Great Short Novels of the American West

by Don Ward (Editor), Stephen Crane, Eugene Manlove Rhodes

Four short novels of Western genre.

221 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1962

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went to my bookshelf last week to find a book and came across this gem. I don't know when or from where I got it, perhaps from my mother. She passed away nearly 8 years ago, so that shows you how long a book can sit on my shelf and it also shows you that my intentions are to eventually read those books. This is the compilation of four western American short novels by four authors and an introduction by Don Ward. Mr. Ward honestly discusses the simplicity and the general lack of respect that many western authors have received, but he believes that there are works of western literature that deserve more respect. This book seems to be his effort to prove his point. I believe he succeeds through the choices he makes for this anothology.

The first and second stories, Pasó por Aquí by Eugene Manlove Rhodes and The Rawhide by Stewart Edward White take place in the deserts of New Mexico and Arizona, respectively. These are stories that describe both the beauty and the harshness of desert life and the men and women living there. They are both beautifully written. I don't love the desert, but through White I could visualize the beauty of Buck Johnson's surroundings.

Stephen Crane, author of The Red Badge of Courage, wrote the third story, The Blue Hotel which takes place in Nebraska. It's an odd story mindful of the Fantastic literature that I have read in Hispanic literature, leaving me a bit creeped out, but it has an interesting moral at the end. I won't give that away, but it makes one think.

Finally, the fourth story is written by Jack Schaefer, best known for his novel later made into a movie, Shane. The Kean Land is, by far, my favorite of the short novels in Mr. Ward's collection. This one takes place in Colorado. Through the eyes of an old man, the reader sees the life of the old west and how times begin to change as the railroad comes through. I couldn't put it down.

I highly recommend these stories if you can get your hands on them. My book was published in 1962 and wasn't listed anywhere on Goodreads. Perhaps you can find them in these other publications:

Pasó por Aquí is published in the Best Novels and Stories of Eugene Manlove Rhodes (1949)
The Rawhide is in Arizona Nights
The Blue Hotel is included in The Monster (1899)
The Kean Land was first published in Collier's magazine in 1956

Good luck!