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Hackberry Holland #1
Lay Down My Sword And Shield
Vintage James Lee The first novel introducing the memorable Texas sheriff Hackberry Holland, coming of age against the backdrop of the civil rights era in a sultry border town.
In hot and sultry Texas, Hack, an attorney and Korean War POW, is being pushed by his wife, his brother, and his so-called friends in the oil business to run for political office. But Hack would prefer to drink, look after his beloved horses, and represent the occasional long-shot pro bono case at his law firm. When Hack attempts to overturn a conviction for an old army buddy, he finds himself embroiled in the seamy underbelly of the Texas patronage system—and in the earliest beginnings of the United Farm Workers movement, led by a beautiful woman who speaks to his heart in a way no one else has. As Hack begins to bring justice to the underserved, he finds both a new love and a new purpose.
With his skillful blend of engaging plotlines, compelling characters, and graceful prose, James Lee Burke demonstrates the shimmering clarity of vision that has made him beloved by suspense fans all over the globe.
In hot and sultry Texas, Hack, an attorney and Korean War POW, is being pushed by his wife, his brother, and his so-called friends in the oil business to run for political office. But Hack would prefer to drink, look after his beloved horses, and represent the occasional long-shot pro bono case at his law firm. When Hack attempts to overturn a conviction for an old army buddy, he finds himself embroiled in the seamy underbelly of the Texas patronage system—and in the earliest beginnings of the United Farm Workers movement, led by a beautiful woman who speaks to his heart in a way no one else has. As Hack begins to bring justice to the underserved, he finds both a new love and a new purpose.
With his skillful blend of engaging plotlines, compelling characters, and graceful prose, James Lee Burke demonstrates the shimmering clarity of vision that has made him beloved by suspense fans all over the globe.
10 pages, Audio CD
First published September 1, 1971
639 people are currently reading
2006 people want to read
About the author
James Lee Burke
176 books4,114 followersJames Lee Burke is an American author best known for his mysteries, particularly the Dave Robicheaux series. He has twice received the Edgar Award for Best Novel, for
Black Cherry Blues
in 1990 and
Cimarron Rose
in 1998.
Burke was born in Houston, Texas, but grew up on the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast. He attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the University of Missouri, receiving a BA and MA from the latter. He has worked at a wide variety of jobs over the years, including working in the oil industry, as a reporter, and as a social worker. He was Writer in Residence at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, succeeding his good friend and posthumous Pulitzer Prize winner John Kennedy Toole, and preceding Ernest Gaines in the position. Shortly before his move to Montana, he taught for several years in the Creative Writing program at Wichita State University in the 1980s.
Burke and his wife, Pearl, split their time between Lolo, Montana, and New Iberia, Louisiana. Their daughter, Alafair Burke, is also a mystery novelist.
The book that has influenced his life the most is the 1929 family tragedy "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner.
Burke was born in Houston, Texas, but grew up on the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast. He attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the University of Missouri, receiving a BA and MA from the latter. He has worked at a wide variety of jobs over the years, including working in the oil industry, as a reporter, and as a social worker. He was Writer in Residence at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, succeeding his good friend and posthumous Pulitzer Prize winner John Kennedy Toole, and preceding Ernest Gaines in the position. Shortly before his move to Montana, he taught for several years in the Creative Writing program at Wichita State University in the 1980s.
Burke and his wife, Pearl, split their time between Lolo, Montana, and New Iberia, Louisiana. Their daughter, Alafair Burke, is also a mystery novelist.
The book that has influenced his life the most is the 1929 family tragedy "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews
October 5, 2014
Hackberry Holland or Hack to his friends is quite possibly one of the most compelling characters I’ve ever come across, I was riveted to everything he said and did, and in the same breath he was also one of the most infuriating. He listens to absolutely no one, does pretty much whatever he likes, he doesn’t just burn the candle at both ends, no he’s way past that, he burns every candle in the candle making factory at both ends, then burns the factory down and if ever a character pissed you off, Hack will piss you off even more.
Lay Down My Sword and Shield was released in 1971, so it’s a year older than me and set in Texas amid the backdrop of the civil rights era, whether it’s terminology is now politically correct, I wouldn’t like to say, probably not but it portrays the era wonderfully well, there’s Cadillac’s, hard ass deputy’s, the oil business, striking farm workers and copious amounts of jack Daniels, jacks (which I think is American lager), beer, bourbon and cigars.
Hack is a lawyer with a solid reputation on a path to greater things, he finds himself almost pushed towards political office and even though he does his damnedest to derail the train of office. It just doesn’t happen, he can seemingly do nothing serious enough to curtail the ambitions of his family and his political backers.
Hack is tortured by memories of his brutal past as a POW in Korea and when his friend from the army is arrested for involvement in the Farm Union strikes, that’s where he goes with all good intentions to help but pretty soon he’s drunk, spending a night in a cell and things just go from bad to worse. Apart from meeting a woman his wife certainly wouldn’t approve of, he soon finds himself on the picket lines, an altercation with a law officer and things start to look seriously fucked up for the Texan.
What a character though, he puts you through a degree of emotions from WTF, completely pissed off, to hating him right up to desperately needing to know how his story pans out. He’s got more depth than your deepest depth charge and it just leaves you waiting for everything to explode.
Lay down my Sword and Shield shoves the atmosphere down your throat with some incredibly powerful and descriptive prose, it’s not a thriller as such, more the story of one man’s battle’s with himself, with his past, dissatisfaction with his life and finding love in the most unexpected place.
This is my second read by James Lee Burke and I picked this due to the third novel Feast Day of Fools, featuring Hack, being recommended by someone whose opinion I rate highly but JLB has been one of my top discoveries of the year so far and I liken him to one of my favourite authors John Connolly.
http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...
