The Collected Short Stories of Louis L'Amour, Volume 7

The Collected Short Stories of Louis L'Amour #7

by Louis L'Amour

Louis L'Amour is the only American-born novelist in history to receive both the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. He published ninety novels, thirty short-story collections, two works of nonfiction, a memoir, Education of a Wandering Man, and a volume of poetry, Smoke from This Altar. There are more than 300 million copies of his books in print. "From the Hardcover edition."

Genres: Westerns, Short Stories, Fiction

448 pages, ebook

First published October 27, 2009

About the author

Louis Dearborn L'Amour was an American novelist and short story writer. His books consisted primarily of Western novels, though he called his work "frontier stories". His most widely known Western fiction works include Last of the Breed, Hondo, Shalako, and the Sackett series. L'Amour also wrote historical fiction (The Walking Drum), science fiction (The Haunted Mesa), non-fiction (Frontier), and poetry and short-story collections. Many of his stories were made into films. His books remain popular and most have gone through multiple printings. At the time of his death, almost all of his 105 existing works (89 novels, 14 short-story collections, and two full-length works of nonfiction) were still in print, and he was "one of the world's most popular writers".

Reviews

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Years ago, I read through the hardcover copy of this book and enjoyed the collection of frontier stories that told a variety of western fiction plots from wagon train survivors, tracking a western-style serial killer, to saving a some homesteaders.

This time around, I picked up the audio version narrated by the talented narrator, Jason Culp, a favorite vocal artist who gets the many voices and story told so well.

I knew that based on the total listening time, this couldn't be the full collection that came in the hard copy and it wasn't. It did have six of the stories.

Listed here:
West is Where the Heart Is tells of a man who set off to buy stock for his homestead and ended up fighting in the Civil War for four years before coming home to his wife who he is confident will be waiting. He gets ambushed and loses his stock, but comes upon a massacred wagon train with one little girl survivor.

A Man Named Utah has Utah Blaine brought to town to track a cunning killer who thought he would get away with thirteen murders all so he could accumulate a money stash and head back east. He's not as cunning as he thinks he is and Utah gets on his trail.

Bluff Creek Station stars a dying station master who will stay alive long enough to warn the incoming stage that they are rolling into a trap. Little does he know that the wife who abandoned him gave birth to a son who is on that stage coach.

Mistakes Can Kill You sees young Johnny headed into town to bring home his adopted family's wastrel son who is getting fleeced by the local bad element after he sold the family's extra stock. Johnny may be young, but he's good and he needs to be when its three to one odds and him with just the one gun.

Murphy Plays His Hand finds a man trapped in the bottom of a deep small valley when a landslide blocked his route out. He got the gold he'd been prospecting to help buy the ranch for his wife and son, but now his rescue is a band of outlaws who know what he carries in his sack. Murphy has no intentions of sharing.

Trail to Squaw Spring has a cranky cowhand drifting into town where he plans to file on his own land to make his start with a small ranch. It's miserable rainy weather and the boss only gave him so long to get his land filed on. Watching an old man and pretty young woman getting bullied by the local corrupt lawman sticks in his craw and he decides to deal himself in.

All the stories were fabulous entertainment and the west came to life. Loved Jason Culp's rendition of men, women, old and young with a match for the tone of the stories. Definitely recommend.

[hotsake (André Troesch) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm glad I read this final volume but a little sad that I've finished all of L'amour's short stories.

[John Bruni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent collection from L'Amour. Every time I start one of these I hope for the best, and every time I finish one of these I know I got the best, so I have no idea why I continue to hope at the beginning. I should just take it for granted.

This time around I couldn't help but notice that a lot of his villains could easily be put into today's political landscape with very little editing. They're blowhards who chomp at the bit to scream FAKE NEWS! whenever confronted with evidence of their misdeeds. Interesting.

In this one he also has a small town sheriff going up against a serial killer, which I thought was odd. Except not too long ago I read a Gunsmoke book about Matt Dillon doing that very thing. I wonder if Joseph West found inspiration in L'Amour's work. I'll bet he did.

My favorite story is probably "Merrano of the Dry Country," in which a half-Mexican cowboy is harassed by a bunch of white guys who find it impossible that he's got a fruitful and fecund farm when everyone else is stuck with Dust Bowl type conditions. Unlike many writers of his time and subject, L'Amour did pretty damned good when it came to race. It might have something to do with the fact that he was briefly a member of the Communist party in his youth. That's right, America's #1 storyteller was a Commie for a while, and I think it made him a little more human as a result.

