Discover new books on Goodreads
Meet your next favorite book
Sign in with Facebook
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.
Score
A book’s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book.
| 401 |
|
Hopalong Cassidy
by
3.92 avg rating — 162 ratings
score: 172,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 401 |
|
Hang Your Heart on Christmas (Brides of Evergreen #1)
by
Heather Blanton (Goodreads Author)
4.45 avg rating — 310 ratings
score: 172,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 403 |
|
And Die in the West: The Story of the O.K. Corral Gunfight
by
4.04 avg rating — 93 ratings
score: 171,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 404 |
|
Death Rides a Pale Horse
by
4.22 avg rating — 69 ratings
score: 170,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 405 |
|
The Year of Decision 1846
by
4.14 avg rating — 426 ratings
score: 169,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 405 |
|
The Eighty-Dollar Champion: Snowman, the Horse That Inspired a Nation
by
Elizabeth Letts (Goodreads Author)
4.23 avg rating — 14,580 ratings
score: 169,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 405 |
|
The Stalking Moon
by
4.11 avg rating — 239 ratings
score: 169,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 408 |
|
The Texas Rangers: A Century of Frontier Defense
by
3.90 avg rating — 197 ratings
score: 168,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 408 |
|
The Iron Mistress
by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 167 ratings
score: 168,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 408 |
|
Shots Fired
by
4.01 avg rating — 7,735 ratings
score: 168,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 408 |
|
Rustlers (A Balum Series Western, #2)
by
Orrin Russell (Goodreads Author)
4.25 avg rating — 179 ratings
score: 168,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 412 |
|
The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons
by
3.91 avg rating — 2,005 ratings
score: 166,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 412 |
|
The Drifter (The Last Gunfighter, #1)
by
4.25 avg rating — 981 ratings
score: 166,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 412 |
|
The Last Kind Words Saloon
by
3.16 avg rating — 5,382 ratings
score: 166,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 412 |
|
Back To Hell Country (A Balum Series Western, #1)
by
Orrin Russell (Goodreads Author)
3.80 avg rating — 204 ratings
score: 166,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 416 |
|
Massacre at Mountain Meadows
by
4.02 avg rating — 1,270 ratings
score: 165,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 416 |
|
Comanche Dawn
by
Mike Blakely (Goodreads Author)
4.28 avg rating — 122 ratings
score: 165,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 418 |
|
Bloody Season
by
3.68 avg rating — 147 ratings
score: 164,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 418 |
|
The Thundering Herd
by
3.89 avg rating — 535 ratings
score: 164,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 418 |
|
Gunfighters, Highwaymen, and Vigilantes: Violence on the Frontier
by
3.89 avg rating — 27 ratings
score: 164,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 421 |
|
Hard Country (Kerney Family, #1)
by
Michael McGarrity (Goodreads Author)
4.17 avg rating — 2,498 ratings
score: 163,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 421 |
|
The Missing
by
3.99 avg rating — 692 ratings
score: 163,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 423 |
|
The Hot Kid (Carl Webster, #1)
by
3.79 avg rating — 5,517 ratings
score: 162,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 423 |
|
The Lawmen
by
Robert Vaughan (Goodreads Author)
3.96 avg rating — 287 ratings
score: 162,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 423 |
|
The Diary of Mattie Spenser
by
4.03 avg rating — 12,003 ratings
score: 162,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 426 |
|
Slaughter (Texas Tradition Series) (Volume 40)
by
4.08 avg rating — 156 ratings
score: 161,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 426 |
|
Cloudy in the West
by
3.93 avg rating — 227 ratings
score: 161,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 426 |
|
The Harvester
by
4.21 avg rating — 2,176 ratings
score: 161,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 426 |
|
Pretty Reckless (Deputy Laney Briggs, #1)
by
Jodi Linton (Goodreads Author)
3.78 avg rating — 775 ratings
