Recommend me a western

[gsxrblue]

In all my years of reading I've not read a western so I'm going to pop into the library for a look at the old fashioned and rather under whelming western section.

To help me beforehand can anyone recommend a good modern character or series to start with.

[Pobolycwm]

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurty, its the third in a series of four books, but they all stand on their own legs, Lonesome Dove is the best and well worth the effort. Some tremendous characters in it.
The only criticism I`d make is the books tend to have some amazing coincidences of paths crossing, that would be unlikely in Rutland let alone Texas, but without the coincidences there would be an awful lot of wandering about in the wilderness!

[gsxrblue]

Thanks for that

will source a copy and have a read

[BobToc]

I really liked The Son.

[andyxxx]

Lonesome Dove – my fave book

I hope you get loads of recommends as I enjoy a good western,
I enjoyed this: Gone To Texas & The Vengeance Trail Of Josey Wales

[smithyithy]

I've almost finished Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy which has been excellent and is highly regarded. I haven't read much if any western myself either (although my sister bought me his trilogy for Christmas so I guess I'll be reading a lot more!) so I don't have much basis of comparison.. I have read other Cormac books though so I imagine it's more 'his' style rather than specifically 'western genre' - if that makes sense?

E.g. without going into spoilers, there's not exactly a huge amount in terms of character development and deep plots, but something about the way it's written is so engrossing. And it's pretty damn violent

[Cloudy147]

I really enjoyed the book “Flint” by Louis L’amour.

That was my first western book, which my dad recommended to me, and I went on to read several more. This thread has reminded me that I need to read a few more.

[coppice]

Postcards by Annie Proulx. Not a conventional Western but a wonderful story, beautifully written

[gsxrblue]

Well, for one reason and another I've just finished Lonesome Dove

Thoroughly enjoyed it and as it came as a box set I've started one of the others

[DoubleSix]

The best Western (and some might argue the best novel) is True Grit by Charles Portis.

[Pobolycwm]

gsxrblue said:

Well, for one reason and another I've just finished Lonesome Dove

Thoroughly enjoyed it and as it came as a box set I've started one of the others

Glad you got there, not a book that needs rushing, I`d recommend reading the next three in chronological story ( not written / published ) order.

Lorena Wood "Sporting girl".....get shot writing that nowadays

[MC Bodge]

DoubleSix said:

The best Western (and some might argue the best novel) is True Grit by Charles Portis.

Yes, that is a good book

[MC Bodge]

gsxrblue said:

Well, for one reason and another I've just finished Lonesome Dove

Thoroughly enjoyed it and as it came as a box set I've started one of the others

Lonesome Dove should be compulsory reading.

The rest of the series are not as good, but are worth reading.

Read "Bury my heart at wounded knee" too for a non-fiction account of the appalling way that the native Americans were treated by the US government.

[jules_s]

Blazing Saddles is on at the mo

[shirt]

The sisters brothers by Patrick dewitt

Definitely a fresh take on the genre. Great narrative and is quite the black comedy.

It was adapted into a film with John c Reilly, Joaquin phoenix, Jake gylenhaal and Riz ahmed. The film
Is good but the book is better.

[speedy_thrills]

Pobolycwm said:

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurty

Yeah, I read it recently and really enjoyed it.

Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy also.