THE COWBOYS

by William Dale Jennings

Libro usado en buenas condiciones, por su antiguedad podria contener señales normales de uso

Genres: Westerns, Fiction, Historical Fiction

242 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1971

Reviews

[Lisa Scovill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly researched, compelling, and well crafted. I read this on a whim after I bought it at a used book sale, and wondered how I'd ever missed this as a cowboy and horse loving kid. Far more complex than the wonderful John Wayne movie.

[Chris Wray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this coming-of-age tale, and I couldn't picture anyone other than John Wayne when reading about Wil Anderson, the hard-bitten ranch owner and main protagonist. He was by far the most developed and interesting character in the book and is haunted by the death of his two sons, tormented by the question of whether he could or should have done things differently in raising them. He is also weighed down by the responsibility of getting his herd to market, a journey that will either make or break his business.

The first two-thirds of the novel are a fairly standard western adventure as our band of wannabe cowboys learn from Wil and from the experience of being on a cattle drive, and start to grow up. Once the rustlers show up, however, things go in a decidedly Southern Gothic direction, and the last third has a very different tone than what has gone before. To my mind, this was a change for the better, as the story was at risk of petering out with not much of interest having happened. By the end, I wouldn't be surprised to see one or two of the boys turning up in a Cormac McCarthy novel as their boyish innocence is lost forever. The Cowboys is a great movie, but this is better.

[Edward Erdelac · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little slow going at first, but the details of preparing for and executing a cattle drive from Montana to South Dakota make a solid foundation for the stark violence that ensues. The characters are all well realized enough that I didn't have a problem with telling all the boys apart, and the central character Wil's angst over what he sees as his failure to raise his own sons right surely made him breathe on the page, and complimented his relations with the boys as well. I think it picked up a great deal when the rustlers showed up. I don't really recall the movie with the Duke enough to say how it translates, but this did make me wanna watch it again.

[Eydie Montana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book as soon as I read the first page. It captured me and wouldn’t let me go. I have seen the movie about 40 times I guess, having watched it over and over since I was a child. As great as that John Wayne movie was the book is so much incredibly better. I think the movie needs to be remade following the book faithfully. It’s so simply and easily written in a style that maybe isn’t around anymore. It’s so good I didn’t want it to end. I laughed and I cried while reading this book and took me on an adventure, a great escape. This is what a great book should do. It might be hard to find but try to find it because it is a can’t miss linda book.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you watched The Cowboys with John Wayne than you will love the book. I was engrossed. Couldn't put it down. Through smiles, tears, and laughter this book lives up to the Duke's call.
Follow a group of young school boys as they learn the hardships of life by way of a cattle run, and a hardened cowboy determined to get his cattle sold.
Like I said, if you liked the movie than you will love the book.

[Hugh's BigBookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gantastic yarn about life as a cowboy. Life is tough, gritty and rough, full of good men, bad men, and boy's who become men and must make the choice over which side of the spectrum they want to stand. Fantastic book, fully worthy of the awesome but far inferior film adaption. A Great Summer read and it's sad that Mr. Jennings did not write more western fiction.

[Nate Hendrix · Rating 5 out of 5]

A familiar story. We watched one of my favorite John Wayne movies with Evie and discovered it was based on a book. I'm certain I first saw this movie and my Grandma and Grandpa's house while they played bridge with my parents. I was around the same age as the kids in the movie and needless to say it made a big impression on me. Anyway, the novel is excellent, full of detail and amazing characters. Read it for the language alone. I was looking forward to reading other books by the author, but this is his only western. One of his other books looks interesting, but I have no real urge to read a retelling of an ancient Buddhist tale. I was surprised by the author's biography. It was not what I expected from the author of a western novel. Jennings was an interesting guy, you should look him up.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

A coming of age story set in 1877 in the Montana-Wyoming cattle country. Wil Anderson agrees to use a ragtag group of school boys to help him drive his cattle 400 miles to Belle Fourche. Before the drive is over the collective group grow and develop from boys into young men in this rugged tale of what it takes to earn respect, and develop individual character, and see a job through to the end.

[J Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book from high school that I decided to revisit. A wonderful and adventurous story about the power of friendship and love. Both funny and poignant, you’ll easily fall in love with all the boys and root for them every step of the way. I would suggest reading over the western definitions and history provided in the back of the book first.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was made into one of my favorite western movies. Even though the movie is pretty violent - Bruce Dern's performance is particularly disturbing - it doesn't come close to the bloodiness of the book. I definitely would say the movie is better 😉

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was very good and I've seen the movie before reading the book.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

A much needed escape to a Western.

[Chris Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book. Great characters and story, expertly written. I highly recommend this book.

[Kerry Booth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can definitely see why they changed certain details for the movie.

[Mike Geraghty · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book took a min for me to get on board with but it never stopped ramping up and had a rather poetic ending. By the end of this book I was fully on board and impressed. I loved it!

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, along with The Cowboy and the Cossack were both recommended to me by my grandfather. It's the story of a cattle rancher who's cowboys all leave to search for gold and hires all the school boys in the town to herd his cattle 800 miles to market. In this story, the author conveys the gruff, unrelenting way the rancher trains the boys, along with the pain of seeing one or two die.

This novel was also adapted into a movie starring John Wayne and Roscoe Lee Brown back in 1971. As always, the book is better than the movie, for you get a much better understanding of the characters, their thought process and feelings.

[Dirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

According to Wikipedia, Jennings wrote this book based on a film treatment he had sold, which was made into a movie with the same name, starring John Wayne. That happens to be one of my favorite movies, I’ve watched it many times and the book follows the movie pretty closely (or vice versa).

Also on wikipedia it says the book “caused a lot of controversy among publishers due to its glimmers of homoeroticism”. I’d say those few glimmers are the main things that pop out as not being in the movie. And they aren’t major things, just glimmers, like the article says.

If you are a big fan of the movie, you’ll probably enjoy reading the book too.

[Doug · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the difinative novel about a cattle drive. The vocabulary is dead on and Jenning's research is thorough. This is a must read for any old west fan. Of course it was made into a great John Wayne flick.

[Barbara Brien · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember being practically scarred by the end of this book. However, it was so long ago I read it that I can't trust my memories of it.

[Julie Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book over and over and over again when I was a kid.

[Y Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

a western by one of my favorite authors. One that I will read again.