King Ranch. The name is embroidered in the tapestry of Texas, rising
from the sunbaked coastal plains in the infancy of the state itself.
King Ranch is the inspiration of legends and speculation, tradition and
history. Rawhide-tough through drought, Indian attacks, Civil War, and
the Great Depression, among other trials, King Ranch is the star of
Texas.
Now the memoirs of Helen King Kleberg Alexander-Groves, the only child
of Bob and Helen Kleberg, give a personal glimpse of life on the storied
ranch of the Kings and the Klebergs. This intimate and compelling book
chronicles not only the history of the ranch but also the life of Bob
and Helen Kleberg, the first family of cattle ranching. From the Santa
Gertrudis, the first cattle breed developed in America and the first
breed recognized worldwide in over a century, to the Triple
Crown-winning Thoroughbred Assault, Bob and Helen Kleberg changed the
ranching industry. The memoirs of "Helenita" open the door to the
romance of Southwest cattle ranching, as well as the grit, glory, and
inner workings of King Ranch in Texas and its ranches around the world.
With over 200 photographs, some by Toni Frissell and many by her close
friend and fellow photographer Helen Kleberg herself, this lavishly
illustrated portrait includes accounts of the Klebergs' famous
hospitality, extended not only to the celebrities who were entertained
regularly but also to the Kineños, the loyal ranch hands first brought
to King Ranch by Captain King. Hemingwayesque photos depict hunting
adventures in the Texas brush country--for which the ranch is still
famous.
Bob and Helen Kleberg of King Ranch is a view from the center of
the King Ranch legacy, perpetuated now for some 150 years. Bob and Helen
Kleberg of King Ranch is a requisite addition to the library of any
ranching, history, or Texana aficionado.
