Top 5 Western Novels of All Time // Book Review
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- Опубликовано: 9 июл 2024
- Western novels are considered good by many people because they often feature interesting characters, thrilling plots, and captivating settings. They often tell stories of adventure, courage, and survival in the rugged frontier of the American West, which many find appealing and engaging. Additionally, the genre has a long history and a rich literary tradition, which has allowed for the development of many classic works that continue to be widely read and admired today.
In this video Rex Hooper goes through his top 5 Western novels. He talks through the reason he likes them and why they deserve a place on this list. He also gives some quotes from each of the books and tries to make an analysis of what each novel is about. For each novel Rex also talks about what kind of movie adaptation would be good for these novels.
01:03 - The Virginian by Owen Wister
03:42 - The Son by Philipp Meyer
06:29 - Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
08:59 - The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt
13:30 - Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
"The Virginian" is a novel written by Owen Wister and is widely regarded as one of the first works of American Western fiction. The novel was published in 1902 and is set in the Wyoming Territory in the late 19th century. It tells the story of a cowboy known simply as "The Virginian" who works as a ranch foreman on a large cattle ranch.
One of the key themes in the novel is the idea of the American frontier and what it means to be a cowboy in the West. The Virginian is depicted as a man of strong moral character and unwavering loyalty, who embodies the ideal of the rugged individualism and frontier spirit that was associated with the American West. Throughout the novel, Wister uses the character of the Virginian to explore larger questions about what it means to be a man, to have honor and integrity, and to be a part of the frontier community.
"The Son" is a novel by Philipp Meyer that was published in 2013. The novel is a multi-generational saga that spans over 150 years and follows the life of three generations of a Texas ranching family. The narrative moves between past and present, weaving together the family's history with the larger history of Texas and the American West.
One of the central themes in the novel is the idea of power and how it is acquired, maintained, and passed down through generations. The main character, Eli McCullough, is born in 1836 and is taken captive by the Comanches as a young boy. He learns the ways of the Comanche and eventually rises to become a powerful and successful rancher. Throughout the novel, Meyer examines the relationship between power, violence, and wealth and how these factors shape the lives of the characters and the world they live in.
"Lonesome Dove" is a novel by Larry McMurtry that was published in 1985. The novel is a classic work of Western fiction and is widely considered to be one of the greatest Western novels of all time. Set in the late 19th century, the novel follows the lives of two former Texas Rangers, Augustus "Gus" McCrae and Woodrow F. Call, as they embark on a cattle drive from Texas to Montana.
One of the key themes in "Lonesome Dove" is the idea of the American West as a place of both adventure and danger. Throughout the novel, the characters face many challenges and obstacles, from dangerous weather and hostile terrain to attacks from bandits and Indian tribes. Despite these obstacles, the characters remain determined to complete their journey and to claim their place in the West.
"The Sisters Brothers" is a novel by Patrick DeWitt that was published in 2011. The novel is a dark comedy set in the American West in the 1850s and follows the adventures of two notorious assassin brothers, Eli and Charlie Sisters. The novel is told from the perspective of Eli and is a character-driven story that explores the relationships between the two brothers, as well as their relationships with the people they encounter on their journey.
One of the central themes in "The Sisters Brothers" is the idea of violence and its effects on those who use it. DeWitt portrays the brothers as complex and flawed characters who struggle with their own morality and the impact that their actions have on others.
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Blood Meridian is somewhere between a Western and a nightmarish fever dream. All while managing to be absolutely gorgeous at the same time.
I’ve never before read a novel where the author makes violence both beautiful and unspeakably, disgustingly vile and repulsive at the same time.
I think a good comparison would be the movie “Come and See” -1985.
I have never agreed with a comment so much before. I think you are absolutely right and articulate here what I wish I had found the words to say myself. I really like "Come and See" but I think it may be one of the scariest movies I have ever seen. It isn't a horror movie and yet it has that power.
I read it and it is good.
The Lonesome Dove is my favorite western novel. But that might change since I haven't read the others you've mentioned. I'll check them out. Also, amazing presentation and content quality. I hope to see more of these videos. Cheers.
I’ve listened to Blood Meridian a dozen times, it gets deeper every time, so much depth that takes research on the novel to help dig it all out, and I’m still digging.
Bowdrie and Bowdrie’s Law by Louis L’Amour. The most badass Texas Ranger of the old west… raised by a Comanche tribe, survived 10 gunshot wounds… involved in thirty-three gunfights, and still the fastest gun in the west.
At least Read “Down The Long Hills”, by L’Amour. One of the best coming of age stories I’ve ever read!
You might want to rethink your list.