Lay Down My Sword and Shield was released in 1971, so it’s a year older than me and set in Texas amid the backdrop of the civil rights era, whether it’s terminology is now politically correct, I wouldn’t like to say, probably not but it portrays the era wonderfully well, there’s Cadillac’s, hard ass deputy’s, the oil business, striking farm workers and copious amounts of jack Daniels, jacks (which I think is American lager), beer, bourbon and cigars.
Hack is a lawyer with a solid reputation on a path to greater things, he finds himself almost pushed towards political office and even though he does his damnedest to derail the train of office. It just doesn’t happen, he can seemingly do nothing serious enough to curtail the ambitions of his family and his political backers.
Hack is tortured by memories of his brutal past as a POW in Korea and when his friend from the army is arrested for involvement in the Farm Union strikes, that’s where he goes with all good intentions to help but pretty soon he’s drunk, spending a night in a cell and things just go from bad to worse. Apart from meeting a woman his wife certainly wouldn’t approve of, he soon finds himself on the picket lines, an altercation with a law officer and things start to look seriously fucked up for the Texan.
What a character though, he puts you through a degree of emotions from WTF, completely pissed off, to hating him right up to desperately needing to know how his story pans out. He’s got more depth than your deepest depth charge and it just leaves you waiting for everything to explode.
Lay down my Sword and Shield shoves the atmosphere down your throat with some incredibly powerful and descriptive prose, it’s not a thriller as such, more the story of one man’s battle’s with himself, with his past, dissatisfaction with his life and finding love in the most unexpected place.
This is my second read by James Lee Burke and I picked this due to the third novel Feast Day of Fools, featuring Hack, being recommended by someone whose opinion I rate highly but JLB has been one of my top discoveries of the year so far and I liken him to one of my favourite authors John Connolly.
http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...
November 13, 2024
Ever have one of those authors where every book you read by them is your new favorite? James Lee Burke is that author for me. Swear to God, the guy can fucking write like an angel. Or a demon. Either way, he's brilliant.
"Lay Down My Sword and Shield" was originally published in 1971, and while it reads like a Burke novel, it definitely has the feel of an early Burke novel, where the author was definitely experimenting, stylistically, and before he found his niche in the "noir" crime thriller mode for which he's best known.
The first book to feature his character Hackberry Holland, "LDMSAS" introduces us to a younger, more care-free and naive Holland, long before he becomes a Texas sheriff and battles the forces of Texas evil.
Indeed, this novel doesn't follow the mold of the subsequent Holland novels. There is no mystery to solve. No Texas "noir" criminal element to deal with, other than perhaps Texas politics.
Holland, in this book, is representative of a particular kind of Texan, the kind that Burke obviously does not like: white, well-bred, rich, entitled, drunk. He's not so much racist as he is so clueless about racial strife due to his white privilege that he barely rcognizes racism when it stares him in the face.
A hot-shot attorney, Holland is also running for Congress with the backing of a family acquaintence who happens to be a Senator. He has a beautiful wife and a life that most Texans would envy, but it is all a sham.
Holland has no interest in politics. He can't stand his wife. All he wants to do is get drunk and take care of his horses, which he likes more than most of the people in his life.
When he takes on the defense of an old war buddy, Holland's life changes drastically. He is suddenly thrust into a migrant worker's strike and witnesses, first-hand, the violence and hatred of Texan racism. When he falls in love with a young Mexican woman, he must make a choice. (Ultimately, it's not a tough choice...)
More of a fascinating character study than a novel, "LDMSAS" is still vintage Burke, which means it's wonderful.
P.S. I read this as an audiobook. Like the Dave Robicheaux novels on audiobook, this was also narrated by the wonderful Will Patton.
"Lay Down My Sword and Shield" was originally published in 1971, and while it reads like a Burke novel, it definitely has the feel of an early Burke novel, where the author was definitely experimenting, stylistically, and before he found his niche in the "noir" crime thriller mode for which he's best known.
The first book to feature his character Hackberry Holland, "LDMSAS" introduces us to a younger, more care-free and naive Holland, long before he becomes a Texas sheriff and battles the forces of Texas evil.
Indeed, this novel doesn't follow the mold of the subsequent Holland novels. There is no mystery to solve. No Texas "noir" criminal element to deal with, other than perhaps Texas politics.
Holland, in this book, is representative of a particular kind of Texan, the kind that Burke obviously does not like: white, well-bred, rich, entitled, drunk. He's not so much racist as he is so clueless about racial strife due to his white privilege that he barely rcognizes racism when it stares him in the face.
A hot-shot attorney, Holland is also running for Congress with the backing of a family acquaintence who happens to be a Senator. He has a beautiful wife and a life that most Texans would envy, but it is all a sham.
Holland has no interest in politics. He can't stand his wife. All he wants to do is get drunk and take care of his horses, which he likes more than most of the people in his life.
When he takes on the defense of an old war buddy, Holland's life changes drastically. He is suddenly thrust into a migrant worker's strike and witnesses, first-hand, the violence and hatred of Texan racism. When he falls in love with a young Mexican woman, he must make a choice. (Ultimately, it's not a tough choice...)
More of a fascinating character study than a novel, "LDMSAS" is still vintage Burke, which means it's wonderful.
P.S. I read this as an audiobook. Like the Dave Robicheaux novels on audiobook, this was also narrated by the wonderful Will Patton.
June 13, 2016
3★
For fans of JLB and his Holland family series this should be considered. It’s #1 in the order but perhaps not the one to start with for readers unfamiliar with his body of work. The book debuted in 1971 to critical mauling. As James Lee said in an interview "It got pretty worked over. It got hit pretty hard.” So did its author. Eventually it was out of print. His next novel would make the submission rounds for 9 years and be rejected 111 times before it would be published in 1986. That one was nominated for a Pulitzer. Thankfully, the man had faith in his writing and the rest is literary history. Because of that history and the sequels to this novel ♥︎♥︎♥︎ (the first of which did not appear until 2009), this book was republished in 2010. Despite opinions like: “... shows the strength of Burke's writing, but without the wonderful storytelling skills of the later books. Not recommended as a starting point, but definitely one which fans will enjoy”, many GR reviewers and fans give it high praise. I do agree with that statement.
