Best Westerns

Those books (fiction and nonfiction) that embody the spirit of the Old West, the heroism, tragedy, and drama of this mythic era of American history.

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1	Lonesome Dove (Lonesome Dove, #1) by Larry McMurtry 4.57 avg rating — 226,743 ratings score: 45,768, and 462 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	True Grit by Charles Portis 4.17 avg rating — 69,494 ratings score: 21,289, and 219 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	Blood Meridian, or, the Evening Redness in the West by Cormac McCarthy 4.16 avg rating — 208,605 ratings score: 19,520, and 198 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	All the Pretty Horses (The Border Trilogy, #1) by Cormac McCarthy 4.06 avg rating — 141,956 ratings score: 13,457, and 140 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy 4.17 avg rating — 237,087 ratings score: 12,901, and 133 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West by Dee Brown 4.26 avg rating — 100,326 ratings score: 11,626, and 121 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	Riders of the Purple Sage (Riders of the Purple Sage, #1) by Zane Grey 3.75 avg rating — 14,503 ratings score: 9,706, and 102 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck 4.02 avg rating — 977,395 ratings score: 9,256, and 96 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	Shane by Jack Schaefer 3.95 avg rating — 14,510 ratings score: 7,958, and 85 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt 3.85 avg rating — 102,028 ratings score: 7,660, and 79 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	Hondo by Louis L'Amour 4.06 avg rating — 14,210 ratings score: 7,382, and 78 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	East of Eden by John Steinbeck 4.43 avg rating — 611,719 ratings score: 7,359, and 77 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	Little Big Man by Thomas Berger 4.27 avg rating — 8,736 ratings score: 6,535, and 69 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower, #1) by Stephen King (Goodreads Author) 3.91 avg rating — 653,667 ratings score: 6,402, and 66 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	The Crossing (The Border Trilogy, #2) by Cormac McCarthy 4.16 avg rating — 45,996 ratings score: 6,386, and 67 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	Old Yeller by Fred Gipson 4.10 avg rating — 102,713 ratings score: 6,382, and 68 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Butcher's Crossing by John Williams 4.18 avg rating — 32,997 ratings score: 6,190, and 65 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	Streets of Laredo (Lonesome Dove, #2) by Larry McMurtry 4.10 avg rating — 24,538 ratings score: 6,069, and 66 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner 4.24 avg rating — 61,509 ratings score: 5,786, and 61 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	Appaloosa (Virgil Cole & Everett Hitch, #1) by Robert B. Parker 4.01 avg rating — 9,165 ratings score: 5,587, and 59 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx 4.02 avg rating — 50,566 ratings score: 5,517, and 57 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	The Virginian by Owen Wister 3.91 avg rating — 9,843 ratings score: 5,300, and 57 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	Dead Man's Walk (Lonesome Dove, #3) by Larry McMurtry 4.06 avg rating — 23,005 ratings score: 5,233, and 56 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	How the West Was Won by Louis L'Amour 4.06 avg rating — 3,637 ratings score: 4,768, and 51 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	Comanche Moon (Lonesome Dove, #4) by Larry McMurtry 4.14 avg rating — 19,839 ratings score: 4,731, and 51 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
26	Undaunted Courage: The Pioneering First Mission to Explore America's Wild Frontier by Stephen E. Ambrose 4.23 avg rating — 66,771 ratings score: 4,706, and 50 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 3.89 avg rating — 2,772,231 ratings score: 4,633, and 51 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	My Ántonia by Willa Cather 3.84 avg rating — 145,581 ratings score: 4,622, and 50 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	The Big Sky (The Big Sky, #1) by A.B. Guthrie Jr. 4.01 avg rating — 5,669 ratings score: 4,595, and 49 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	The Ox-Bow Incident by Walter Van Tilburg Clark 3.87 avg rating — 6,565 ratings score: 4,552, and 48 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	Cities of the Plain (The Border Trilogy, #3) by Cormac McCarthy 4.13 avg rating — 30,940 ratings score: 4,425, and 47 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
32	The Quick and the Dead by Louis L'Amour really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 6,608 ratings score: 4,177, and 44 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	O Pioneers! by Willa Cather 3.90 avg rating — 57,643 ratings score: 4,046, and 43 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	Little House on the Prairie (Little House, #3) by Laura Ingalls Wilder 4.21 avg rating — 299,977 ratings score: 4,023, and 44 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
