To Ride, Shoot Straight, And Speak The Truth

To Ride, Shoot Straight, And Speak The Truth Review

I've read Cooper for years, and bought this book when it first came out, although it's a collection, and a Cooper-fan will have read some of these before. They are all well worth reading.

Just a quick aside: Cooper's The Art of the Rifle is the best gift one can give to anyone interested in hunting or shooting- it is the perfect-almost mandatory- companion piece to a young person's first rifle.

Col. Cooper is an authentic American voice, and the rare man who has read and written as much as he has studied weaponry, ethics, and war. He is opinionated- I never agreed with him about the wars in Central America, or about his rigid interpretations of morality. But it does not matter- Cooper's opinions are his own, and because of his powerful intellect, they are always worth reading, considering, questioning. He is a serious man, a serious writer, and a serious thinker. Reading him reminds one of Andre Malraux and other warrior scholars, who have lived big lives, witnessed history, and feel enough a part of it to offer their take on almost anything.

Cooper is a hard--edged right winger of the old school, as far removed from these radio shock jocks like Limbaugh as you could ever get. In fact, the conserative movement in the US could use a good read of To Ride, Shoot Straight,and Speak the Truth. Maybe they would learn why the Republican party has collapsed, just by seeing what a real conservative is. At least it would make them read.

To give an idea of Cooper's wide audience, I heard the Texas songwriter James McMurtry (Larry McMurty, Lonesome Dove, etc.'s son) talking about Cooper on the satellite radio not long ago, saying he was one of the only gunwriters who can truly write, and has something larger to say. That's high praise from a wordsmith and a half.

Hal Herring

author of:
Famous Firearms of the Old West: From Wild Bill Hickok's Colt Revolvers to Geronimo's Winchester, Twelve Guns That Shaped Our History

To Ride, Shoot Straight, And Speak The Truth Overview

Combat mind-set, proper sighting, tactical residential architecture, nuclear war - these are some of the many subjects explored by Jeff Cooper in this illustrated anthology. The author discusses various arms, fighting skills and the importance of knowing how to defend oneself, and one's honor, in our rapidly changing world.

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Sep 12, 2010 00:20:05