What did I think? You cannot trust me to be unbiased because as my GR friends know, I love JLB. I am tainted by his talent and his characters. I am on a quest to read everything he wrote. Suffice it to say that if you are a true fangirl or guy of Hack Holland this is required reading. It’s where his story begins and gives insight into his complicated persona. Like Hackberry in this novel, James Lee was a young man when this story was written and just like the very best wine, got better with age. But youth has its time and place as we all know.
Only one glass of wine influenced my thought process and rating on this one. ☺︎
For fans of JLB and his Holland family series this should be considered. It’s #1 in the order but perhaps not the one to start with for readers unfamiliar with his body of work. The book debuted in 1971 to critical mauling. As James Lee said in an interview "It got pretty worked over. It got hit pretty hard.” So did its author. Eventually it was out of print. His next novel would make the submission rounds for 9 years and be rejected 111 times before it would be published in 1986. That one was nominated for a Pulitzer. Thankfully, the man had faith in his writing and the rest is literary history. Because of that history and the sequels to this novel ♥︎♥︎♥︎ (the first of which did not appear until 2009), this book was republished in 2010. Despite opinions like: “... shows the strength of Burke's writing, but without the wonderful storytelling skills of the later books. Not recommended as a starting point, but definitely one which fans will enjoy”, many GR reviewers and fans give it high praise. I do agree with that statement.
What did I think? You cannot trust me to be unbiased because as my GR friends know, I love JLB. I am tainted by his talent and his characters. I am on a quest to read everything he wrote. Suffice it to say that if you are a true fangirl or guy of Hack Holland this is required reading. It’s where his story begins and gives insight into his complicated persona. Like Hackberry in this novel, James Lee was a young man when this story was written and just like the very best wine, got better with age. But youth has its time and place as we all know.
Only one glass of wine influenced my thought process and rating on this one. ☺︎
January 26, 2019
Lay Down My Sword and Shield suffers from an identity crisis. It lies nestled firmly between the more literary tragedies that started Burke's career and the crime genre on which Burke will leave an indelible mark. The predominantly depressing plot plays out like the former but is accompanied by the hard-boiled dialogue that characterizes the latter.
Hackberry Holland is a Robicheaux prototype, self-loathing and ambivalent about the fact that he might be a better man than he gives himself credit for. He is running for political office and comes from an old money family but he is defined by his experiences of his confinement in a POW camp during the Korean war. He resents the insular gentility that he believes people from his social strata carry with themselves, falls in with a workers union and essentially discovers himself through the course of the book. All the best written scenes are set in flashbacks from his days in the military and that is a major problem with the narrative as the past retains more tension than the present where majority of the book is set.
Burke's trademark complex, flawed characters remain present but his fluid description is gone only rearing its head intermittently. Maybe some of it has to do with the fact that he struggles to make terse Texas as visually interesting as lush Louisiana. The dialogue and the dignified prose are at odds with each other while in his latter books they would contrast one another beautifully. It is the first Burke book I have read (after 15 odd books) that is overwritten. It could have been eighty pages shorter without being much worse for wear. There are also too many descriptions of drinking, it almost assumes comical proportions because most people will die if they drink the volume of water that the protagonist consumes in form of significantly stronger spirits.
Ultimately by Burke's very high standards, this is a weak book. Every major theme or concept he introduces here - private war in people's heads, exploitation of the impoverished classes; will be explored by him in a much more sophisticated manner later. Still there is a smattering of thoughtful passages and enough of a prologue for the Hackberry Holland character for Burke fans to give it a quick read. Rating - 3/5.
Hackberry Holland is a Robicheaux prototype, self-loathing and ambivalent about the fact that he might be a better man than he gives himself credit for. He is running for political office and comes from an old money family but he is defined by his experiences of his confinement in a POW camp during the Korean war. He resents the insular gentility that he believes people from his social strata carry with themselves, falls in with a workers union and essentially discovers himself through the course of the book. All the best written scenes are set in flashbacks from his days in the military and that is a major problem with the narrative as the past retains more tension than the present where majority of the book is set.
Burke's trademark complex, flawed characters remain present but his fluid description is gone only rearing its head intermittently. Maybe some of it has to do with the fact that he struggles to make terse Texas as visually interesting as lush Louisiana. The dialogue and the dignified prose are at odds with each other while in his latter books they would contrast one another beautifully. It is the first Burke book I have read (after 15 odd books) that is overwritten. It could have been eighty pages shorter without being much worse for wear. There are also too many descriptions of drinking, it almost assumes comical proportions because most people will die if they drink the volume of water that the protagonist consumes in form of significantly stronger spirits.
Ultimately by Burke's very high standards, this is a weak book. Every major theme or concept he introduces here - private war in people's heads, exploitation of the impoverished classes; will be explored by him in a much more sophisticated manner later. Still there is a smattering of thoughtful passages and enough of a prologue for the Hackberry Holland character for Burke fans to give it a quick read. Rating - 3/5.
June 13, 2010
Lay Down My Sword And Shield by James Lee Burke
This book details the rebirth of Hackberry Holland. He returned from the Korean War, rebuilt his life and now he is recreating himself. The hard panned setting and historic family background contribute to his reassessment of his identity.