35	The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Evans 3.86 avg rating — 60,976 ratings score: 3,892, and 42 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather 3.97 avg rating — 42,220 ratings score: 3,880, and 42 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
37	The Searchers by Alan LeMay 4.21 avg rating — 4,092 ratings score: 3,589, and 39 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
38	The Daybreakers (The Sacketts, #6) by Louis L'Amour 4.27 avg rating — 8,634 ratings score: 3,520, and 37 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
39	Centennial by James A. Michener 4.26 avg rating — 44,682 ratings score: 3,508, and 38 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	Dances with Wolves by Michael Blake 4.23 avg rating — 28,727 ratings score: 3,418, and 38 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
41	Warlock (Legends West, #1) by Oakley Hall 4.28 avg rating — 4,446 ratings score: 3,093, and 33 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
42	Sackett's Land (The Sacketts, #1) by Louis L'Amour 4.16 avg rating — 14,197 ratings score: 3,035, and 34 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
43	The Son by Philipp Meyer (Goodreads Author) 4.03 avg rating — 37,401 ratings score: 2,914, and 31 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
44	The Whip by Karen Kondazian (Goodreads Author) 3.97 avg rating — 7,634 ratings score: 2,888, and 29 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
45	The Way West (The Big Sky, #2) by A.B. Guthrie Jr. 3.96 avg rating — 5,808 ratings score: 2,852, and 31 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
46	Comstock Lode by Louis L'Amour 4.14 avg rating — 4,282 ratings score: 2,846, and 31 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
47	Doc by Mary Doria Russell (Goodreads Author) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 17,411 ratings score: 2,794, and 30 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
48	The Sacketts Vol 1 by Louis L'Amour 4.32 avg rating — 359 ratings score: 2,791, and 31 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
49	Blood and Thunder: An Epic of the American West by Hampton Sides 4.29 avg rating — 19,391 ratings score: 2,764, and 30 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
50	The Time It Never Rained by Elmer Kelton 4.32 avg rating — 2,186 ratings score: 2,713, and 29 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
51	Hombre by Elmore Leonard 4.01 avg rating — 5,197 ratings score: 2,630, and 29 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
52	The Trail by M.L. Dunn (Goodreads Author) 4.15 avg rating — 73 ratings score: 2,570, and 26 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
53	The Complete Western Stories of Elmore Leonard by Elmore Leonard 4.14 avg rating — 3,260 ratings score: 2,546, and 28 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
54	A River Runs Through It and Other Stories by Norman Maclean 4.19 avg rating — 29,824 ratings score: 2,482, and 28 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
55	Roughing It by Mark Twain 3.87 avg rating — 10,136 ratings score: 2,439, and 27 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
56	The Blessing Way (Leaphorn & Chee, #1) by Tony Hillerman really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 31,096 ratings score: 2,415, and 28 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
57	Close Range: Wyoming Stories by Annie Proulx 3.99 avg rating — 18,203 ratings score: 2,296, and 25 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
58	The Nations by Ken Farmer (Goodreads Author) 4.31 avg rating — 438 ratings score: 2,269, and 23 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
59	The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford by Ron Hansen 3.91 avg rating — 3,583 ratings score: 2,224, and 24 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
60	Ride the Wind by Lucia St. Clair Robson 4.39 avg rating — 6,280 ratings score: 2,152, and 22 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
61	The Haunted Mesa by Louis L'Amour 3.81 avg rating — 7,322 ratings score: 2,106, and 23 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
62	Plainsong (Plainsong, #1) by Kent Haruf 4.04 avg rating — 78,555 ratings score: 2,038, and 23 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
63	Resolution (Virgil Cole & Everett Hitch, #2) by Robert B. Parker really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 5,407 ratings score: 1,989, and 21 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
64	The Shootist by Glendon Swarthout 4.14 avg rating — 3,029 ratings score: 1,977, and 22 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
65	News of the World by Paulette Jiles 4.08 avg rating — 111,072 ratings score: 1,969, and 23 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
66	Three-Ten to Yuma and Other Stories by Elmore Leonard 3.95 avg rating — 2,831 ratings score: 1,863, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
67	Nothing Like It in the World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad 1863-69 by Stephen E. Ambrose 3.99 avg rating — 13,828 ratings score: 1,855, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
68	On the Road by Jack Kerouac 3.61 avg rating — 441,405 ratings score: 1,854, and 21 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
