au rythme des saisons décrites. Très touchant et relaxant.

This is an 'interesting' book, but is a little disjointed. I felt that it could have been improved by including more details.It seems to come to an abrupt end.

Very inspiring.