score: 161,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 426 |
|
Cold Wind (Joe Pickett, #11)
by
4.28 avg rating — 21,325 ratings
score: 161,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 426 |
|
Back of Beyond (Highway Quartet, #1)
by
4.11 avg rating — 26,934 ratings
score: 161,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 426 |
|
Any Other Name (Walt Longmire, #10)
by
4.25 avg rating — 14,387 ratings
score: 161,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 433 |
|
Winnetou I - IV
by
4.39 avg rating — 3,268 ratings
score: 160,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 433 |
|
Jake Masters, Bounty Hunter
by
W.R. Benton (Goodreads Author)
4.16 avg rating — 90 ratings
score: 160,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 433 |
|
Black Storm Comin'
by
3.79 avg rating — 510 ratings
score: 160,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 436 |
|
Company of Cowards
by
3.73 avg rating — 82 ratings
score: 159,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 436 |
|
Cotton's War
by
Phil Dunlap (Goodreads Author)
3.68 avg rating — 34 ratings
score: 159,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 436 |
|
Gold Digger, The Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor
by
Rebecca Rosenberg (Goodreads Author)
4.13 avg rating — 833 ratings
score: 159,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 439 |
|
A Serpent's Tooth (Walt Longmire, #9)
by
4.30 avg rating — 16,656 ratings
score: 158,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 439 |
|
Many a River
by
4.09 avg rating — 291 ratings
score: 158,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 439 |
|
A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains
by
3.97 avg rating — 3,691 ratings
score: 158,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 442 |
|
Farmer Boy (Little House, #2)
by
4.10 avg rating — 73,395 ratings
score: 157,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 443 |
|
Remembering Laughter
by
3.82 avg rating — 1,993 ratings
score: 156,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 443 |
|
The Way of the Coyote
by
4.12 avg rating — 463 ratings
score: 156,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 443 |
|
Jonah Hex, Vol. 3: Origins
by
Justin Gray (Goodreads Author)
4.03 avg rating — 356 ratings
score: 156,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 446 |
|
So Red the Rose (Southern Classics Series)
by
3.39 avg rating — 88 ratings
score: 155,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 446 |
|
The Day of the Gunfighter (Gunsmoke #6)
by
3.90 avg rating — 31 ratings
score: 155,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 446 |
|
Nowhere To Run (Joe Pickett, #10)
by
4.30 avg rating — 21,935 ratings
score: 155,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 446 |
|
The Squaw Man
by
liked it 3.00 avg rating — 6 ratings
score: 155,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 450 |
|
The Bride of Texas
by
3.49 avg rating — 37 ratings
score: 154,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 450 |
|
Interwoven: A Pioneer Chronicle (Revised: 4th Edition)
by
4.04 avg rating — 47 ratings
score: 154,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 452 |
|
Old Firehand und andere Erzählungen
by
3.76 avg rating — 234 ratings
score: 153,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 452 |
|
The Chisholms: A Novel of the Journey West
by
3.55 avg rating — 47 ratings
score: 153,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 454 |
|
Badger Boy (Texas Rangers, #2)
by
4.10 avg rating — 514 ratings
score: 152,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 454 |
|
Hell Comes to Dixie
by
W.R. Benton (Goodreads Author)
4.17 avg rating — 18 ratings
score: 152,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 454 |
|
Endangered (Joe Pickett, #15)
by
4.40 avg rating — 22,263 ratings
score: 152,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 454 |
|
As The Crow Flies (Walt Longmire, #8)
by
4.29 avg rating — 18,509 ratings
score: 152,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 454 |
|
Giant
by
4.02 avg rating — 3,791 ratings
score: 152,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 459 |
|
Showdown At Six-Gun Mine
by
John Legg (Goodreads Author)
4.24 avg rating — 88 ratings
score: 151,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 460 |
|
Witch of the Palo Duro (Tay-Bodal Mystery #2)
by
3.96 avg rating — 85 ratings
score: 150,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 460 |