There's also a cycle of stories in here about Ward McQueen and the Tumbling K ranch. These stories feel a little bit like Rawhide, which made me very happy. McQueen is a good example of a L'Amour hero because, while he's capable, he's not a superman. More often than not he gets shot nearly as badly as the bad guys. But what I really find interesting is the last two stories of the cycle: they're about Kim Sartain, the "segundo" of the Tumbling K!

I think this is the last L'Amour collection I have. If so, it's a shame. His short stories never fail to entertain me.

[Harron68 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a hard to review book. Much like any genre considered less than high tone lit, formula books are too often downgraded. For anyone with an addiction to an author or genre, sci-fi, romance, horror, etc) it's more of a need to have the stories satisfy than to deeply challenge and enlighten.
The L'Amour shorts are deeper than they're given credit for. They give elements of history to the writing, something we all should know more about. Yes, they are repetitive in pattern, much the same as theater, where characters are not so much real as symbolic. This volume is all of western stories, probably his strongest settings. Tho this volume lacks what I believe are the strongest, most suspenseful (the "Bowdrie" shorts), these have a nice variability. Does the good guy always win? Yes. Is there a pretty girl to be won? Most of the time. And yet, the stories give the libertarian vision of the days long past, when Libertarian "self-sufficiency" was necessary. We've evolved from those times, our independence curbed, and society's concerns taking precedence, but reliving harder times long past when violence erupted, can be pleasurable. The mystery aspects of the stories are diminished due to the lengths, but still add a measure of interest.

[Justin Reeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic Louis L'Amour! Each story starts with a bang, gallops quickly, and ends with an exciting if predictable ending! Westerns are excellent at descriptions and L'Amour's ability to handle the move from environmental descriptions to fighting seamlessly is remarkable. Louis is famous for doing copious amounts of research and it shows! Would highly recommend to any fans of Westerns as well as those into analyzing human nature!!

[Barbara Lee Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

RIDING THE HI-LINE

Great stories that you will enjoy immensely. I haven't come across any western adventures or any of Louis L'Amour's writings. These happen to be quick reading novellas with your basic fast draw and no nonsense shootist or your bad boy whose made a name for themselves as bully boys
make a name shooting ranchers or cowboys who are no where have the gun speed.
Characters are also great and you'll get to know their backgrounds as you complete these novellas.

[Aaron Shives · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never disappointed

Louis L'amour doesn't disappoint the reader with this collection of short stories. Having read all seven short story books, this may be the best one yet. I never tire of his descriptive words describing the country, the people and the action/plot. Only he can let you lose yourself in reading, realizing that you just read for an hour, thinking it was only 5 minutes. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

[Jerome Pariseau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic L'Amour

Every story was a treat. Great bed time reading made for many restful night's sleep. Highly recommend this collection. Enjoy!

[Craig Schlossin · Rating 4 out of 5]

At his best.

[Jonathan Jerden · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 of his best short stories in Riders of the Dawn, Riders of the Hogback, & The Trail to Crazy Man.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, as always!

[Caleb Welch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good stories, just wish there were more variety. Got a bit repetitive reading them all in one sitting.

[Oleta Blaylock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really love reading anything by Mr. L'Amour. He is a wonderful storyteller and it is very sad that there will be no new books from him. I love these short stories. Quick little stories about the men and women that settled the West. I particularly like the Wade McQueen stories. I would have loved to read more about him and Kim Sartain. There was also a story about Utah Blaine. I am going to have to go find a copy of his book in my library. I think I would really enjoy. If you want a book full of quick well written short stories for this quarantine this is definitely the book for you. Well any of the Short Story Collections would be a great way to spend your time in confinement.

[Sara Gallegos]

I love the Louis L'amour books! I grew up reading them and they are a best friend that I always love to visit again. The short stories are a blessing when time is limited and it's great to be able to "finish" a story in the little time I get to read. I have read these so many times, that it's fun to find missing people or missed connections in the short stories.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining, as always.

[Shanna_redwind · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading Louis L'amour and these short stories were no exception. His character creation is wonderful and the stories were a delight to read.

[Heinz Park]

Always enjoyed Louis novels but the short stories where new to me but enjoyed every page of it and one can always count on the law abiding cowboy to get the good looking Ranch girl.