Thank you for the recommendations. I'll add these titles to my reading list and yeah I might have to remake this video once I've read more.
I described blood Meridian to a friend as the darkest most violent historical action thriller you’ve ever seen combined with a character study of some of the most evil men in American history
Idk why I adore that book so much… maybe because it’s so quintessentially American, and serves as a cautionary tale for where we can end up as a country if we lose our moral integrity
Easily top 3 faves of mine as well
Great content man
I love these words you seem to sum up a lot of what is so great about this book.
... "If".
Blood meridian is a twisted take on the New Testament, instead of a savior you have a judge, a sermon on the mound becomes a massacre on a volcano, etc. that neo biblical language is very poetic and is one of the greatest American novels and deconstructions of the American western of all times.
You did a great job laying these out! Very compelling.
Thank you kindly!
The Violent land, Wayne D Overhosler. Dare I say it’s better than lonesome dove. It has everything you want, romance, fight, faimly, etc. I really recommend it! Love the video cowboy!
Thank you for the recommendation it is now added to my list of books I am going to read!
I've always dreamed of attempting to write a great western with some Mexican flare. I grew up with so many western like stories told by my father and told by his father. Much of Mexico was still the wild west well into the mid 20th century, and in some way it still is.
BTW, 2 novels that aren't exactly westerns but have a western feel are 'the underdogs' by Mario Azuela and 'for whom the bell tolls' by Ernest Hemingway.
Thank you so much for the recommendations, I have added these two books to my list of things to read. I really think you should write these stories from your father and and grand father down. Western stories and tales of history are such a wonderful thing to read. Let me know when you've written them: I wanna hear these stories myself.
If you write it, I will read it. Let me know.
Basically the Mexican Revolution is the Wild West of Mexico
Solid video sir! Excited to stumble across your channel. Huge western fan by haven’t read a ton of the novels, so this list gives me a solid place to start!!
Interesting development for me recently: I read True Grit and even though I almost always like the book more than the movie, because I grew up on the movie and seen it probably 50+ times, the book actually just didn’t do it for me. I think if I’d read it first I would have liked it more, but because the order was reversed I just couldn’t let go of it - the Duke will always be the real Rooster in my heart lol 😂
Jusal Sackett by Louis L'Amour is my favorite novel I love all of the Sackett novels my introduction being the daybreakers I also Read western comics like pretty deadly which is a supernatural western and rotten, which is a zombie outbreak in the old west. Both are miniseries and easy to get.
Thanks so much for these recommendations. I will be sure to check out everything you've mentioned.
@@RexHooper1to add to these western comic suggestions I would Say the Sixth Gun by Colleen Bun and since you love Spaghetti westerns I would say Blueberry by Moebius :)
Jubal was what hooked me on westerns, grandpa had a L’Amoir collection that I burned through, and still have
This channel has the production value of one 100 times its size. I mean that. Subscribed!
Thank you kindly
Larry McMurtry was a big fan of books in general. He read a lot, collected rare books, and passed on his love of readings to anyone who would talk to him. I read all of his books when I was a teenager. I need to go back and read them again. He based Lonesome Dove loosely on the Story family -- who are a real family that moved from Texas to Montana.
Lonesome Dove got me through some tough times...
Same here
Great video. Glad to have happened upon your channel.
I don't really read westerns, I don't really read at all but this was very well done, I loved the tone you set for the video. I might just go and read some of these, especially the Blood Meridian.
Lonesome Dove - Larry McMurtry
The Time It Never Rained - Elmer Kelton
The Cowboy & The Cossack - Clair Huffaker
Red Sabbath - Lewis B. Patten
Then I'm caught in a toss-up between wanting to throw in another Kelton book (The Day The Cowboys Quit & Wagontongue are especially great), The Shootist by Glendon Swarthout, Shane by Jack Schaefer, Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy, Gone To Texas by Forrest Carter (basis for Outlaw Josey Wales), or Hondo by Louis L'Amour. Max Brand and Ray Hogan are also great, and even though it's trashy, the first Edge novel, The Loner, by George G. Gilman, is important because of what all it started. And I also want to put Posse From Hell by Clair Huffaker in there, just because it's so perfect.
Elmer Kelton is THE MAN. My favorite so far is THE GOOD OLD BOYS
Great music sir. I'd actually found your group on Spotify before I saw your videos here. I'd only read The Road by Cormac McCarthy which is a bleak apocalyptic classic. Gonna hit Blood Meridian soon. Does that guy ever write happy books?
I just finished Blood Meridian and really enjoyed it but I didn't find it that horrifyingly violent. I've got Lonesome Dove on the way and I've read Sisters Brothers and all of Elmore Leonard's westerns (he was great at whatever he wrote) but my favourite by far is The Shootist by Glendon Swarthout.
