Wild Freedom: Two Classic Westerns

National Bureau of Economic Research. General Series #63

by Max Brand

• Two westerns by American author Max Brand are in this Kindle ebook: Wild Freedom and The Long, Long Trail

Wild Freedom (1922)
An old-style cowboy and Indian tale involving Tom, an animal lover, and his romance with Gloria.

The Long, Long Trail (1922)
Jess is a gunslinger, an outlaw on the run trying to elude the sheriff. When a woman enters his life, he reconsiders his future.

About The Author
Seattle-born Frederick Schiller Faust (1892 –1944) was a western author who wrote under pen names including Max Brand. He grew up working on a ranch in California's San Joaquin Valley. His books inspired Hollywood films and he created popular characters including Dr. Kildare.

Genres: Economics, Westerns, Business, Philosophy, Fiction, Politics

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1922

About the author

Frederick Schiller Faust (see also Frederick Faust), aka Frank Austin, George Owen Baxter, Walter C. Butler, George Challis, Evin Evan, Evan Evans, Frederick Faust, John Frederick, Frederick Frost, David Manning, Peter Henry Morland, Lee Bolt, Peter Dawson, Martin Dexter, Dennis Lawson, M.B., Hugh Owen, Nicholas Silver

Max Brand, one of America's most popular and prolific novelists and author of such enduring works as Destry Rides Again and the Doctor Kildare stories, died on the Italian front in 1944.

Reviews

[elise rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very fun and interesting read.

[Frederick Hammill · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author clearly isn’t qualified to write on this topic. Also, I’d advise Christians to NOT real this book. A dark spiritual aura for sure..

[Bobby · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Wild Freedom" (1922) is an exciting survival adventure about a young boy fending for himself in the wilderness, reminiscent of Jack London, "The Jungle Book", and "The Revenant".

"The Long, Long Trail" (1922) is an engrossing and romantic story of family feuds and outlaws seeking redemption. Much like Zane Grey, but Brand is better at characterization and a little less creaky for modern readers.

Both novels are excellent (4 stars) for their genre until their (1 or 2-star) endings, where they suffer from Brand's inability to create satisfying or well-timed endings to serve the stories. But don't let it stop you from reading these.

[Scott Schmidt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one. Wasn't the generic "town" Western the blurb made it sound like it. The first quarter of the book, Tom Parks' "origin" had strong "Hatchet" vibes, wouldn't be surprised if Gary Paulsen had read this in his youth. Ending was a bit weird if there was never a follow-up, almost like the villain prevailed.

[JJ Tee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read- love the authors ability to describe animal behaviors as well as the detailed work it took to build shelter find food and survive in the wild. I enjoyed reading the book though the end did feel a bit rushed.

[Jessica DeWitt · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I could, I would probably give this a 2.5, but a 2 will suffice. Wild Freedom has all of the stereotypical themes of any mass-produced Western novel: rugged individualism, savage Indian stereotypes, lawlessness, wilderness, etc. The story as a whole is just too predictable and the characters too one-dimensional. It had elements that could have made it good, but they fell short. I enjoyed the beginning of the book, when it is just Tom and the animals, much more than the second-half. I spent most the second-half of the book just being annoyed. I found many scenes uncomfortable because I knew something bad was about to happen. I couldn't stand that Brand insisted on Tom referring to his animal pals as "dumb animals," something that an animal lover such as Tom would most certainly not do. The ending pissed me off as well, boo to Tom leaving Jerry behind to go to the East in hopes of one day landing Gloria. Maybe I disliked this book more than I thought...scratch that 2.5 comment, this is a solid two.

My favorite racist quote: "What he turned out to be was white all the way through. No growling or snarling. He talked man and he acted man all the way." Because Native Americans aren't men...palm to face.

[Barbara Lee Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEAR AND ME

Father and son traveling to find a better life. Father disappeared, possibly slipped and drown in the Turnbull River. Rescues a mother bear from a cave in, feeds and gives her and her cubs. Took care of himself while living a cave. You need to read this about the life he led in the woods. Interesting action you can sense the enjoyment he felt while accepting his fate...