spreading mayhem, the cowboy lassos the imagination and just won’t let go. On these magnificently illustrated pages unfold cowboy life and legend, cowboys around the world, the cowboy’s ranching roots, modern-day cowboys, cowboy food and fun, and the cowboy in film and popular culture. Quotations from Western poems, songs, and novels offer contemporary perspectives, as do the old-time posters and nostalgic advertisements. An astounding variety of photos show it all. There’s also absorbing background on black cowboys,Ivaqueros/I, women who rode the range, and rodeos./PP style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%B /B/PP style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: noneKnown as the “Cowboy Professor,”BRichard W. Slatta, Ph.D,/Bhas earned numerous honors and awards.IThe International Who’s Who of Intellectuals/Ilists him as one of the Outstanding Writers of the 20th Century as well as one of the Outstanding Intellectuals of the Twentieth Century. The American Library Association gave an Outstanding Reference award to his book,IThe Cowboy Encyclopedia./ISlatta’sICowboys of the Americas/Ireceived theI/IWestern Heritage Award for Nonfiction Literature, National Cowboy Hall of Fame. His many books includeISimón Bolívar's Quest for Glory/I, co-authored with Jane Lucas De Grummond;IThe Mythical West: An Encyclopedia of Legend, Lore and Popular Culture/I; andIComparing Cowboys and Frontiers/I./PP style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%B/B/PBR  (less)

full access to the College of Arms Library--which boasts the finest collection of heraldic manuscripts in the world--this colorful volume is both an authoritative, completely up-to-date reference for experts and an excellent introduction for beginners, covering the origins of heraldry, the composition of arms and their visual appearance, the use of arms as decoration, and much more.brThe authors explain how coats of arms differed from country to country, with informative sections on France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and other European nations, plus a complete chapter devoted to heraldry in America. They discuss the traditional tinctures (colors) used--two metals, five colors, and two furs--and reveal that the colors are continually updated (for instance, after World War II, the color Bleu Celeste was added to honor the Royal Air Force). The book also outlines the virtues associated with the colors (red or gules signified magnanimity, black or sable prudence), the types of shield division (such as pale, fess, bend sinister, and chevron), the symbolism of animals (the owl signified a lazy man, the bear a strong but unwise warrior), and countless other aspects of this ancient art. This encyclopedic resource also includes an appendix on the Royal Arms of Great Britain, a glossary of heraldic terms, and a list of English and Scottish Kings of Arms.brHeraldry is many things: a fascinating art, a system of symbols denoting prominent families and institutions, a beautiful display of pageantry, an important part of the historical record. The most authoritative guide to heraldry available, this lavishly illustrated volume is an invaluable reference for anyone interested in genealogy, history, chivalry, or the decorative art?ð  (less)