Champion bull-rider Joe Willie Wolfchild is poised to win the most
sought after title in rodeo when a devastating accident at the National
Finals leaves his body and ambitions in tatters. Unsure of what else to
do, he retires to the panoramic family ranch, Wolfcreek, to mend.
Claire Hartley and her fifteen-year-old son Aiden have nearly been torn
apart by abusive boyfriends and an unjust world when a friend sends them
to the Wolfchild ranch. Thrown together by terrible circumstance, it
appears Aiden and Joe Willie have more in common than their childhoods
would suggest. After a rocky start, they strike a deal: Aiden will help
Joe Willie repair his '34 Ford V8 pickup if the former champion teaches
the city kid how to ride a bull. As Wagamese reveals their story, he
rewrites the history of the American cowboy.
In taut, muscular prose, Wagamese explores how independence,
self-determination, and a return to cultural tradition can heal body,
mind, and community.