You are aware that Larry McMurtry wrote several other novels involving Gus MCrea and Woodrow Call? Chronologically the story starts with Dead Man's Walk, where Gus and Woodrow first join the Texas Rangers, and was turned into a miniseries starring Jonny Lee Miller as Woodrow and David Arquette as Gus. It fair to middling. Then comes Comanche Moon which was a great miniseries starring Steve Zahn as Gus and Karl Urban as Woodrow. Val Kilmer was fantastic in a guest starring role. There was of course a Lonesome Dove 2 which was made into series with much of the same cast as the original. Later in Woodrow's life is a book called Streets of Laredo which was made into a movie with James Garner as Woodrow.
Wow, I had no idea. I actually just finished reading Dead Man's Walk. It's awesome. I will try to watch all of these adaptations if I can. Thanks for the tip!
I read the life of Tom horn in middle school , it changed me.
'Riders of The Purple Sage' by Zane Grey is an amazing story as well👍
I have not read this one but will be doing so after your recommendation. Thank you!
Was there a followup book, New Riders of the Purple Sage?
There’s an album from the 70’s, called New Riders of the Purple Sage, I somewhat remember listening to, as well.
Yes there was, it was called 'The Rainbow Trail' published in 1915👍
@CorbCorbin Ur right. There's a band founded by Jerry Garcia called new riders of the Purple Sage that often opened for the dead and had their own following.
It's like jam band outlaw country. I'm a fan myself
@@gabemoore3189 thanks for sharing this band. Really cool!
I listened to the audiobook for The Sisters Brothers right after the audiobook for Lonesome Dove and The Sisters Brothers just couldn’t come close to how good Lonesome Dove is. Maybe doing it that way warped my view but I really just thought TSB was all right, a 3/5. I would definitely rank Lonesome Dove higher, personally. But that’s just me. Great video!
Good list! I’d put Shane in there, maybe Warlock. The Son, huh? Will check it out.
great video, thank you
Thank YOU for the positive comment!
We had many Western "dime novels" in the late 1800, so the Virginian can't be the first Western novel.
My concern with adapting Blood Meridian is (my favorite parts of the book) are so much of this languid, meditative suffering through the desert where nothing happens
And that the adaptation would be just blood and not much a western
Great comment. I think film can be really good at creating atmosphere. It's more present in older movies but it's still possible to create a sense of languid, meditative suffering through sound and visuals in a different way from how it can be created in words.
Brazos Keene is one of my favorite fictional cowboys, along side McCrae. Keene was created by Zane Grey and is featured in 'Twin Sombreros' and 'Knights of the Range'.
'Lonesome Dove' and 'Comanche Moon' are fantastic, that's for sure.
I thought 'The Son' was adapted on AMC with Pierce Bronsan. I could be wrong.
Great reads all. Good video.
Edit: all the Lonesome Dove books are worth reading at least once. But you will probably want to read them twice.
Deadwood, The Shootist, The Searchers, The Hell Bent Kid, No Country For Old Men, The Revenant and Butchers Crossing are some more topnotch westerns.
Great choices!
True Grit by Charles Portis, The Track of the Cat by Walter Van Tilburg, and The Power of the Dog by Thomas Savage
Little surprised you didn't include anything by Louis L'Amour or Elmer Kelton. Anyway I highly recommend THE GOOD OLD BOYS by Kelton Also you should read some of the western stories by Robert E Howard, he creator of Conan the Barbarian
Thank you for the recommendations!
If you haven't read The Oz-Bow Incident, you aught to soon. Its not just a great western, its one of the greatest nivels ever written. And that opinion comes from a realatively well-read mind.
I really do need to read the novel. The movie is one of my favourite westerns (I even made a video about it).
@@RexHooper1 The only thing I'll say is that the novel has a scene in the end that really brings the consequences to bear on the soul, and the movie selled it short imo.
Smonk by Tom Franklin ... "It was as still as the inside of a stone..." total movie potential, more so than The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,,, thanks for the reviews
I haven't read the other four, but I loved Lonesome Dove, so I'm inclined to take your word for it. I'll definitely give the others a read, except maybe Blood Meridian. I read The Road, and it was so dark I just couldn't enjoy it at all. Wonder if the western would be the same for me. . .
I love Blood Meridian but it definitely is not for everyone. My wife has tried many times to read it but givers up for the reason you've said: it's too dark. But I would still recommend it to anyone interested in books and westerns to make their own mind up about it.
You forgot to add Broke Back Mountain by Annie Proulx, nuff said.
