One more classic...

I inherited a box of Westerns from my dad last year; books written by Louis L'Amour, Dan Parkinson, Zane Grey, Elmore Kelton, and Luke Short. There's something about the honesty of these independent cowboys, with their codes of honor and their willingness to fight for what's right, that I find appealing in Western fiction. (Plus, the good guys always win!)

So, when I was looking for a book to read for my "classic from a place you've lived" for Karen's Back to the Classics Challenge, I chose Sunset Graze by Luke Short because it's set in the western United States, which is where I live, and also because I've never read a Luke Short novel before and wanted to give one a try. This one was published in 1942. It's an action-packed and entertaining read with some great characters. I really enjoyed it. Here are a few excerpts to show you what I mean:

Dave came shakily to his knees, hurriedly shucking the empties out of his gun and slipping in new cartridges from his belt. ... they were out to get him, and it was merely a matter of time. It had begun with a question asked idly at the far edge of the desert, and it had trapped him in a wagon shed on a high-country ranch, and still he did not know the answer to the question of how Tip Macy had died. The irony of it brought a cold anger to his eyes...

Beth hesitated before she said, almost defiantly, "I don't believe you shot at Ed Seegrist." She went out, and Dave put both hands on the timbers and watched her go. Afterward he turned back to his bunk and sat down, and he was smiling. He thought he understood now why Ives wanted to help Beth Hilliard. There was something so feminine and honest in the way she'd said this that Dave felt a contrary and unaccountable liking for her. He'd baited her, half in contempt, and she'd risen to this bait. But there was something so clearheaded and forthright about her that she'd ignored it and spoken the truth, though it favored him. 

Ives watched him go, and when he was gone Ives tried to recall what Dave had said that made him believe the plan was possible. He couldn't recall one concrete fact; there was nothing, except a kind of calm, dogged insistence that he could dodge a bunch of angry men under an implacable sheriff to talk with a girl who had every reason in the world to despise him.

 Happy Reading!

Similar read:
Those Jensen Boys! by William W. Johnstone

A fun read...

What is it about Westerns?  William W. Johnstone says, "The Western is one of the few true art forms that is one hundred percent American. I liken the Western as America's version of England's Arthurian legends, like the Knights of the Round Table, or Robin Hood and his Merry Men ... it has helped to shape the cultural landscape of America." Most importantly, "the Western is honest. In this great country, which is suffering under the yolk of political correctness, the Western harks back to an era when justice was sure and swift. Steal a man's horse, rustle his cattle, rob a bank, a stagecoach, or a train, you were hunted down and fitted with a hangman's noose. One size fits all."

What I like best about Westerns are the men. The men in Westerns are men of rugged individualism and character. They're strong, and decent, and not afraid to stand up for what's right. Despite their flaws and imperfections, they're heroes. And they sometimes make me wish more real men were like them.

In Those Jensen Boys! the heroes are Ace and Chance Jensen, twin brothers who are quick with a joke, quick with a gun, and even quicker to take up a cause. So when Brian Corcoran and his two lovely (and feisty!) daughters, Bess and Emily, need help against ruthless mine owner, Sam Eagleton, and his hired guns, Ace and Chance Jensen are quick to step into the fray. They may be outnumbered and outgunned, but they won't go down without a fight. This Western has everything a good Western should:  a saloon brawl, a poker game, an ambush, a stagecoach crash, several fist fights, and a final showdown with a hardened gunfighter. Ace and Chance even get to kiss the girls.

This is a fun read. It has action and humor. Bess and Emily are smart and tough and almost as good with a shotgun as Ace and Chance. And the good guys win. The two Jensen brothers reminded me a lot of Louis L'Amour's Sackett clan (though L'Amour does it a little better). I look forward to having more adventures with Those Jensen Boys! 

Happy Reading!