However, this work by Don Graham, whose work I often read in "Texas Monthly Magazine", which centers more on Kleberg than on the later years and workings, is quite interesting. I couldn't put it down until the end. And after yakking it up to my husband, he finally indulged himself in the read. We both recommend it for anyone fascinated by the legends of this gigantic property and its landlords.

History mixed with Bitterness.  Apr 10, 2004
Graham begins his tale by informing the reader that he was denied access to the King Ranch's Archives. This immediately sets the tone for the rest of his book as he views the King Ranch through a bitter lens. He spends much of his time writing on the history of the area around the Ranch. He intersperses the document with his personal pronouns and anecdotes of his own experiences. This all culminates in the Big Trials of the King Ranch. This is where his bias against the King Ranch shines. He is clearly opposed to the King Ranch. Foregoing an impartial view of events his prose begins to be colored by his frustrations. This book does give some history of Southern Texas, so it rates a 3 out of 5.

3 of 3 found the following review helpful:

King of Texas more than Kings  Nov 14, 2003
I took one star away because I dont think the title tells you what the book is about. Most (9 of 14 chapters) of the book is about Richard King, the founder, and the history that took place in South Texas. Only one chapter is devoted to the men who ran the ranch after King. Robert Kleberg, who really made the ranch so wealthy is given little treatment.

However, I did like this book. Its well-written and easy to read. One really gets a sense of what life was like in the late 1800's in South Texas. The later part of the book deals with the impending lawsuit against the King Ranch. Did Richard King swindle his partner's widow out of what was rightfully her's? (about 7,000 acres of prime real estate). The widow's descendants sure think so. Can they win their claim over the power King Ranch? This is a complicated question to answer but the author digs deep into the story. The only bad part is that the case has not yet been settled, so there is no resolution to the engaging battel for money and land.

If you like Texas or western history, you should read this book.

3 of 4 found the following review helpful:

this man can write  Sep 11, 2003
as a yankee, i didn't think i would be so fascinated by a texas history. what's sad is, we just don't have sprawling sagas like this up in new jersey.

3 of 3 found the following review helpful:

First 2/3's was really great, sort of slides after that  Jul 03, 2003
The King Ranch is on of the U.S.'s largest working ranches. Its development is a big story in Texas. Its owner, Richard King, migrated to Texas before the Civil War. The ranch was so big, it could swallow up those little states up North with no sweat. Today, the ranch is much bigger as it is international in scope.

There are several books on the King ranch. Some were sponsored by the owners. This is an independant and recent book by an important Texas author.

I found the first 2/3's of the book to be really intriguing and well written. Somewhere about 1/2 way I felt the beginnings of the drumbeat on the Chapman lawsuit against the King ranch. The last part of the book details the lawsuit as it updates the ranches history to modern times. In doing so the book loses its riveting advenuresome focus.

The author did his best in describing the early South Texas conditions and the development of this great Texas accomplishment. I really liked the descriptions of the raids by the Texas Rangers among others.

A Mr. Chapman was an early partner with Richard King on one of the main pieces of this huge ranch. The issue was rooted in a verbal partnership contract on land ownership. Chapman moves away, appears to forget about the property, then dies. The heirs, various decades later, sue for a hunk of the now successful ranch. You would think they would have played a more active role in a huge piece of property... like paying property taxes, approving invoices, etc.

I kept waiting for the author to side with the Chapman's on the lawsuit but that didn't happen. But somehow I just felt a prejudice underneath the surface that the author sided with Chapman. But in the end, the author tried to present both sides of the story. Although King and the Kleburgs are exonerated, the lawsuit left stains on their character after all the accusations.

I think the author didn't know how to present this lawsuit information. So he just dumped the information into the story trying to be as objective as he could... to let the reader decide which side had the better claim. It seemed that there was nothing but lawyers and mad people during the last 1/3 of the book. But in reality much of the growth of the King ranch occurs in the last 1/3 of the book -- particularly the acquisition of larger ranches overseas.

I would have given the book a 5 star if this lawsuit issue would have been toned down. I have no specific recommendations as to how anyone could do any better than what was presented. It was a history book and this aspect of the ranch needs to be told.

Richard King appears as a colorful, feisty Irishman who helps tame wild, hot, inhospitable South Texas. He weathers great set backs, fights the Mexicans stealing his cattle, rebuilds his torched home (33,000 sq. ft. now), sells his agricultural products by running the Yankee blockades during the Civil War, receives forgiveness from the Yankees after the Civil War, builds a great cattle ranch using Texas Longhorns. His heirs, the Kleburgs particularly, carry the ranch to new highs, including overseas. The ranch now is run professionally for the benefit of the heirs and other stockholders.

If you have not read any Texas history, you will like this book What I found striking were the problems that existed back in the 1800's are still with us today. I also was amazed how many pies Richard King had his finger into. He loved to form partnerships.

I give the book 4 stars for the great first part of the book.

John Dunbar
Sugar Land, TX
(Upper Gulf Coast, Texas)