Describing the book doesn’t really do justice to the story or it’s fluidity. The author reminds me of Pat Conroy and his poetry like prose. The descriptions of the countryside and people are thorough and beautiful. Hack’s experiences as a POW in Korea are horrific. His sublimation of both experience and emotions would fit quite well with PTSD victims in today’s conflicts. His drinking appears to be fuel by displaced anger. Hack’s reactions to his environment and his refusal to be what his family expects him to be as opposed to what he wants to be is a thumbnail of the book’s plot.
We tend to forget how recent equal rights are. There are parts of the book that seem practically fantastic that are supported by facts and recollection of the times. I suspect younger readers may even find some of the incidents hard to believe. Burke’s book was extraordinarily done.
I highly recommend the book.
This book details the rebirth of Hackberry Holland. He returned from the Korean War, rebuilt his life and now he is recreating himself. The hard panned setting and historic family background contribute to his reassessment of his identity.
Describing the book doesn’t really do justice to the story or it’s fluidity. The author reminds me of Pat Conroy and his poetry like prose. The descriptions of the countryside and people are thorough and beautiful. Hack’s experiences as a POW in Korea are horrific. His sublimation of both experience and emotions would fit quite well with PTSD victims in today’s conflicts. His drinking appears to be fuel by displaced anger. Hack’s reactions to his environment and his refusal to be what his family expects him to be as opposed to what he wants to be is a thumbnail of the book’s plot.
We tend to forget how recent equal rights are. There are parts of the book that seem practically fantastic that are supported by facts and recollection of the times. I suspect younger readers may even find some of the incidents hard to believe. Burke’s book was extraordinarily done.
I highly recommend the book.
January 6, 2018
The worst book I have ever read authored by JLB. The characters, story line, and the book just sucked. For God sake, he spent pages just explaining dust bowls and the endless descriptions of the Texas terrain and his lust for Jack Daniels. He must have been getting paid by the word. I just didn’t expect such from one of my favorite authors. Shame on you JLB! Will be a long time before I select one of your books, if ever.
If you are wondering why I finished this it was only because I was a captive audience listening to it on a long drive home from a trip with no other audio books in my possession. I never expected such trash from JLB. Frankly I should have turned it off and listened to the radio. The weather reports would have been more interesting! And it was 1 more for my Reading Challenge 😀 Believe me it was a challenge!
If you are wondering why I finished this it was only because I was a captive audience listening to it on a long drive home from a trip with no other audio books in my possession. I never expected such trash from JLB. Frankly I should have turned it off and listened to the radio. The weather reports would have been more interesting! And it was 1 more for my Reading Challenge 😀 Believe me it was a challenge!
November 1, 2021
This is the first of the Hackberry Holland novels by James Lee Burke set in 1960s Texas. Lay Down My Sword And Shield tells of a corporate lawyer descended from a famous Texas lawman who arrested John Wesley Hardin in the 1800s. During the Korean War, was spent time in a North Korean prison camp. When he finds that one of his fellow prisoners is in legal trouble or attempting to organize an agricultural union, he drops everything.
The everything includes his socialite wife, a congressional campaign, and his law firm which he partners with his brother. He gets progressively sucked in to the cause of the union and begins to fall for Rie Velazquez, one of the organizers.
This is very much a novel of that time (1971) and is not as deftly written as the Dave Robicheaux series that was to follow. Nonetheless, it is worth reading -- even though the ending in which Holland gives up most of his privileged lifestyle to fight for social justice is a bit unbelievable.
The everything includes his socialite wife, a congressional campaign, and his law firm which he partners with his brother. He gets progressively sucked in to the cause of the union and begins to fall for Rie Velazquez, one of the organizers.
This is very much a novel of that time (1971) and is not as deftly written as the Dave Robicheaux series that was to follow. Nonetheless, it is worth reading -- even though the ending in which Holland gives up most of his privileged lifestyle to fight for social justice is a bit unbelievable.
August 14, 2017
While I think Burke is a good writer, his flair for local color and scenic detail sometimes gets in the way of his storytelling, and this is a great example of that. It's basically the story of a bastard drunk who doesn't care for anyone else's rules yet somehow has a connection to "the little guy" and wants to fight for their civil rights. But barely anything actually happens in this book; other than lovely descriptions of people and places, there's not a lot to recommend. If it had been 150 pages shorter, it would have contained the same amount of plot and might have been more involving. Instead, it's mostly a character study of a character I just couldn't be that interested in.
May 14, 2023
James Lee Burke can do no wrong. I bet his grocery lists are masterpieces.
So here we have a deep character study and a social justice tale worthy of Steinbeck. This is my first non Dave Robicheaux novel from Burke but definitely not my last.
So here we have a deep character study and a social justice tale worthy of Steinbeck. This is my first non Dave Robicheaux novel from Burke but definitely not my last.
May 30, 2010
Bound: SunPost Weekly March 4, 2010
http://www.sunpostweekly.com/2010/03/...
Texas Two-Step
James Lee Burke Drinks Deep from the Heart of Texas
John Hood
Hackberry Holland pisses me off. As a matter of fact Hack pisses off a lot people, so I doubt seriously he’s worried about some cat down in Miami. Hell, the Texas mouthpiece probably doesn’t even notice just how pissed off he makes me. Why would he? He generally doesn’t notice how pissed off he makes anybody else either. And that includes his close friends and his immediate family. Okay, so he does notice. But he sure doesn’t seem to care a whit.
Then again, Hack’s pretty pissed off his own damn self, so he probably figures he’s got a right to piss off everybody else too. With his near dead drunkenness and his relentless disregard, the man almost reeks of entitlement.
Of course Hack being to the manor born and not wanting anything to do with it or its privileges has a lot to do with his foul disposition. And then there’s that heavy haunting from his days as a North Korean P.O.W. But Hack’s being groomed to inherit his rightful place among the powerful – in his case, as a U.S. Congressman representing the great state of Texas. And Hack’s as excited about that as he about everything else in his guided life. In other words: he isn’t.
