Captain's Rangers and The Day the Cowboys Quit: Two Complete Novels of the American West

by Elmer Kelton

With Captain's Rangers and The Day the Cowboys Quit, this omnibus by legendary Western writer Elmer Kelton offers two novels of the American West at one low price

Captain’s Rangers

In 1875, nearly forty years after the Mexican War, Mexicans and Texans are still spilling blood over ownership of the Nueces Strip—a hot, dry stretch of coastal prairie that bushwackers and horse thieves have turned into a lawless hell. Captain L.H. McNelly, a complex and determined Confederate veteran, is brought into the Nueces Strip for one purpose: to keep the peace. His measures are harsh and controversial, but McNelly wasn’t sent to be popular. In this boiler pot of killing and racial hatred, however, even his methods may not be enough to bring lasting peace.

The Day the Cowboys Quit

1833. Canadian River cowboy country is changing as a different breed moves in—big outfits backed by Eastern syndicates and run by power-hungry “managers” who figure to make a profit, even if it means crowding a cowboy too far. Wagon boss Hugh Hitchcock tries to keep the peace between rancher and cowboy. But when the ranchers steal his cattle, lynch his friend, and hire a back shooter to put him in his grave, he joins the fight himself. They may take everything he has, but they cannot touch his pride—or his willingness to fight to the bloody end.

576 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published October 29, 2019

About the author

Elmer Kelton (1926-2009) was award-winning author of more than forty novels, including The Time It Never Rained, Other Men’s Horses, Texas Standoff and Hard Trail to Follow. He grew up on a ranch near Crane, Texas, and earned a journalism degree from the University of Texas. His first novel, Hot Iron, was published in 1956. Among his awards have been seven Spurs from Western Writers of America and four Western Heritage awards from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. His novel The Good Old Boys was made into a television film starring Tommy Lee Jones. In addition to his novels, Kelton worked as an agricultural journalist for 42 years. He served in the infantry in World War II. He died in 2009.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/elmerk...

Reviews

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding look into old Texas as only Kelton can deliver

Trouble with murdering bandits along the disputed southern border of Texas requires a rare combination of Texas Rangers and US Cavalry to finally put an end to wholesale devastation.
And the big ranchers finally see justice as they are stopped from their arrogant abuse of their own cow hands and the small ranchers around them struggling to make a living and feed their families. Outstanding characters in an era no one forgets and well worth the time.

[markpills · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kelton is an old-fashioned campfire story-teller, and most of his books follow the same formula: cowboy/rancher lore, adversarial politics, resilience in the face of extreme adversity, conflict in families and institutions, a side “love-story,” and even some mysterious intrigue that matches the environment. These two were no different. Vol. 2 was about labor conflict and criminal justice on the plains! I like the grounded personalities, the “right-vs-wrong” struggle, and the adequate description of life in a prior century. This is creative, “non-fiction” historical fiction, imhop. You’ll get some humor, conflict, economics, cowboy justice, geography, weather, ranching, horsemanship, romance, and much of it is from the idealistic, transient POV of the west Texas, cattle puncher, of post-Civil War, Texas survivors. I wish that our school-age readers were required to read Mr. Kelton, so they would understand our rural roots. It appeals to me intrinsically, but our state is constantly changing, demographically. The jury trial at the end is entirely realistic, with a remarkable conclusion. ***-stars.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raves for Elmer Kelton

Mr. Kelton is the rancher neighbor you never had. He spins his story like it happened to him yesterday and today he's relating to you the whole thing. His authenticity fairly jumps off the page. His plots are unpredictable and real life believable.