What are you reading in general?

[Avatar]

Currently reading a book set in the western U.S. circa rhe year 1867, involving cattle drivers hoping to soon settle down and make better lives for themselves and their loved ones. It's called The Daybreakers, by Louis L'Amour.

Sigh. OK. My dad was a huge western fan, and I basically grew up reading his books. I inherited my dad's collection obviously, and if I don't own every book the man ever wrote, it's damn close. (He was sorta a latter-day Jack London, pretty interesting story actually.)

So, The Daybreakers is actually one of a series of books, (the 6th it appears), which follows the Sackett family all the way from 1599 to 1906.

Almost all of his books, and there are a lot, are pretty good. Straightforward, uncomplicated, good old fashioned story-telling.

I strongly recommend:

The Lonesome Gods
The Walking Drum
The Last of the Breed

None of those are typical of his usual fair, but they are definitely among his best. He also has some poetry, and some auto-biographical books.

I referenced the opening paragraphs of one of his books here as one of my most memorable ever.

--A

[SoulBiter]

I have read all of those recommendations and I agree!

My dad read westerns and as he finished them they ended up in a stack and eventually I started reading them. Pretty sure I read all or close to all the books Louis L'Amour. had written. Nothing highbrow but good storytelling and easy reading.

[Avatar]

Of course, the fact that CH looks like he could have walked out of one of those stories doesn't help.

My dad read westerns and as he finished them they ended up in a stack and eventually I started reading them.

J.T Edson? Zane Grey?

--A

[peter]

Read a few of those books myself - quite often the 'Picadilly westerns', westerns written by UK authors who'd never set foot in the US, but simply wrote following the format of the genre.

But at present I'm reading a series of fantasy novels by Joe Abercrombie, The First Law trilogy.

Harsh and brutal, and populated by a ensemble of throughly nasty individuals, few of whom have any redeeming characteristics. I love it.

[Avatar]

But at present I'm reading a series of fantasy novels by Joe Abercrombie, The First Law trilogy.

There's a thread in Gen Sci-Fi / Fantasy for it I think. One of my favourite series. (There are sequels / ancilliary books as well, but not many of them.) Soulbiter has also just recently read them. Logan Ninefingers may be one of the best fantasy characters ever.

--A

[peter]

Meant to post over in that place actually Av, but somehow must have hit the wrong button. Don't get old - or rather do so, but just do it better than me!

Yes Logan is good, but then they all are. And goodness knows how, but I'm finding myself in sympathy with Glokta! What does that say about me!

Great stuff!

[Cord Hurn]

I’ve never read any L’Amour. But my understanding is that he is supposed to be among the defining authors of the American Western.

This is my first time reading him, Menolly, though I have seen his name in bookstores ever since I was a little kid. He's got a simple style that manages to be wry and engaging. I think your understanding that L'Amour is among the defining authors of the American Western is quite correct.

[Cord Hurn]

Currently reading a book set in the western U.S. circa rhe year 1867, involving cattle drivers hoping to soon settle down and make better lives for themselves and their loved ones. It's called The Daybreakers, by Louis L'Amour.

Sigh. OK. My dad was a huge western fan, and I basically grew up reading his books. I inherited my dad's collection obviously, and if I don't own every book the man ever wrote, it's damn close. (He was sorta a latter-day Jack London, pretty interesting story actually.)

So, The Daybreakers is actually one of a series of books, (the 6th it appears), which follows the Sackett family all the way from 1599 to 1906.

Almost all of his books, and there are a lot, are pretty good. Straightforward, uncomplicated, good old fashioned story-telling.

I strongly recommend:

The Lonesome Gods
The Walking Drum
The Last of the Breed

None of those are typical of his usual fair, but they are definitely among his best. He also has some poetry, and some auto-biographical books.

I referenced the opening paragraphs of one of his books here as one of my most memorable ever.

--A

Thank you, Avatar, for letting me know that The Daybreakers is actually volume six of the generations-spanning saga of the Sackett family. I liked the way the narrator, Tyrrell Sackett, just tells it how he feels it.

For the next three days I was cook, which comes of having a bum wing [Tyrell had an arrow shot from a Ute Indian go through his body just interior to his shoulder] on a cow outfit. Cap [Roundtree, an old veteran of cattle drives and a good friend of Tyrell's] was a fair hand at patching up wounds and he made a poultice of herbs of some kind which he packed on my shoulder. He cleaned the wound by running an arrow shaft through with a cloth soaked in whisky, and if you think that's entertainment, you just try it on for size.

Thank you also for the recommendation of those three L'Amour books.

Alas, your link to where you "referenced the opening paragraphs of one of his books" does not work for me. It says I lack the authorization to read it.

[Cord Hurn]

I have read all of those recommendations and I agree!

My dad read westerns and as he finished them they ended up in a stack and eventually I started reading them. Pretty sure I read all or close to all the books Louis L'Amour. had written. Nothing highbrow but good storytelling and easy reading.

Yes, he seems to effortlessly get me to be interested in his characters without getting overly complex in either his descriptions or his plotting. I believe the following passage shows that.

"Don Luis," I said, "have I your permission to see Miss Drusilla?"

He arose. "Of course, señor. I fear if the privilege were denied that I should have another war, and one which I am much less suited to handle.

