Mike Cox

“Since 1823, in one form or another, the Texas Rangers have been serving the people of Texas. Much has changed since the days of the frontier. Today’s Ranger is more likely to hop in a helicopter than on the back of a horse, but Rangers are still working hard to protect the citizens of this state. Used to be, all a man had to do to become a Texas Ranger was be able to shoot straight and ride hard. The modern Texas Ranger is still a crack shot, but he is well-educated and highly trained in everything from hypnosis to computer use.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if some young man--or woman-- who reads this book might end up wearing a Ranger badge someday.”

“In this book. I’ve tried to show the history of the Texas Rangers in ... stories that are all based on true incidents from the annals of the Rangers. The retired Ranger in the story about gambling in Galveston and the Ranger in the story about the dinosaur track thief are composite characters, but all the other Rangers in the book were real. Dialogue has been added to make these stories interesting to read, but I am satisfied it has the ring of authenticity and that anything in this book that didn’t happen at least could have happened.”

Photos, reading list, glossary. 126 pp. Eakin Press, 1991.