It's a "pictorial guide to fancy footgear," states Texas Monthly. The Cowboy Boot Book has it all--history, anatomy, leathers, fit, care, makers, sellers, and famous wearers--even a glossary of boot terms for the novice. Beard's anecdotes and Texas charm will keep you entertained; Arndt's heart-stopping photos will keep you enthralled. The recent renaissance of artful bootmaking will keep this selling.

 

From the Book Jacket:
From bikers to high-fashion models to buckaroos on the wide open range, people all over the world are wearing cowboy boots and loving them. Ever since the 1920s, when Tom Mix first surfaced as a cowboy hero, boots have gone through surges of popularity. Up till now, the highest point was about 1955, when Roy Rogers, Gene Autry and western music were embraced as icons of the American Dream. Boots have always been worn by working cowboys, but now they are a fashion statement.

 

With the wide selection of leathers (cowhide, kangaroo, snake-even armadillo, bullfrog and chicken) and colors available, a renaissance of artful boot making has taken place. You can pick your boots right off the shelf, choosing from the classic tall tops by boot factories such as Justin, Nocona, Tony Lama and Lucchese, or from the nostalgic peewees - colorful reproductions of 1930s and1940s models. "But if you need to let the world know exactly who are are, or if you need to express yourself or take a stand with what you stand in," author Tyler Beard advises, "go to a custom bootmaker. It costs about the sames as a few visits to a good therapist but it's a lot more fun."

 

In this book, Beard retells a lively history of the bootmaking industry and introduces today's best bootmakers and their most artistic styles. The artful photography of Jim Arndt, combined with Beard's easy entertaining style makes The Cowboy Boot Book a classic in western Americana.

 

About the Author:
Tyler Beard is a boot collector and former owner of a western props business that sold 400-500 pairs of vintage boots a month in the United States, Canada and Europe. Tyler and his wife, Teresa, of Texas, provided all the western furniture and props for Euro Disney's Old West Town and Cheyenne Hotel complex.

 

About the Photographer:
Jim Arndt, a nationally recognized advertising and editorial photographer, has received over 300 advertising awards, including a dozen Clios. His work has been exhibited in a number of galleries across the country. He lives in Minneapolis and is also a boot collector.

Paperback. 144 pages.