What Western are you reading?

Dave Hardy

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I started reading Poul Anderson's The Avatar (SF), but quit, too much "clever dialog." So I started on Louis L'Amour's Big Medicine, novellas from his pulp years.
 

John Olexa

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Started reading today "Murder in Tombstone, The Forgotten Trial of Wyatt Earp" By Steven Lubet. Pretty good beginning, but wondered about the Title, there were more men then just Wyatt on trial.
 

pezerp59

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Currently reading The Complete Western Stories of Elmore Leonard.
 

Dave Hardy

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Currently reading The Complete Western Stories of Elmore Leonard.

Good pick. I've go his short-story collection Gunsights on my to-read shelf.

Right now I'm reading Ryan Rides Back by Bill Crider. I made a trip to the library and found a shelf full of new Texana, so I may read some non-fiction for a while.
 

ElisabethF

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Just finished my first book by Eugene Manlove Rhodes, Copper Streak Trail. I've had him on my to-read list for a while, but I got particularly interested in trying something of his after reading the chapter on him in Agnes Morley Cleaveland's memoir No Life For a Lady. Apparently he was one of the old-time Western writers who lived the cowboy life himself and really knew the territory. If all his books are as good as the one I just read, I think he might get a spot on my list of favorite Western authors.
 

Dave Hardy

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Just finished my first book by Eugene Manlove Rhodes, Copper Streak Trail. I've had him on my to-read list for a while, but I got particularly interested in trying something of his after reading the chapter on him in Agnes Morley Cleaveland's memoir No Life For a Lady. Apparently he was one of the old-time Western writers who lived the cowboy life himself and really knew the territory. If all his books are as good as the one I just read, I think he might get a spot on my list of favorite Western authors.

I've read a few of Rhodes' short works. He was there when it still had wool on its back. He was friends with Oliver Lee, had a run in or two with Pat Garret, and at one point Bill Doolin took refuge on his ranch. I've been meaning to read Paso Por Aqui, but haven't got around to it.

This morning I started on Gunsights by Elmore Leonard. Very good stuff.
 

Dave Hardy

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I read a bit of non-fiction Western history, in comic book format. MY Father's Day present was Jack Jackson's The Alamo: an Epic Told from Both Sides. I met Jack around Austin a few times. He was a master historian and a master story-teller. He is still missed.
 

Ultramarine

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I'm usually not into Westerns, but I read a review of The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt and it sounded interesting. I'm only 50 pages in but it is shaping up to be up there with one of the best I've read of any genre. It is so funny yet macabre and tragic, I've never read anything quite like it before.
 

colebooks

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I am reading the script for the man with no name series
 

ElisabethF

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My best Western discovery of this year, so far, is Dorothy M. Johnson - I just read her short story collection The Hanging Tree and really loved it. I'd like to get my hands on her other collection Indian Country at some point.
 

Russell Secord

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Now going through L'Amour's Outlaws of Mesquite, a short-story collection. That's after Valley of the Sun, another collection. Another shout out for The Mucker!
 

armydillo978

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Just picked up a copy of "The Old Wolves" by Peter Brandvold. Felt it sing to me, as another old fart working his way to retirement. :)

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Threak 17

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I'm on a Louis L'Amour kick. Finished The Proving Trail last night and picked up Hondo this morning.
 

Shadow_Ferret

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Reading "Riders of the Purple Sage." Didn't realize it was written in 1912, but the dialog is almost formal, so I had dated it mentally as early 1900s.

Also did not know he was born during the old west: 1872. I also didn't know he was one of the first authors to become a millionaire.
 

Shadow_Ferret

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Losing steam reading the Zane Gray book. Started reading an easier book, "The Lone Ranger" by Fran Striker. Finally found an old copy at Half Price Books for 30 cents. I've always wanted to see what the novels were like. It says "childrens" but its nicely written with some great descriptions. Not sure what makes it a childrens book.
 

Haggis

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Reading "Riders of the Purple Sage." Didn't realize it was written in 1912, but the dialog is almost formal, so I had dated it mentally as early 1900s.

Also did not know he was born during the old west: 1872. I also didn't know he was one of the first authors to become a millionaire.
I read that a few years back. My first Zane Grey. I liked it. Much different from my usual reading genres.
 

Jassack

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I like Zane Grey and have a couple dozen of his books that were printed in the 30's. I also have a large Louis L'Amour Collection (who doesn't?). My Max Brand (Frederick Faust) collection is sadly laking. He wrote something like 300 westerns and he used many different pen names.

One of my favorite western characters of all time is Breckenridge Elkins from "A Gent From Bear Creek" by Robert E. Howard. It's hysterical. If you haven't read it, give it a try.
 

C.M. Daniels

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I'm in the middle of The Cowboy and the Cossack by Clare Huffaker. It's different, but absolutely enjoyable. I'm also listening to Robert B. Parker's Appaloosa in my car right now, which is much more traditional but no less likable.