But when a former fellow warrior gets in a jam and calls on his ol’ pal, Hack Holland sees something to lash out against. When Hack gets lashed back – and good, he’s got himself a cause.
If I write this implying Hack Holland is a real life anti-hero doing some strange and violent version of the Texas Two-Step, well, you’ll have to blame James Lee Burke. See it was JLB who brought the brawling lone star to life in the best-selling Rain Gods. Little did many folks know though that Hack had appeared long beforehand, in a muddy and bloody book entitled Lay Down My Sword and Shield (Gallery Books $15). That was back in ’71, and despite the good writer’s hitlist status, it’s been pretty much out of print since.
Now it’s back on the racks. Anyone who’s ever read anything by James Lee Burke will know his characters come fitted with torn flesh and broken bone so vivid you too often forget it’s fiction. And if you know this, then you’ll wanna know more, much more, about their origins – and their horrors.
The title to Hack’s first showing is, I imagine, taken from the traditional spiritual “Down by the Riverside,” a song that seems to be at once uplifting and soul crushing. If I get it straight, it’s about the joy of surrender. And if I know anything about surrender; there is no joy in it whatsoever.
But that’s another story, for scholars far more astute than I am. As for James Lee Burke’s Sword and Shield, well, I can tell you this: those depths that you think you’ve descended to go a whole lot deeper than you thought. And down there, at the very bottom, where even a single breath has to be ripped from the earth; that’s where redemption begins. To go there at all is a hell few can fathom. To come back though, kicking and screaming and clawing your way to a place where you can at last hold your head up and look yourself in the eye. That’s heaven.
And here in this story the man who would become Grand Master showed the whole wild world he was already capable of going deep, real deep, and still reaching great heights.
http://www.sunpostweekly.com/2010/03/...
Texas Two-Step
James Lee Burke Drinks Deep from the Heart of Texas
John Hood
Hackberry Holland pisses me off. As a matter of fact Hack pisses off a lot people, so I doubt seriously he’s worried about some cat down in Miami. Hell, the Texas mouthpiece probably doesn’t even notice just how pissed off he makes me. Why would he? He generally doesn’t notice how pissed off he makes anybody else either. And that includes his close friends and his immediate family. Okay, so he does notice. But he sure doesn’t seem to care a whit.
Then again, Hack’s pretty pissed off his own damn self, so he probably figures he’s got a right to piss off everybody else too. With his near dead drunkenness and his relentless disregard, the man almost reeks of entitlement.
Of course Hack being to the manor born and not wanting anything to do with it or its privileges has a lot to do with his foul disposition. And then there’s that heavy haunting from his days as a North Korean P.O.W. But Hack’s being groomed to inherit his rightful place among the powerful – in his case, as a U.S. Congressman representing the great state of Texas. And Hack’s as excited about that as he about everything else in his guided life. In other words: he isn’t.
But when a former fellow warrior gets in a jam and calls on his ol’ pal, Hack Holland sees something to lash out against. When Hack gets lashed back – and good, he’s got himself a cause.
If I write this implying Hack Holland is a real life anti-hero doing some strange and violent version of the Texas Two-Step, well, you’ll have to blame James Lee Burke. See it was JLB who brought the brawling lone star to life in the best-selling Rain Gods. Little did many folks know though that Hack had appeared long beforehand, in a muddy and bloody book entitled Lay Down My Sword and Shield (Gallery Books $15). That was back in ’71, and despite the good writer’s hitlist status, it’s been pretty much out of print since.
Now it’s back on the racks. Anyone who’s ever read anything by James Lee Burke will know his characters come fitted with torn flesh and broken bone so vivid you too often forget it’s fiction. And if you know this, then you’ll wanna know more, much more, about their origins – and their horrors.
The title to Hack’s first showing is, I imagine, taken from the traditional spiritual “Down by the Riverside,” a song that seems to be at once uplifting and soul crushing. If I get it straight, it’s about the joy of surrender. And if I know anything about surrender; there is no joy in it whatsoever.
But that’s another story, for scholars far more astute than I am. As for James Lee Burke’s Sword and Shield, well, I can tell you this: those depths that you think you’ve descended to go a whole lot deeper than you thought. And down there, at the very bottom, where even a single breath has to be ripped from the earth; that’s where redemption begins. To go there at all is a hell few can fathom. To come back though, kicking and screaming and clawing your way to a place where you can at last hold your head up and look yourself in the eye. That’s heaven.
And here in this story the man who would become Grand Master showed the whole wild world he was already capable of going deep, real deep, and still reaching great heights.
September 15, 2019
James Lee Burke creates heroes that are larger than life, who value justice over the law. They will work within the law whenever possible, but stepping outside those bounds to achieve their goals doesn't seem to require a second thought. On top of Burke's diverse and fully-fleshed characters, from the protagonist on down, he treats his readers to just enough details to move the plot along, yet still enough to paint vivid images in the reader's mind.
June 30, 2020
First in the Hackberry Holland series revolving around an alcoholic lawyer trying to find himself after his release from a Korean POW camp while trying to live up to his family legend.
My Take
Keep in mind that Burke wrote this in 1971, four years before the end of the Vietnam War.
Burke spends most of the book setting Hack up for his transformation. Steeping us in his degeneracy — the alcohol and whoring. The engrained expectancy of his social class. A shallow peek in the cesspool of politics and campaigning.
It takes the desperate plight of an army buddy to force the change onto Hack while the finish is "the love of a good woman". It sure didn't hurt that he had "the hate of a snotty one" back home.
Hack is not a lovable, let alone a likable character. He's so busy schmoozing and drinking with long visits across the border in the brothels, that I spent a lot of time wondering why I was pushing myself to read it. To be honest, if I hadn't read Feast Day of Fools , I very likely would have put it down. It does, however, provide a brutal look at the violent treatment of farm workers and negroes as they tried to survive in the white man's world of the early 1960s.
