The Trading Post and Other Frontier Stories

by Michael Zimmer (Editor)

The Trading Post and Other Frontier Stories , edited by Hazel Rumney, features fourteen brand-new stories that will delight historical fiction fans. These stories capture the spirit of freedom and individualism in the evolving American frontier through the early 1900s and feature exciting new characters who face life-changing challenges in settings that are in stark contrast to civilized society. Ranging from high-action traditional Westerns to introspective historical drama set in the American West, readers will discover the amount of courage and tenacity it took to survive the tumultuous frontier. The Trading Post and Other Frontier Stories is a great addition to your western fiction library.

Genres: Westerns, Short Stories

377 pages, Hardcover

Published June 20, 2018

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have little experience reading Westerns but wanted to sample some of the better known writers who have been weaving their tales of sheriffs, outlaws and life in the frontier over the decades. This book allowed me to consider the real appeal of sitting back by the fireplace (on a very cold day) and visiting another era without automobiles and where survival did require sharpened senses and many skills I don't possess, including sharp shooting.

I admit I checked this book out based on one of the authors I have enjoyed in other genres, Larry D. Sweazy. He brings to the table in this anthology a tender Indian story filled with symbolism and beautifully described wilderness scenes. That one is serious start to finish. Other stories include a good deal of humour and/or grit.

From "Coffin Nails in Callaway County" by Lonnie Whitaker:
Courtroom testimony from a doctor- "In my opinion Lemuel Griggs did not bite off the decedent's ear. His missing teeth argue against that. Furthermore, the residual bite marks are consistent with chewing from uniformly spaced teeth." The trial then turns into a raucous scene when questioning a preacher happy to show off his teeth after being accused of wearing dentures, and you can easily guess what this leads to. I will have to try this author's Geese to a Poor Market.

There are 14 author to sample in this fine anthology.

Library Loan

[Michael Zimmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Up front confession, I've got a story in here, so I may be biased. But I also enjoyed the writings of these other authors, many of whom I've never read before. It was an opportunity to check them out and get a taste for what's available out there -- besides Louis L'Amour.

[Jay C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Closer to 3.5 stars, but not enough to get my 4-star rating. :-) Decent anthology of 'western' stories. No 5-star stories for me, but several good ones and, of course, some that didn't work for me. My favorites were "Wren's Perch" by Vonn McKee, "An Hour Before the Hangman" by Michael R. Ritt, and "Little Cheyenne" by Ethan J. Wolfe. The last one's main character had kind of an Eastwood-vibe that I liked, though the story itself was a bit too brutally violent for my tastes.

Bought this at the 12/2019 edition of the Holiday Author Fair at the Indiana Historical Society about a mile walk from where I live. Met one of the authors (Larry D. Sweazy) who autographed the first page of his story, "The Prairie Fire," which was another favorite in the anthology.

Read the first story several years ago then rediscovered this on my shelves and read the rest in the past couple weeks. On to the next one!

[Joe Stack · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice collection of short stories covering different aspects of frontier life and different types of heroes. All the stories are well written and satisfying to read. I particularly enjoyed the O.Henry type of short story that some of the contributors wrote. I thought the story "To Ride a Tall Horse" by L. J. Martin could be taken as more than simply a western, but also as a commentary on the issue of immigration. As in any collection, some stories you like more than others, but I didn't find any that were unsatisfactory. From this collection, I added some of the writers to my list of "to read" books.

[Mildmannered1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was introduced to new authors. Hooray!

I like the short story format, imagining how hard it is to tell a story in which every word counts.

Some stories were heartbreaking and brutal, exactly how I imagine our Wild West to have been.

[Lonnie Whitaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A remarkable selection of reliable stars and emerging voices. Disclosure: I have a story included in this anthology.

[Wendopolis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love me a good western

[Ted Cartier · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of Western stories. Good chance to discover new authors.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories in this book were very entertaining. There were several I liked with the one about Daniel Boone and the Judgement Tree being my favorite.