|
Off the Grid (Joe Pickett, #16)
by
4.30 avg rating — 23,535 ratings
score: 150,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 462 |
|
The Dawn of Fury (Trail of the Gunfighter, #1)
by
4.07 avg rating — 520 ratings
score: 149,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 462 |
|
The Man Who Rode Midnight
by
4.15 avg rating — 265 ratings
score: 149,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 462 |
|
Desperadoes
by
3.88 avg rating — 563 ratings
score: 149,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 465 |
|
The Painter
by
3.83 avg rating — 16,697 ratings
score: 148,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 466 |
|
Weedy Rough
by
3.82 avg rating — 39 ratings
score: 147,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 466 |
|
Navajo Autumn (A Navajo Nation Mystery #1)
by
3.97 avg rating — 3,184 ratings
score: 147,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 468 |
|
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
by
3.83 avg rating — 193 ratings
score: 146,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 468 |
|
Duane's Depressed
by
3.82 avg rating — 3,049 ratings
score: 146,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 468 |
|
The Legendary Life of Bee Ho Gray
by
Clark Gray (Goodreads Author)
4.56 avg rating — 9 ratings
score: 146,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 471 |
|
Doc Holliday: The Life And Legend
by
3.98 avg rating — 757 ratings
score: 145,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 471 |
|
The Search for Temperance Moon
by
3.68 avg rating — 44 ratings
score: 145,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 471 |
|
Boy Made of Dawn (Navajo Nation Mystery, #2)
by
4.30 avg rating — 3,060 ratings
score: 145,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 471 |
|
Río Tinto: A Western Story
by
Michael Zimmer (Goodreads Author)
4.43 avg rating — 23 ratings
score: 145,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 475 |
|
The Rebels: Sons of Texas
by
4.22 avg rating — 281 ratings
score: 144,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 475 |
|
Shoshoni Vengeance (Rocky Mountain Lawmen Book 3)
by
John Legg (Goodreads Author)
4.33 avg rating — 289 ratings
score: 144,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 475 |
|
To Wed in Texas (McLain #3)
by
Jodi Thomas (Goodreads Author)
4.24 avg rating — 1,272 ratings
score: 144,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 478 |
|
Wild Violet
by
Ariel C. Horn (Goodreads Author)
3.55 avg rating — 47 ratings
score: 143,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 478 |
|
Ancient Blood (Navajo Nation Mystery #3)
by
4.29 avg rating — 2,675 ratings
score: 143,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 478 |
|
Kindness Goes Unpunished (Walt Longmire, #3)
by
4.22 avg rating — 23,769 ratings
score: 143,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 481 |
|
People of Darkness (Leaphorn & Chee, #4)
by
4.16 avg rating — 11,855 ratings
score: 142,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 481 |
|
Death at Rainy Mountain
by
4.05 avg rating — 112 ratings
score: 142,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 481 |
|
My Brother, the Wind
by
3.75 avg rating — 16 ratings
score: 142,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 484 |
|
Where the Bluebird Sings to the Lemonade Springs
by
4.10 avg rating — 2,008 ratings
score: 141,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 484 |
|
Six-Gun Snow White
by
Catherynne M. Valente (Goodreads Author)
3.63 avg rating — 4,484 ratings
score: 141,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 484 |
|
Winter Kill (The Last Gunfighter, #21)
by
4.35 avg rating — 402 ratings
score: 141,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 484 |
|
Cities of Gold: A Journey Across the American Southwest in Pursuit of Coronado
by
Douglas Preston (Goodreads Author)
4.31 avg rating — 1,019 ratings
score: 141,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 488 |
|
Open Range Justice (Mr. Justice #3)
by
4.05 avg rating — 99 ratings
score: 140,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 488 |
|
Adventures in the Unknown Interior of America
by
3.68 avg rating — 3,027 ratings
score: 140,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 488 |
|
Joe Pepper
by
4.02 avg rating — 191 ratings
score: 140,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 488 |
|
The Chili Queen
by