I get the feeling that Burke needed to release a lot of anger when he wrote this. Hack rages throughout, drowning his fears with booze, hoping to get through a night without the nightmares of the war. I'm curious if Hack began questioning the peoplenytdirect@nytimes.comtheir motives and thoughtsnytdirect@nytimes.comof his social milieu because of his experiences in Korea and the friendships he made with his fellow soldiers. Men outside his social class.
The Characters
Hackberry Holland is running for office and is partners in a law firm with his brother Bailey. Verisa is his socially conscious wife more concerned with her parties and barbecues.
Art Gomez was Hack's buddy in the Navy and he's been railroaded into prison. Rie Velasquez has volunteered with the United Farm Workers carrying on a family tradition of protest.
Senator Samuel Dowling. The man who was using Hack to fulfill his own political debts. Cecil Wayne Posey was the public defender who did nothing for Art; I'd certainly like to do something for Posey and all the assholes in that town, the prison, the police department, the Texas Rangers...jesus, the list could go on forever. I'd like to think we've been making progress since then...
The Cover and Title
The cover is quite patriotic with its flag waving across the middle of the cover, a sunset shining through it with steeples rising in the background, a rifle with helmet standing upright in the foreground.
Lay Down My Sword and Shield refers to Hack giving up. He's been questioning the people in his life and the war. The sincerity of politicians like Dowling and the people with whom he associates is way more than questionable. By the time we survive Hack's ephiphany, I think we all are ready to lay that shield down as well.
My Take
Keep in mind that Burke wrote this in 1971, four years before the end of the Vietnam War.
Burke spends most of the book setting Hack up for his transformation. Steeping us in his degeneracy — the alcohol and whoring. The engrained expectancy of his social class. A shallow peek in the cesspool of politics and campaigning.
It takes the desperate plight of an army buddy to force the change onto Hack while the finish is "the love of a good woman". It sure didn't hurt that he had "the hate of a snotty one" back home.
Hack is not a lovable, let alone a likable character. He's so busy schmoozing and drinking with long visits across the border in the brothels, that I spent a lot of time wondering why I was pushing myself to read it. To be honest, if I hadn't read Feast Day of Fools , I very likely would have put it down. It does, however, provide a brutal look at the violent treatment of farm workers and negroes as they tried to survive in the white man's world of the early 1960s.
I get the feeling that Burke needed to release a lot of anger when he wrote this. Hack rages throughout, drowning his fears with booze, hoping to get through a night without the nightmares of the war. I'm curious if Hack began questioning the peoplenytdirect@nytimes.comtheir motives and thoughtsnytdirect@nytimes.comof his social milieu because of his experiences in Korea and the friendships he made with his fellow soldiers. Men outside his social class.
The Characters
Hackberry Holland is running for office and is partners in a law firm with his brother Bailey. Verisa is his socially conscious wife more concerned with her parties and barbecues.
Art Gomez was Hack's buddy in the Navy and he's been railroaded into prison. Rie Velasquez has volunteered with the United Farm Workers carrying on a family tradition of protest.
Senator Samuel Dowling. The man who was using Hack to fulfill his own political debts. Cecil Wayne Posey was the public defender who did nothing for Art; I'd certainly like to do something for Posey and all the assholes in that town, the prison, the police department, the Texas Rangers...jesus, the list could go on forever. I'd like to think we've been making progress since then...
The Cover and Title
The cover is quite patriotic with its flag waving across the middle of the cover, a sunset shining through it with steeples rising in the background, a rifle with helmet standing upright in the foreground.
Lay Down My Sword and Shield refers to Hack giving up. He's been questioning the people in his life and the war. The sincerity of politicians like Dowling and the people with whom he associates is way more than questionable. By the time we survive Hack's ephiphany, I think we all are ready to lay that shield down as well.
May 31, 2012
Early writing that shows his potential but seems to be reaching. Really wanted to read it before the others in the series and not sorry I did. There is a big time gap between this and the next book which I am starting now. I truly expect the writing to have grown to what I expect in a JLB book.
If this had been my first JLB it may have been the last.
If this had been my first JLB it may have been the last.
August 29, 2012
James Lee Burke can certainly turn a phrase. I enjoy the lyric and often irreverent language, and find Hack Holland (both the old man our Hack admires, and our Hack himself) an altogether pleasant protagonist - which is not the same as being pleasant all the time.
October 11, 2010
I'm a huge fan of James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux books, and I wasn't willing to accept that Burke could make me as interested in another protagonist, but he did!
January 29, 2018
Hack Holland is a hard-drinking attorney and Congressional candidate who is following other peoples' plans for his life, while battling many ghosts from his years as a Korean War POW.
When a former Army buddy calls him for assistance, it opens doors to a new view of the world: seeing the emerging civil rights struggle, looking at the impoverished migrant workers who pick the crops in Texas and finding a new love and purpose in life.
James Lee Burke writes his usual lyrical style, making you reread passages just to savor their descriptive flavor.
I guess this means I'm going to have to dip into his Holland family saga and find out more.
When a former Army buddy calls him for assistance, it opens doors to a new view of the world: seeing the emerging civil rights struggle, looking at the impoverished migrant workers who pick the crops in Texas and finding a new love and purpose in life.
James Lee Burke writes his usual lyrical style, making you reread passages just to savor their descriptive flavor.
I guess this means I'm going to have to dip into his Holland family saga and find out more.
May 7, 2019
The early work of a man destined to become a great writer. Wonderfully descriptive writing, sometimes to the detriment of the pace.
May 17, 2017
First published in 1971, this had the author's usual descriptive and vivid writing along with realistic characterizations. I really enjoyed the audio version which was ably narrated by Will Patton.