"We in New Mexico," he added, "have been closer to your people than our own. It is far to Mexico City, so our trade has been with you, our customs affected by yours. My family would disapprove of our ways, but on the frontier there is small time for formality."

Standing in the living room of the lovely old Spanish home, I felt stiff in my new clothes. Abilene [Kansas] had given me time to get used to them, but the awkwardness returned now that I was to see Drusilla again.

I could hear the click of her heels on the stone flags, and turned to face the door, my heart pounding, my mouth suddenly so dry I could scarcely swallow.

She paused in the doorway, looking at me. She was taller than I had remembered, and her eyes were larger. She was beautiful, too beautiful for a man like me.

"I thought you had forgotten us," she said, "you didn't answer my letter."

I shifted my hat in my hands. "It looked like I'd get here as fast as the letter, and I'm not much hand at writing."

An Indian woman came in with some coffee and some little cakes and we both sat down. Drusilla sat very erect in her chair, her hands in her lap, and I decided she was almost as embarrassed as I was.

"Ma'am, I never called on a girl before. I guess I'm almighty awkward."

Suddenly, she giggled. "And I never received a young man before," she said.

After that we didn't have much trouble. We both relaxed and I told her about our trip, about rounding up wild cattle and my fight with the Indians.

"You must be very brave."

Well, now, I liked her thinking that about me but fact is, I hadn't thought of much out there but keeping my head and tail down so's not to get shot and I recalled being in something of a sweat to get out of there.

I've nothing against a man being scared as long as he does what has to be done...being scared can keep a man from getting killed and often makes a better fighter of him.

We sat there in that cool, spacious room with its dark, massive furniture and tiled floors and I can tell you it was a wonderful friendly feeling. I'd never known a house like that before, andcit seemed very grand and very rich.

I like L'Amour competence with his description of place to make me feel like I am right there, and his easy way of making me empathize with his characters. As you say, SoulBiter, no highbrow writing here, yet still a skill in entertaining is quite evident.

[Cord Hurn]

Read a few of those books myself - quite often the 'Picadilly westerns', westerns written by UK authors who'd never set foot in the US, but simply wrote following the format of the genre.

Sounds like interesting reading, Peter! I figure if they can sound like they experienced the old Anerican West, whether they really did or not, is all that matters, as long as the stories have that right "flavor", so to speak (I guess if we are talking about "Picadilly westerns", then I have to spell it "flavour").

[Cord Hurn]

Of course, the fact that CH looks like he could have walked out of one of those stories doesn't help. 

Can't argue with that. I've lately ditched the handlebar mustache for a beard, but still have that western aura for the time being.

app.php/gallery/image/552/medium

[Avatar]

Hahaha, it was the moustache that did it.

It says I lack the authorization to read it.

Oh, sorry, it's in the "Writers Circle" forum which is one you need to join the group to see. I'll quote it here instead:

The book is Kiowa Trail by Louis L'Amour.

We came up the trail from Texas in the spring of '74, and bedded our herd on the short grass beyond the railroad. We cleaned our guns and washed our necks and dusted our hats for town, riding fifteen strong to the hitching rail and standing fifteen strong to the bar.

We were the Tumbling B from the rough country of the Big Bend, up the trail with three thousand head of longhorn steers, the first that spring, although the rivers ran bank-full and Comanches rode the war trail.

We had buried two hands south of the Red and one on the plains of the Nation. A fourth had died on Kansas grass, his flesh churned under a thousand tearing hoofs. Two men had fallen before Comanche rifles, but the Comanches sang their death songs in the light of a hollow moon, and the Kiowas mourned in their lodges for warriors who fell before the guns of the Tumbling B.

if they can sound like they experienced the old Anerican West, whether they really did or not, is all that matters, as long as the stories have that right "flavor", so to speak

JT Edson is one of those...I only discovered years later that he was an Englishman who lived in Leicestershire. Also damn good books, a touch more actiony than L'Amour, and more linear story-lines across multiple books, although each was effectively stand-alone, it was the same characters etc. (Or sets thereof at least.)

--A

[Cord Hurn]

Thank you, Avatar, for providing the L'Amour quote, which is pretty great, and also for the information about JT Edson. He sounds like another entertaining author.

[Avatar]

I've lately ditched the handlebar mustache for a beard, but still have that western aura for the time being.

Hahaha, I saw the pic, and you do indeed.

Yeah, I've always thought that opening few paragraphs was pretty poetic for a western...can hear the rhythm in it.

Read those L'Amour books mentioned above, and if you read Edson, start with The Ysabel Kid. Definitely worth it if you're a fan of classic westerns.

--A

[Cord Hurn]

I've lately ditched the handlebar mustache for a beard, but still have that western aura for the time being.

Hahaha, I saw the pic, and you do indeed.

Thank you. It was a pic taken in Tombstone, Arizona, a place with as much "American Old West" ambiance as just about anywhere you will find, in a place called Boot Hill Cemetery. I couldn't resist having a photo where I found the epitaph "Here lies Lester Moore, four slugs from a .44. No Les, no more."

Yeah, I've always thought that opening few paragraphs was pretty poetic for a western...can hear the rhythm in it.

It definitely does! I am quite impressed.

[Cord Hurn]

Now reading Under the Southern Cross by Claire McNab.