Buffalo for the Broken Heart by Dan O’Brien
Review by Ron Pauls
“The winter when the first buffalo returned to the Broken Heart Ranch I was trying to figure out how to pay for my passion to save these two hundred acres. Buying abused land and bringing it back to health is akin to marrying a desperate single mother for the sake of her children—a noble idea perhaps but there are too many of them and writing books won’t buy many pairs of shoes.â€
Buffalo for the Broken Heart is an interesting and fascinating story of one man’s quest to harmonize the natural setting of the Northern Great Plains with a sustainable venture in ranching. This challenging endeavor leads to the re-introduction of buffalo to their native habitat and all the hard work, disappointments and heartwarming experiences that follow.
Dan O’Brian, at once a naturalist, falconer, rancher, historian and keen observer of behavior in both humans and other living beings in his natural surroundings, captures life on a struggling ranch in the Northern High Plains.
From his first childhood notice of love for the land during a family visit to the Black Hills, to his acquisition of the first buffalo to return to his land – a herd of thirteen orphaned buffalo calves later   known as the “Gashouse Gang†– the author captivates readers with stories of life with nature, his growing herd of buffalo and accounts of experiences with neighbors and life on the plains.  His keen observations reveal the habits and nuances of buffalo and their adaptation to the harsh conditions on the Great Plains. He often compares the habits of buffalo with those of cattle noting that genetic honing has been taking place for years resulting in the natural survivability of buffalo being superior to that of cattle in that environment.
While his appreciation of nature’s activities on the ranch are evident throughout the book and his dreams for its future are a main theme, O’Brian is realistic about his objective of turning ruined farm land into a working ranch and the financial issues involved in the venture. He keenly observes and describes the history of the Great Plains and painfully points out the relationships between agricultural practices, farm commodity prices, government subsidies and the effects of the aforementioned on the land.
Amazing content, keen observation, a delightful sense of humor and a wonderfully descriptive writing style make Buffalo for the Broken Heart a great read. I would recommend it to anyone.
