Ben K. Green
Encyclopedia
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Ben King "Doc" Green, (1912-1974) was a writer from Texas.
A horse trader and rustic raconteur, he was born in Hopkins County, Texas
, near Cumby where his parents, David Hugh and Bird King Green, had lived several generations. At twelve years of age, Ben left home "ahorseback" and sought out wagon yards, mule barns and livery stables, a more useful education in his mind. Within a few years, Green and his family moved to Weatherford, Texas
, where he attended high school, but his days as a "wild, young cowboy" buying, selling and trading stock fueled his imagination more than formal learning. As an adult he practiced veterinary medicine, though apparently without a degree.
In 1960, Green contributed several of his horse trading stories to the Tally Book, publication for the Fort Worth International Quarter Horse Jockey
Club, and he determined that writing about his experiences would be his goal. Green "talked his books," as he said, telling his stories into a tape recorder
and to his secretary who edited his work. "Doc," the cowboy and horse trader, wrote exactly like he talked, and his spellbinding tales which had fascinated acquaintances and strangers alike launched the writer, Ben K. Green.
While attending a meeting of the Western History Association held in El Paso, Texas
, Green met a New York editor who had seen his recent story, "Gray Mules," published in the Southwest Review
(Summer, 1965). That story and others similarly prepared by Mary Lou Watkins, a childhood acquaintance of Mr. Green's, and edited by Margaret Hartley of the Southwest Review became Horse Tradin' (1967), the first of four books by Ben K. Green published by Alfred A. Knopf
. The twenty-fifth printing in 1990 of Horse Tradin' by Knopf hailed this edition of Green's stories as a classic of Western Americana, and it is his best-known book today.
As the popularity of his stories spread nationwide, Ben thoroughly enjoyed his fan mail
and the lecture circuit. Old yarn-spinner Ben K. Green, a colorful man in character and language, published eleven books from 1963 to 1974. His contemporary, writer A. C. Greene, praised Ben's stories, saying, "I think he represented the last real voice of old-time Texas in literature."1
Ben King "Doc" Green, (1912-1974) was a writer from Texas.
A horse trader and rustic raconteur, he was born in Hopkins County, Texas
Hopkins County, Texas
*Brashear*Dike*Como*Cumby*Gafford*Pickton*Saltillo*Sulphur Bluff*Sulphur Springs*Tira-See also:*National Register of Historic Places listings in Hopkins County, Texas-External links:*...
, near Cumby where his parents, David Hugh and Bird King Green, had lived several generations. At twelve years of age, Ben left home "ahorseback" and sought out wagon yards, mule barns and livery stables, a more useful education in his mind. Within a few years, Green and his family moved to Weatherford, Texas
Weatherford, Texas
Weatherford is a city in Parker County, Texas, United States, and a western suburb of Fort Worth. The population was 19,000 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Parker County and is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.-Geography:...
, where he attended high school, but his days as a "wild, young cowboy" buying, selling and trading stock fueled his imagination more than formal learning. As an adult he practiced veterinary medicine, though apparently without a degree.
In 1960, Green contributed several of his horse trading stories to the Tally Book, publication for the Fort Worth International Quarter Horse Jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
Club, and he determined that writing about his experiences would be his goal. Green "talked his books," as he said, telling his stories into a tape recorder
Tape recorder
An audio tape recorder, tape deck, reel-to-reel tape deck, cassette deck or tape machine is an audio storage device that records and plays back sounds, including articulated voices, usually using magnetic tape, either wound on a reel or in a cassette, for storage...
and to his secretary who edited his work. "Doc," the cowboy and horse trader, wrote exactly like he talked, and his spellbinding tales which had fascinated acquaintances and strangers alike launched the writer, Ben K. Green.
While attending a meeting of the Western History Association held in El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, Green met a New York editor who had seen his recent story, "Gray Mules," published in the Southwest Review
Southwest Review
The Southwest Review is a literary journal published quarterly, based on the Southern Methodist University campus in Dallas, Texas. It is the third oldest literary quarterly in the United States of America . The current editor-in-chief is Willard Spiegelman.The journal was formerly known as the...
(Summer, 1965). That story and others similarly prepared by Mary Lou Watkins, a childhood acquaintance of Mr. Green's, and edited by Margaret Hartley of the Southwest Review became Horse Tradin' (1967), the first of four books by Ben K. Green published by Alfred A. Knopf
Alfred A. Knopf
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. is a New York publishing house, founded by Alfred A. Knopf, Sr. in 1915. It was acquired by Random House in 1960 and is now part of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group at Random House. The publishing house is known for its borzoi trademark , which was designed by co-founder...
. The twenty-fifth printing in 1990 of Horse Tradin' by Knopf hailed this edition of Green's stories as a classic of Western Americana, and it is his best-known book today.
As the popularity of his stories spread nationwide, Ben thoroughly enjoyed his fan mail
Fan mail
Fan mail is mail sent to a public figure, especially a celebrity, by their admirers or "fans".In return celebrities may send a poster or picture and usually a return letter.-Overview:...
and the lecture circuit. Old yarn-spinner Ben K. Green, a colorful man in character and language, published eleven books from 1963 to 1974. His contemporary, writer A. C. Greene, praised Ben's stories, saying, "I think he represented the last real voice of old-time Texas in literature."1
List of Books
- The Shield Mares. Austin, TX: Encino Press, 1967.
- Horse Tradin'. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1967.
- Wild Cow Tales. Alfred A. Knopf, 1969.
- Ben Green Back to Back. Encino Press, 1970. (Includes Texas Cow Horses and the Vermont Maid; Mr. Undertaker and the Cleveland Bay Horse.)
- The Village Horse Doctor: west of the Pecos. Alfred A. Knopf, 1971.
- Some More Horse Tradin'. Alfred A. Knopf, 1972.
- The Last Trail Drive through Downtown Dallas. Flagstaff, AZ: Northland Press, 1971.
- A Thousand Miles of Mustangin'. Northland Press, 1972.
- Ben Green Tales. Northland Press, 1974. (4 vol. Includes When I Was Just A Colt; Up Fool's Hill Ahorseback; Beauty; How Come I Wrote A Book.)
- The Color of Horses: the scientific and authoritative identification of the color of the horse. Northland Press, 1974.
- Horse Conformation as to Soundness and Performance. Northland Press, 1975.
Sources
- A Guide to Literary East Texas
- Ben K. Green Papers, AR326, Box number, Folder number, Special CollectionsSpecial collectionsIn library science, special collections is the name applied to a specific repository or department, usually within a library, which stores materials of a "special" nature, including rare books, archives, and collected manuscripts...
Division, The University of Texas at Arlington Libraries