What about the sudden series by Oliver strange
I've not read these. Do you have a good recommendation of where to start?
I've got the novelisation of Sabata on a shelf here, and I'm shocked it never made the shortlist! OK, well maybe not...
A man of discerning taste.
Sorry but my eye usually spots spelling errors. Lonesome is spelled wrong at 6:30
Huge Western fan in cinema,comics and novels… Have to say I read Blood Meridian recently and sad to say was one of the worst Books I have ever read seriously lol but absolutely loved True Grit,all the Louis Lamour books and Elmore Leonard westerns, I aim to read Lonesome Dove sometime this month, here’s one question do you aim to read the other 3 books in the LD series?
You ever get around to reading lonesome dove?
@@potatopower2144 oh yes read it a few mo the ago and it not only became my book of the year so far, damn likely to be my favorite book of all time…aim to read the other 3 books sometime in the future..
@@irishknight6893Did you ever read any of the other three?
@@Ludwig1970 yes I read Lonesome Dove last year and it became my favorite book of all time! Aim to read Streets of Laredo sometime soon this year :)
Great video there partner
Thank you kindly!
Try reading, "A Texas Ranger" by Napoleon Augustus Jennings...it talks about life on the Southern Frontier and how a man and a small detachment of Texas Rangers helped to quell the violence on.the lawless Southern border.
Sounds great! Thank you for the recommendation.
I'm not too big into William W Johnstone once JA Johnstone took over the majority of weiting duties, but their *Have Brides, Will Travel* series (side story to *The Sidewinders* novels).
Thanks for the recommendation.
Blood Meridian is the best of the lot. I've read it eight times.
I haven’t read Blood Meridian, but it sounds like it would’ve made a good Sam Peckinpah movie.
Totally agree!
How’d you get your channel name?
Long story 😅
Travels of Jamie McPheeters and Shane were 2 of the best westerns Ive read !
Thanks for the recommendation.
I liked Blood Meridian but it made me wince from the violence and sadism. I only wish he had used more punctuation in his prose.
Wasn’t “The Son” adapted for a TV series?
Try this: "The Hues of Requital". 1200 pages. (Heya Rex. Please delete this posting if that is inappropriate for you site)(Liked and subscribed)
The last of the dwanes by Zane gray
Bill Pullman did the virginian damn well
Csn you recommend a book with a story like Red Dead Redemltion 2.
Sisters Brothers really gave me RDR2 vibes. I even think of the main character as basically Arthur.
@@RexHooper1 Thanks man! Others say lonesome dove. But what I'm trying to find is a story in where the main character tries hard to be a good fella but the society prevents him kinda stuff. Hopefully the Sisters brother has that.
I recommend The Winter Family
Thank you kindly for the tip! I'll be sure to check it out.
Nevada by Zane Grey is an amazing read
Great great review 💯 thanks
Thank YOU for the positive comment!
True Grit was awesome. Last book I read before I got out of jail.
I'd like to give an honorable mention to Hard Money, by Luke Short.
Thanks for the recommendation.
Any list of the top five western novels that does not include "The Ox-Bow Incident" is pretty suspect.
I absolutely love the movie but have not read the book. I think after this comment I really need to seek it out. Thanks for the tip!
Heart of the Country by Greg Matthews!
Thank you for the recommendation.
Oliver strange sudden series!
My favourite is the edge books by George g Gilman
Not heard of this before, thank you for bringing it to me. I'll definitely be checking it out.
No Louis L'Amour? This list is incomplete!
No Louis L’Amour? The Daybreakers would be best to start
The untamed by Zane gray
To Tame A Land
Shane
I liked Shane.
Your awesome
Thank you kindly
Shane is a great story
I love it too. A really great story.
I still have no idea what it's about but my dad would watch it EVERY SINGLE TIME it came on TV.
Best Novel is Blood Meridian for sure. Beware..... read other novels first or they get paled into the background!
where’s true grit ????
I know! It's so hard to pin down 5, there are so many greats.
Good try. The best western novel is Warlock by Oakley Hall. Better than LD. Better than True Grit. Better than Little Big Man. A good deal better than Blood Meridian. All the Pretty Horses is where it’s at for McCarthy, not BM.
20 min video and no chaptering? I'm out.
I watched every minute all the way through and enjoyed every bit of it.
Very weird way of talking, long pauses and the words splushed very fast and mostly wrong. Too bad for the good subject and that I had the video recommended for 3 days by youtube.
Thank you
The "stealing land" lie ... again. No land was "stolen." It was fought over. Your ancestors died by the thousands fighting for it. You greatly dishonor and insult their memory by stating that it was "stolen."
SHANE by jack shaefer. incredible book and western.
Great choice!