69	Yuma Gold by Steven Law (Goodreads Author) 4.17 avg rating — 54 ratings score: 1,853, and 19 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
70	On the Banks of Plum Creek (Little House, #4) by Laura Ingalls Wilder 4.23 avg rating — 106,142 ratings score: 1,828, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
71	The Good Old Boys (Hewey Calloway, #1) by Elmer Kelton 4.34 avg rating — 940 ratings score: 1,817, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
72	Fastest in the West by Anfaney Gladwin 4.57 avg rating — 44 ratings score: 1,800, and 18 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
73	The Revenant by Michael Punke 3.96 avg rating — 53,791 ratings score: 1,752, and 21 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
74	The Lonesome Gods by Louis L'Amour 4.23 avg rating — 9,372 ratings score: 1,741, and 19 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
75	Little Town on the Prairie (Little House, #7) by Laura Ingalls Wilder 4.20 avg rating — 92,749 ratings score: 1,738, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
76	By the Shores of Silver Lake (Little House, #5) by Laura Ingalls Wilder 4.18 avg rating — 81,838 ratings score: 1,735, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
77	The Legendary Wolf by Ammar Habib (Goodreads Author) 4.28 avg rating — 5,249 ratings score: 1,700, and 17 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
78	Jubal Sackett (The Sacketts, #4) by Louis L'Amour 4.25 avg rating — 8,749 ratings score: 1,627, and 18 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
79	Dancing at the Rascal Fair by Ivan Doig 4.24 avg rating — 7,111 ratings score: 1,560, and 18 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
80	Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid: Screenplay by William Goldman 4.29 avg rating — 545 ratings score: 1,554, and 18 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
81	Love Medicine (Love Medicine, #1) by Louise Erdrich 4.01 avg rating — 28,161 ratings score: 1,540, and 17 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
82	The Day the Cowboys Quit by Elmer Kelton 4.20 avg rating — 781 ratings score: 1,501, and 17 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
83	Haunted Falls by Ken Farmer (Goodreads Author) 4.48 avg rating — 242 ratings score: 1,477, and 15 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
84	Valdez Is Coming by Elmore Leonard 4.06 avg rating — 3,337 ratings score: 1,475, and 17 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
85	The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters by Robert Lewis Taylor 3.97 avg rating — 3,259 ratings score: 1,462, and 17 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
86	Sackett (The Sacketts, #8) by Louis L'Amour 4.26 avg rating — 8,832 ratings score: 1,433, and 16 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
87	Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne 4.25 avg rating — 65,115 ratings score: 1,395, and 16 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
88	Deep Creek by Dana Hand (Goodreads Author) 3.82 avg rating — 1,129 ratings score: 1,390, and 14 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
89	The Unforgiven by Alan LeMay 4.07 avg rating — 1,807 ratings score: 1,349, and 15 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
90	Monte Walsh by Jack Schaefer 4.36 avg rating — 814 ratings score: 1,328, and 15 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
91	Brimstone (Virgil Cole & Everett Hitch, #3) by Robert B. Parker 4.04 avg rating — 5,186 ratings score: 1,325, and 15 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
92	Trail of Tears: The Rise and Fall of the Cherokee Nation by John Ehle 4.13 avg rating — 4,490 ratings score: 1,298, and 15 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
93	Deadman's Fury (The Deadman #2) by Linell Jeppsen (Goodreads Author) 4.10 avg rating — 250 ratings score: 1,280, and 13 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
94	Hard Land to Rule by Anthony Whitt (Goodreads Author) 4.20 avg rating — 74 ratings score: 1,278, and 13 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
95	Kilkenny (Kilkenny, #3) by Louis L'Amour 4.11 avg rating — 3,174 ratings score: 1,260, and 14 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
96	The Wanderers by Matthew Finneran (Goodreads Author) 4.12 avg rating — 8 ratings score: 1,243, and 13 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
97	Custer Died for Your Sins: An Indian Manifesto by Vine Deloria Jr. 4.13 avg rating — 4,053 ratings score: 1,238, and 14 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
98	The Bounty Hunters by Elmore Leonard 3.74 avg rating — 2,050 ratings score: 1,233, and 14 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
99	Crazy Horse and Custer by Stephen E. Ambrose 4.22 avg rating — 9,152 ratings score: 1,205, and 14 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
100	The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing by Marilyn Durham 3.69 avg rating — 232 ratings score: 1,179, and 13 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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1,363 books · 1,489 voters · list created December 19th, 2008 by Ann Keller (votes) .