Read
April 3, 2010Lay Down My Sword and Shield, by James Lee Burke, narrated by Will Patton, produced by Simon and Schuster Audio, downloaded from audible.com.
Again, this is read by Will Patton who could read the phone book for me. It is a precursor to Burke’s most recent book, “Raingods”. This book preceded it by about 20 years, and I wish I had read it first. I would have understood the main character, Hackberry Holland, better if I had.
Publisher’s note:
The hero of James Lee Burke's recent best-seller Rain Gods, cousin to lawman Billy Bob Holland and a genuine product of the South, both old and new, Hackberry
Holland makes his first appearance in this early gem from "America's best novelist" (The Denver Post). Against the backdrop of growing civil rights turmoil
in a sultry border town, the hard-drinking ex-POW attorney yields to the myriad urgings of his wife, his brother, and his so-called friends to make a bid
for a congressional seat - and finds himself embroiled in the seamy world of Texas powerbrokers. And when Hack attempts to overturn an old army buddy's
conviction, and crosses paths with a beautiful union organizer who speaks to his heart in a way no one else has, he finds both a new love and a new purpose
as he breaks free from the shackles of wealth and expectation to bring justice to the underserved.
Again, this is read by Will Patton who could read the phone book for me. It is a precursor to Burke’s most recent book, “Raingods”. This book preceded it by about 20 years, and I wish I had read it first. I would have understood the main character, Hackberry Holland, better if I had.
Publisher’s note:
The hero of James Lee Burke's recent best-seller Rain Gods, cousin to lawman Billy Bob Holland and a genuine product of the South, both old and new, Hackberry
Holland makes his first appearance in this early gem from "America's best novelist" (The Denver Post). Against the backdrop of growing civil rights turmoil
in a sultry border town, the hard-drinking ex-POW attorney yields to the myriad urgings of his wife, his brother, and his so-called friends to make a bid
for a congressional seat - and finds himself embroiled in the seamy world of Texas powerbrokers. And when Hack attempts to overturn an old army buddy's
conviction, and crosses paths with a beautiful union organizer who speaks to his heart in a way no one else has, he finds both a new love and a new purpose
as he breaks free from the shackles of wealth and expectation to bring justice to the underserved.
July 11, 2015
As a rule I do not like hardboiled crime novels or thrillers and I do not find overly macho books fun to read. But somehow James Lee Burke is the exeption to the rule. His stories appeal to me, maybe they reach the male side of me, connect to the man I would have been if genetic chance hadn't created me a woman, I don't know. I always thoroughly enjoy his hard-as-nails heroes, their whiskey-fuelled swagger and their tough lingo, constantly subliminaly messaging alpha-maleness and the abilty to defend themselves physically if need be. They all are of course wounded warriors, romantic idealists and secretly soft as butter inside, waiting to be saved by the right kind of woman. – Hack in this great novel is the archetype of them all, right down to his fishtailed Cadillac. He might be a walking clichée, but I loved his uncorruptable sense of justice and his fearlessness. Burke's colour-filled landscape descriptions somehow are the pepper in this sauce to me. I am really looking forward to the second installment of this series to see what became of Hack in the 30-years hiatus and if Burke's literary genius changed gear meanwhile.
May 30, 2017
What a fantastic read. I did not want this book to end. The richness of the prose., and the dialogue. All enhanced by the astounding voice of Will Patton. Patton totally captured the era and region and enmeshed one totally in the story. The way he did the Senator's lisp was brilliant. Burke reels you in immediately. Before you know it you're eagerly awaiting the next sentence. He plunges us into the life of hard drinking ex POW and southern lawyer extraordinaire Hackberry Holland. Hack's wife and brother want him to run for the Senate but Hack gets distracted when he gets a call for help from an ex Army buddy. He soon finds himself involved with the farm workers union in a small town. Hack can't seem to let go and concentrate of the bid for the senate. He becomes entangled deeper with workers and rubs the local law enforcement the wrong way. His brother and wife are desperate to get Hack to fall in line but Hack can't seem to stop himself especially after he meets Rie. Hack must come to terms with his past and reassess his future.
November 21, 2011
Written in 1971, this is one of JLB’s earliest works. It’s a precursor to two of his very recent novels – Rain Gods and Feast Day of Fools – and it follows the fortunes of Hackberry Holland, a young Texas lawyer who is standing as a candidate for a congressional seat. As always with Burke, the lead character is a deeply flawed: a hard drinker plagued by visions of his capture by Chinese during the Korean War. He is constantly in conflict with those around him as he struggle with his demons and tries to balance his career commitments and aspirations with a growing desire to support migrant farm workers who are striking for higher wages. It’s a brutal and often uncomfortable tale and lacks the craft of the author’s later work; but for me a bad James Lee Burke novel is still better than most fiction out there and it’s a good introduction to the character for anyone intending to read the later (superb) Hack Holland books.
October 25, 2011
This book got better the more I got into it. I actually read it because I had read another book by the same author, The Glass Rainbow, which I liked better. I certainly got an education on the plight of migrant and farm workers, even though I lived through the strikes lead by Cesar Chavez. A good story with a message about social morality and responsibility.
August 19, 2012
James Lee Burke is one of best writers of our times. He is one of the few writers whose books I will purchase in hard cover because I can't wait for the paperback version to come out.
April 30, 2020
Wayne recommended this series. I thought I would start with book 1. Written awhile ago. I loved it. what a great fun read. I highlighted several passages because the writing was outstanding. I am now off to read book two in this series. I am a fan of James Lee Burke so that helps!
