Suggestions on good Cowboy books/writers?

Before Elmore Leonard started writing crime novels he wrote Western short stories. This book collects all of them (I think) and is very good. Elmore wrote 3:10 to Yuma along with some other titles you will recognize.

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Weste...elmore+leonard

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kingricefan

I'm not a fan of the 'western' novels myself. There are lots out there to pick from tho. Why not try a different Zane Grey book? Or try something by Larry McMurty, he seems to have alot of 'western' books out there like 'Lonesome Dove', which was a bestseller and made into a great series on TV. Maybe ask at your local library what is trending in that area? Or, just do a re-read of the Tower books!! :biggrin2:

---

As usual, I agree with Kingrice. Lonesome Dove is in my Top Ten Book List--it is SOOOOO GOOOOOOD. I've never even seen the TV series, but the book is exceptional. My grandfather was a great Louis L'Amour fan, as well (as some of the others here have written). A good friend of mine just recommended L'Amour's Last of the Breed and Sitka to me last week. I have them in my Amazon cart!

If ye got the scropes, Tom Franklin has a good 'un called Smonk. More of a Southern than a Western, I guess, but anyhoo...

Here's a book description swiped from Amazon:

It's 1911 and the townsfolk of Old Texas, Alabama, have had enough. Every Saturday night for a year, E. O. Smonk has been destroying property, killing livestock, seducing women, cheating and beating men, all from behind the twin barrels of his Winchester 45-70 caliber over-and-under rifle. Syphilitic, consumptive, gouty, and goitered—an expert with explosives and knives—Smonk hates horses, goats, and the Irish, and it's high time he was stopped. But capturing old Smonk won't be easy—and putting him on trial could have shocking and disastrous consequences, considering the terrible secret the citizens of Old Texas are hiding

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by fljoe0

Before Elmore Leonard started writing crime novels he wrote Western short stories. This book collects all of them (I think) and is very good. Elmore wrote 3:10 to Yuma along with some other titles you will recognize.

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Western-Stories-Elmore-Leonard/dp/0061242926/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1357668708&sr=8-7&keywords=elmore+leonard

---

I agree and am glad you mentioned this. I stumbled across this collection a while back and they are wonderful.

Uncle Stevie and son Joe both recommend Larry McMurtry and Lonesome Dove. So do I.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by danie

As usual, I agree with Kingrice. Lonesome Dove is in my Top Ten Book List--it is SOOOOO GOOOOOOD. I've never even seen the TV series, but the book is exceptional. My grandfather was a great Louis L'Amour fan, as well (as some of the others here have written). A good friend of mine just recommended L'Amour's Last of the Breed and Sitka to me last week. I have them in my Amazon cart!

---

Wow, thanks, GentleGiant; I like westerns and have read quite a bit of Louis L'Amour because of my dad, but wasn't really familiar with other western novelists.

If you can find it, ST. AGNES' STAND by Thomas Eidson is the best western I've read so far. It's gritty, realistic, downright brutal, and oh, so very, very good. You can't put it down. It's a quick read, and one you won't soon forget.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by muskrat

If ye got the scropes, Tom Franklin has a good 'un called Smonk. More of a Southern than a Western, I guess, but anyhoo...

Here's a book description swiped from Amazon:

It's 1911 and the townsfolk of Old Texas, Alabama, have had enough. Every Saturday night for a year, E. O. Smonk has been destroying property, killing livestock, seducing women, cheating and beating men, all from behind the twin barrels of his Winchester 45-70 caliber over-and-under rifle. Syphilitic, consumptive, gouty, and goitered—an expert with explosives and knives—Smonk hates horses, goats, and the Irish, and it's high time he was stopped. But capturing old Smonk won't be easy—and putting him on trial could have shocking and disastrous consequences, considering the terrible secret the citizens of Old Texas are hiding

---

Smonk is an awesome book. It's hilarious and brutal at the same time.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by muskrat

If ye got the scropes, Tom Franklin has a good 'un called Smonk. More of a Southern than a Western, I guess, but anyhoo...

---

Ooh, I'll have to try this one. I loved Franklin's Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter.

...here's a favorite...

http://www.adazing.com/wp-content/up...he-thunder.jpg...deals with the aftermath of beans by the campfire...