Black Range Tales

Book excerpt: First published in 1936, this book is a collection of sixteen stories recounting James (“Uncle Jimmie”) McKenna’s tales of prospecting, Indian Fights, exploration, town life and all the characters from the early days of the Black Range, the Mogollons, and the rest of the Gila Country of southwest New Mexico. The result is alternately humorous, poignant, amazing or insightful, and paints a vivid picture of a people who embodied the measured optimism of the American West. “Uncle Jimmie” blazed a trail to the Southwest in his youth, and his life for the next sixty years was filled with all the history-making adventure and treasure that his ardent nature craved. It was not always the treasure of gold, although gold was there. But there was life while it lasted, death when it came, a mystery-ridged land and courageous people to explore it. “THIS IS A GREAT BOOK! THE REAL THING IS RARE AND THERE’S NO MISTAKING IT.”—Commonweal “The greatness comes from McKenna’s magic blend of Celtic wit, thirst for life, and modesty about the enormous importance of his own adventures.”—Christian Science