March 20, 2024
I listened to this as an audiobook (I am in the car or at a quiet desk a lot). I started with book #4 “House of the Rising Sun” first. My son said I didn’t have to read these in sequence. Love book #4. This one not as much mainly because the timing is not explained. Also it wasn’t as good. Visualizing the main character is great when these to were read by the actor, Will Patton.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2018
i kept thinking how, when this was written in the late-60s/70, this was current events. i was in calfornia, through the southwest, and colorado at the time, and i remember.
November 20, 2019
I had given up finding a copy of this book and had read the subsequent books in the series. I was surprised to find a copy at a library book sale. This book was vintage James Lee Burke from 1971.
This book explains the formation of the character Hackberry Holland better than in his other books. The Korean prison camp flashbacks were insightful and gruesomely vivid. I love this author.
This book explains the formation of the character Hackberry Holland better than in his other books. The Korean prison camp flashbacks were insightful and gruesomely vivid. I love this author.
April 2, 2020
Hackberry Holland had his entire life set out as soon as he was born. Youngest son of a state Senator and esteemed lawyer, Holland was to follow in his footsteps, be a partner in the family law firm along with his brother and when the time is right, run for the Senate himself. He lives on the family ranch, a pristine estate with rolling lawns and a gorgeous mansion. He is married to the prestigious and elegant Verisa, the epitome of a prized Southern belle.
But somewhere along the way, Hackberry realized he didn't want any of it. He served as a corpsman in the Korean War and was captured and imprisoned as a POW for three years. That experience and the torture and inhumanity he experienced there changed him forever and made the riches and prestige seem like nothing more than a thin paper veneer. He spends his time drinking, cruising in his Cadillac, spending time with other women and looking for something that seems to make a damn.
Holland gets a call from one of his old war buddies who has been imprisoned. Ramos has been imprisoned due to his activities attempting to organize the migrant workers who harvest all the Texas crops. When Ramos is railroaded and sent for five years to the worst penitentiary in the state, Holland finds his new mission. Working with the migrants, he falls in love with Rie, who has come from the North to help with their fight. Now he has a mission and a fight he can believe in. But can Hackberry escape his past and its obligations?
James Lee Burke is a legend in the mystery genre. He has won two Edgar Awards and was named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America. This is an early work of Burke's and he goes on later to write other novels about Hackberry. It may be difficult for readers to get past the initial impression of Hackberry, when he is flailing about in a drunken state, hurting those around him as he tries desperately to find something he can believe in and build his life around. Yet ultimately, Holland's determination to help those who society has ignored makes him an admirable figure. This book is recommended for mystery readers.
But somewhere along the way, Hackberry realized he didn't want any of it. He served as a corpsman in the Korean War and was captured and imprisoned as a POW for three years. That experience and the torture and inhumanity he experienced there changed him forever and made the riches and prestige seem like nothing more than a thin paper veneer. He spends his time drinking, cruising in his Cadillac, spending time with other women and looking for something that seems to make a damn.
Holland gets a call from one of his old war buddies who has been imprisoned. Ramos has been imprisoned due to his activities attempting to organize the migrant workers who harvest all the Texas crops. When Ramos is railroaded and sent for five years to the worst penitentiary in the state, Holland finds his new mission. Working with the migrants, he falls in love with Rie, who has come from the North to help with their fight. Now he has a mission and a fight he can believe in. But can Hackberry escape his past and its obligations?
James Lee Burke is a legend in the mystery genre. He has won two Edgar Awards and was named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America. This is an early work of Burke's and he goes on later to write other novels about Hackberry. It may be difficult for readers to get past the initial impression of Hackberry, when he is flailing about in a drunken state, hurting those around him as he tries desperately to find something he can believe in and build his life around. Yet ultimately, Holland's determination to help those who society has ignored makes him an admirable figure. This book is recommended for mystery readers.
August 27, 2014
Lay Down My Sword and Shield by James Lee Burke
We’ve read about Hackberry Holland the Texas Sheriff a few times, but this is Burke’s third novel, and Hack’s first appearance as a hard drinking womanizing defense attorney. All the back-story is here: His family history, his time as a POW in the Korean War, The life of debauchery Hack mentions in later novels, and the crux of this story, his time as attorney and activist for the farm workers union and potential Democratic Congressman.
For the first 200 pages this was an interesting and good story. After that, it got GREAT. Burke broke out with superior descriptions of people, places, and events that were absolute poetry and a talent for which he’s famous and has few equals. Read the text about the hot and sticky Texas summers and sweat with the book in your hand. After Burke’s descriptions of Hack’s drinking, you’ll feel the hangover and wonder if you can walk a straight line. And you’ll meet old-fashioned bigoted and dishonest Texas lawmen who just might turn you into a liberal.
I’m glad I’ve read the other books featuring Hackberry Holland before this one. Had I not, I wonder if I would have ventured into another of his stories. Hack is not a particularly likable character in this. But in the final chapters he redeems himself and gives us hope for the future.
We’ve read about Hackberry Holland the Texas Sheriff a few times, but this is Burke’s third novel, and Hack’s first appearance as a hard drinking womanizing defense attorney. All the back-story is here: His family history, his time as a POW in the Korean War, The life of debauchery Hack mentions in later novels, and the crux of this story, his time as attorney and activist for the farm workers union and potential Democratic Congressman.
For the first 200 pages this was an interesting and good story. After that, it got GREAT. Burke broke out with superior descriptions of people, places, and events that were absolute poetry and a talent for which he’s famous and has few equals. Read the text about the hot and sticky Texas summers and sweat with the book in your hand. After Burke’s descriptions of Hack’s drinking, you’ll feel the hangover and wonder if you can walk a straight line. And you’ll meet old-fashioned bigoted and dishonest Texas lawmen who just might turn you into a liberal.
I’m glad I’ve read the other books featuring Hackberry Holland before this one. Had I not, I wonder if I would have ventured into another of his stories. Hack is not a particularly likable character in this. But in the final chapters he redeems himself and gives us hope for the future.
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