For much of its 130-year history, the Bar U Ranch can claim to have been one of the most famous ranches in Canada. Its reputation is firmly based on the historical role that the ranch has played, its size and longevity, and its association with some of the remarkable people who have helped develop the cattle business and build the Canadian West. The long history of the ranch allows the evolution of the cattle business to be traced and can be seen in three distinct historical periods based on the eras of the individuals who owned and managed the ranch. These colourful figures, beginning with Fred Stimson, then George Lane, and finally Pat Burns, have left an indelible mark on the Bar U as well as Canadian ranching history. The Bar U and Canadian Ranching History is a fascinating story that integrates the history of ranching in Alberta with larger issues of ranch historiography in the American and Canadian West and contributes greatly to the overall understanding of ranching history.

Simon Evans is a retired professor from the geography department at Memorial University of Newfoundland. He became interested in ranching while studying for his PhD at the University of Calgary in 1971. He has written extensively on the cattle industry in numerous journals and co-edited three books on the geography and history of the cattle business.

Simon Evans' profile page

• Commended, AAUP Book, Jacket, and Journal Show selection - Cover Design
• Winner, Best Scholarly Book, Alberta Book Awards (Book Publishers Association of Alberta)
• Winner, Canadian Historical Association Clio Award (The Prairies)

What makes The Bar U compelling is the author's obvious love of his subject. Evans paints his picture with some charm, and his admiration for everyone who was active in the long development of the West resonates throughout . . . an interesting and detailed narrative of the history of this important ranch.

?Warren Elofson, The Canadian Historical Reviaew