Tags: fiction, genre-fiction, historical-fiction, history, non-fiction, western, westerns

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Comments Showing 1-39 of 39 (39 new)

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message 1: by Nina (new)

Dec 22, 2008 07:32PM

Of course I had to vote for "Unsinkable Molly Brown," as that was the name of our sailboat. nina

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message 2: by Roger (new)

Dec 26, 2008 02:16PM

That's an ecclectic selection of westerns. Like a lot of people, my introduction to westerns has been through movies and this has shaped my taste. Of course, most of my novels and film scripts are in fact westerns, even if they're set in places like Birmingham, the Black Country and Yorkshire mining villages during the strike.

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message 3: by [deleted user] (new)

Jan 19, 2009 09:28PM

I was very surprised not to see more Elmer Kelton!!!!!

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message 4: by Roger (new)

Jan 25, 2009 03:18AM

I agree
ROGER

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message 5: by Robert (new)

May 07, 2009 07:50PM

What about Angle of Repose?

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message 6: by [deleted user] (new)

May 09, 2010 10:01PM

deleted user wrote: "I was very surprised not to see more Elmer Kelton!!!!!"

I agree, its amazing!

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message 7: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (new)

Dec 27, 2010 07:19AM

Both "Angle of Repose" and a few books by Elmer Kelton are now on the list! :)

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message 8: by Seth (new)

Apr 27, 2011 08:41AM

Surprised to not see more Cormac McCarthy, especially the Border Trilogy: All the Pretty Horses, The Crossing, and Cities of the Plain. Glad to see Blood Meridian is high on the list. McCarthy is the greatest Western writer, in my opinion.

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message 9: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (new)

May 05, 2011 02:15PM

"All the Pretty Horses" is on the list, too ... (currently #57).

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message 10: by Manray9 (last edited Jul 01, 2016 08:37AM) (new)

Mar 26, 2012 03:49PM

I had to add Elmer Kelton's Hewey Calloway trilogy and Monte Walsh.

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message 11: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (new)

Mar 27, 2012 01:10AM

On the Road? The Grapes of Wrath? I can see where there's a case to be made to include Wallace Stegner and Tony Hillerman. But those two books ... and "spirit of the Old West?" Seriously??

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message 12: by Martin (new)

Mar 01, 2013 02:08PM

This list needs more Zane Grey, too :)

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message 13: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (new)

Mar 23, 2013 03:30PM

Martin wrote: "This list needs more Zane Grey, too :)"

Everyone can add books -- there's a tab up top next to "all votes."

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message 14: by MomToKippy (new)

Jun 21, 2014 06:28PM

Cold Mountain is not Western!! It is Appalachia - mid atlantic. Please fix.

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message 15: by Robert (new)

Oct 10, 2014 03:01PM

Here are some good Westerns Novels.
Site : http://myfivekids.hubpages.com/hub/be...

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message 16: by Patricia (new)

Mar 06, 2015 10:23AM

What about "The Collected Stories of Wallace Stegner"? Many of them are connected and one is a novella.

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message 17: by John (new)

Jun 21, 2015 11:15AM

mountain man needs re-filming; jeremiah johnson didn't do it justice!(john)

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message 18: by Shane (new)

Aug 31, 2015 08:49AM

Maybe I have misunderstood the purpose of this list, but just because a novel takes place in the west doesn't make it a western.

