After a long, sweaty day of yard work,
Mrs. Slap and I sat out on the back deck over moonshine and tea discussing what
books we intend to start next. After
years on the sidelines, Mrs. Slap recently read Riders of the Purple Sage
and liked it so much that she picked up Call of the Canyon soon
after. I was thinking of other literary
westerns with strong character development when it occurs to me that there are
four stations of the western cross, if you will, that create a well read
western reader. These include:
Riders of the Purple Sage, Zane Grey
Lonesome Dove, Larry McMurtry
Shane, Jack Schaefer
The Virginian, Owen Wister
What do you think? What did I leave out? Comments, please, comments!
It probably depends on what age you are as to the type of western you'd enjoy and list as top reads of the genre.
ReplyDeleteMany top ten lists of westerns often include "The Outlaw Josey Wales" aka "The Rebel Outlaw Josey Wales" and "Gone to Texas" by Forrest Carter - and I must add it is one of my favourites.
Another I'd add would be "The Ox-Bow Incident" by Walter Van Tilburg Clark.
Ox-Bow Incident, Warlock, Blood Meridian, In the Rogue Blood, The Day the Cowboys Quit, all probably could have gone in here as well. I've only read about half of those, however.
ReplyDeleteI keep meaning to read Forrest Carter. So much good stuff out there.
What about The Way West or The Big Sky by A. B. Guthrie?
ReplyDeleteOscar, AB Guthrie was a genius. His writing was also depressing as all get out. I think I blocked it from my memory.
ReplyDeleteNice blog thanks for posting.
ReplyDelete