3.71 avg rating — 3,568 ratings
score: 140,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 492 |
|
Winding Stair
by
4.17 avg rating — 126 ratings
score: 139,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 492 |
|
Holmes on the Range (Holmes on the Range, #1)
by
Steve Hockensmith (Goodreads Author)
3.89 avg rating — 2,857 ratings
score: 139,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 492 |
|
The Floor of Heaven: A True Tale of the Last Frontier & the Yukon Gold Rush
by
Howard Blum (Goodreads Author)
4.01 avg rating — 1,445 ratings
score: 139,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 495 |
|
Wolf Willow
by
3.97 avg rating — 967 ratings
score: 138,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 495 |
|
The Widow Nancy Buck
by
it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating
score: 138,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 495 |
|
Jubilee Trail
by
4.15 avg rating — 4,401 ratings
score: 138,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 498 |
|
Long Road To Abilene (Cade McCall #1)
by
Robert Vaughan (Goodreads Author)
4.29 avg rating — 1,548 ratings
score: 137,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 499 |
|
Marking the Sparrow's Fall: The Making of the American West
by
4.28 avg rating — 269 ratings
score: 136,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 499 |
|
Mining Frontiers of the Far West, 1848-1880
by
3.95 avg rating — 21 ratings
score: 136,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
1,363 books ·
1,489 voters ·
list created December 19th, 2008
by Ann Keller (votes) .
Ann
6841 books
1594 friends
1594 friends
Susanna - Censored by GoodReads
3384 books
853 friends
853 friends
Bettie
15668 books
19 friends
19 friends
Tammy
197 books
1368 friends
1368 friends
Ed
2163 books
5064 friends
5064 friends
Robin
307 books
1109 friends
1109 friends
Arlisa
162 books
220 friends
220 friends
Marc
635 books
369 friends
369 friends
More voters…
Comments Showing 1-39 of 39 (39 new)
date
newest »
newest »
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
reply
|
flag
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.
I was very surprised not to see more Elmer Kelton!!!!!
deleted user wrote: "I was very surprised not to see more Elmer Kelton!!!!!"
I agree, its amazing!
I agree, its amazing!
Both "Angle of Repose" and a few books by Elmer Kelton are now on the list! :)
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.
"All the Pretty Horses" is on the list, too ... (currently #57).
I had to add Elmer Kelton's Hewey Calloway trilogy and Monte Walsh.
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??
This list needs more Zane Grey, too :)
Martin wrote: "This list needs more Zane Grey, too :)"Everyone can add books -- there's a tab up top next to "all votes."
Cold Mountain is not Western!! It is Appalachia - mid atlantic. Please fix.
What about "The Collected Stories of Wallace Stegner"? Many of them are connected and one is a novella.
mountain man needs re-filming; jeremiah johnson didn't do it justice!(john)
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.
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.
Don't get me wrong. I love On the Road, but maybe it doesn't belong in this particular list.
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.
Martin wrote: "This list needs more Zane Grey, too :)"I agree completely.
I am glad to see Westerns making a comeback. There are some really good new authors.
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.
How about "Plain Song," by Wright Morris?
Nina wrote: "How about "Plain Song," by Wright Morris?" You should add it if you think it fits the list Nina.
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!
I removed #134 Last of the Mohicans. It is an "Eastern", not a "Western". It took place in New York State and thereabouts.
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.
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.
Related News
Need another excuse to treat yourself to a new book this week? We've got you covered with the buzziest new releases of the day, according to early...
Anyone can add books to this list.
How to Vote
To vote on existing books from the list, beside each book there is a link vote for this book clicking it will add that book to your votes.
To vote on books not in the list or books you couldn't find in the list, you can click on the tab add books to this list and then choose from your books, or simply search.