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message 19: by MomToKippy (new)

Aug 31, 2015 09:18AM

True, the list is well defined at the top under the title. The owner of the list or a librarian can delete books that don't fit.

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message 20: by Shane (new)

Sep 01, 2015 08:14AM

Don't get me wrong. I love On the Road, but maybe it doesn't belong in this particular list.

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message 21: by Jeff (new)

Nov 05, 2015 11:12PM

Brian wrote: "Don't get me wrong. I love On the Road, but maybe it doesn't belong in this particular list."

I have to agree with you here.

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message 22: by Raymond (new)

Feb 11, 2016 05:05AM

Martin wrote: "This list needs more Zane Grey, too :)"

I agree completely.

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message 23: by Energizeddiva (new)

Mar 31, 2016 01:42PM

I am glad to see Westerns making a comeback. There are some really good new authors.

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message 24: by Valerie (last edited Jul 01, 2016 08:26AM) (new)

Jul 01, 2016 08:26AM

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West is a "Western?"

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message 25: by Manray9 (new)

Jul 01, 2016 08:36AM

Valerie wrote: "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West is a "Western?""

I consider the term "Western" to mean fiction -- although the list maker didn't specify such. That certainly doesn't apply to Dee Brown's book.

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message 26: by Richard (new)

Jul 09, 2016 07:11PM

True Grit is entered more than once.

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message 27: by MomToKippy (new)

Jul 09, 2016 07:17PM

fixed

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message 28: by Nina (new)

Jul 10, 2016 12:53PM

How about "Plain Song," by Wright Morris?

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message 29: by MomToKippy (new)

Jul 10, 2016 01:08PM

Nina wrote: "How about "Plain Song," by Wright Morris?" You should add it if you think it fits the list Nina.

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message 30: by Richard (new)

Jul 10, 2016 02:37PM

MomToKippy wrote: "fixed"

thank you!

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message 31: by Lobstergirl (last edited Jul 23, 2017 06:45PM) (new)

Jul 23, 2017 06:45PM

Should Into the Wild be on the list? It's set in Alaska.

On p. 4.

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message 32: by Lobstergirl (last edited Jul 23, 2017 06:50PM) (new)

Jul 23, 2017 06:49PM

Earth Abides is sci-fi. Should it be on here?

On p. 6.

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message 33: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jul 23, 2017 06:52PM

One of Ours is set in Nebraska and France. Does that count as a western? On p. 8.

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message 34: by Jon (new)

Mar 10, 2018 05:14AM

Lobstergirl wrote: "Earth Abides is sci-fi. Should it be on here?

On p. 6."

Removed.

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message 35: by Shane (new)

Jul 15, 2020 01:13PM

Thanks, I really enjoyed this list. I like the fact that the definition of western is kept broad, so that modern tales with spirit akin to the 'Wild West' are included. I'm still wondering about Steinbeck, though. Into the Wild, for sure; even todays Alaska is in the wild west!

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message 36: by Elyse✨ (new)

Dec 03, 2020 02:05PM

I removed #134 Last of the Mohicans. It is an "Eastern", not a "Western". It took place in New York State and thereabouts.

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message 37: by Shane (new)

Dec 07, 2020 09:47AM

Yes, but it was 'the West' then. And it ticks the right boxes. The Native and the frontiersmen, the clash, and sometimes harmony, of different civilisations, power exercised by remote eastern rulers, the potential and fragility of the wilderness, good versus evil and so on. Set in the times before the push for American independence, this book forms something of a template for subsequent Westerns. It might be too geographically literal to remove it, though I suppose some criterion of location must apply.

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message 38: by Mark (new)

Apr 27, 2021 02:04PM

Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales is a set of five novels (available together in a two vol Library of America set) that follows the adventures of the hero, Natty Bumppo, from his youth in the Eastern forests to his final years in '"The Prairie" (published 1827) where he is dealing with Indians on the Central Plains (in his 80s!) and would be a good match for this list geograpically.

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message 39: by Richard (new)

Sep 11, 2023 02:43PM