Where Have All the Sheep Gone?: Sheepherders and Ranchers in Arizona -- A Disappearing Industry

Barbara G. Jaquay has written a fascinating account of the history of Sheep Herding in Arizona. She starts with a timeline of the industry, goes on to family stories, reviews Native American approaches to sheep ranching, wool gathering and weaving, explains the cycles of sheep herding, and finishes with why the industry is in decline. Jaquay writes with straightforward ease and compassion. Her book is well researched and well documented. "Where Have All The Sheep Gone?" gave me a good idea of what it was like to be alive at an earlier time, to go on the sheep trail, to work hard for a common goal, to keep the sheep safe and brought to market. I especially loved the family stories. The stories demonstrate the families’ hard work and dedication to the sheep, the ranches, the shearing and gathering of wool, the provision of meat, and creating an honorable living. I felt sad to hear about the demise of the industry due to changes in regulations and urban development. Anyone interested in history, the history of Arizona, sheep ranching, or ranching in general will enjoy this book. It is full of interesting information and intrigue.

Purchased for my husband. He really enjoyed it.

Where Have All the Sheep Gone? is a great book for anybody interested in the rich history of shepherding in the southwest. The book is casual yet informative, and covers a wide range of information—things that might not have been covered by other historians. The book is full of great images to illustrate the stories it tells. I'd definitely recommend this book.