2024 the best story ever told review

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(as of Nov 20, 2024 21:14:09 UTC - Details)

The cowboy, one of the greatest fictional characters in American literary history, is more than a man or a myth; he is an identity, the soul of a country that started out as the wild and unruly and has risen to the civilized and respected. The Greatest Cowboy Stories Ever Told includes twenty-three exciting stories from a variety of contributors, such as Mark Twain, Karl May, Tom McGuane, Larry McMurtry, Edgar Beecher Bronson, Frederic Remington, Max Brand, and John Graves.

The Golden Age of the Cowboy, or what has been called the Kingdom of Cattle, lasted from the close of the Civil War to the turn of the 20th century. Barbed wire and the iron horse put paid to the free range and the long trail drive just as the coming of the law obviated the need for the rough chivalry of the code of the West. Though the days of dueling—every individual was for himself and men were expected to settle their own scores—are over, it is memories of these drastic times and extreme measures and the people who lived them that remain our defining characteristics. This book is filled with some of the most action-filled and exciting stories ever to come out of the American landscape.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ GPQ; Reprint edition (October 1, 2018)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1493036955
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1493036950
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.05 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.88 x 9 inches
Reviewer: Andrea
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great stories
Review: Most (95%) of these stories are great! And there is a nice variety of story types. I love the diversity. Some are serious, some informative, some are just plain funny. I love that works by Mark Twain, Zane Grey, and Teddy Roosevelt are included! Great read!

Reviewer: Bill
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Maybe Yes, Maybe No
Review: Some of these stories are interesting and hold your interest. Some obviously are lifted from books & are confusing to the reader who is dropped into the middle of a story & dumped out, unsure what it was all about.It’s a great book if you’re interested in what real cowboying was like. Hint: Not very glamorous and damned hard work!

Reviewer: gluon70
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Only at Home on the Range
Review: This was not so much like a colorful collection of western fiction but more like short vignettes, stories and novellas about what it was like to be a cowboy.There were many stories, but what I got out of it was a feel for a time and place. Cowboy life was mostly depicted from the point of view of an ordinary range rider, the importance of a chuck wagon, a good horse (which had to be tamed and trained) and the importance of the basic gear. Gear was big deal. So many description of different hats (advantages of various, shapes, sizes and materials), and saddles, and chaps, and bedding, and neckerchiefs and boots, and rain slickers, and ropes or lariats, rifles or hand guns, and the riding, roping and other skills needed and valued; all this and more was covered in bits and pieces in various stories.Also attitudes, it seemed to me that the prevailing view of many of the writers was looking back to a younger self and seeing what had to have been a pretty harsh existence through the eyes of someone who saw this as pure freedom. The western range areas crossed many states from Texas north, the land was not lush and a number of times it was mentioned that at least 25 acres were need to support a cow. Cattle were driven between winier and summer ranges, and the open government land was regarded as rightfully theirs. (This was from the cowboy perspective, very little of the stories concerned the owners). Anything that impinged on the migration was regarded with anything from sadness (a personal sense of loss) to rage. Some disliked the Indians for being in their way or for protecting what had been theirs, some mentioned dislike of Mexicans basically, it seemed, because of language difficulties and cultural differences (though they admired their horsemanship). The personal prejudices did not seem to extend to those they worked with on their team, but to the "others". However, the worst resentment was reserved for those who interfered with their use of the land, like rustlers, like sheepherders (as cattle could not follow sheep, who ate to the nubs), and like farmers and like any hell bred souls who put up barbed wire fences.The cowboy ideal seemed to be someone who was hard working and honest and who pulled his own weight and helped his team, though hot tempered, rowdy, spendthrift, and a loner described many. The teller of tall tales was valued round the campfire and a good cook was prized.Also the cowboy seemed aware of his mystique and in those towns, like bustling Chicago, they might get treated with a bit of celebrity as they swaggered through the areas near the stock yards. The western towns welcomed them as they spent about all they made and the towns usually tolerated quite a bit of shenanigans.The stories made it easy to start and stop. The writing, while not always the best, seemed to be natural and unaffected and brought an era alive to me. I felt this compilation well selected and well worth the read.

Reviewer: Tom Weatherred
Rating: 2.0 out of 5 stars
Title: It these are the best, I would hate to see the worst
Review: It these are the best, I would hate to see the worst. Poorly written, dull characters, almost nothing good to say about it.

Reviewer: Shrinking Violet
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Several stories from hard to find authors of the Golden Age...
Review: I bought this as a gift for my brother-in-law, a long time collector of Western fiction. He was thrilled to see the names of some writers whose work can be very hard to find, especially their short fiction. I am waiting a decent interval before I ask to borrow it...

Reviewer: Frevans7155
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title: ... for way over 40 years and was a bit disappointed with this collection
Review: I've been a fan of westerns for way over 40 years and was a bit disappointed with this collection. There were some very good stories but most of them were average.

Reviewer: Video226
Rating: 1.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Poor writing and weak stories, but it's historical
Review: I couldn't get past the first few chapters. If I were writing a thesis on on the subject, I would read it all, but I want more entertainment.

Reviewer: Amazon Customer Robert L in Texas
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great old stories by various authors
Review: This group of stories and tales of the old West captured on words of the era are captivating. Well told, with illustrations at the start of each story, they give a glimpse of cowboy life in the laye1800s.

Reviewer: Ron Forest
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: A good variety of old west tales. Has stories of well known American cowboys of the past, giving an insight into what they were really like.

Reviewer: Kindle Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: good read

Reviewer: David Single
Rating: 1.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Wish I could get a credit back on this one, certainly not what I thought it would be, stopped reading after the first story.

Reviewer: Willem du Toit
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: The stories does not flow well and is not easy to read and enjoy

Reviewer: Lindsay J. Cole
Rating: 1.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Generally weak story lines!!!