My Top Ten Western Writers - June on the Range

My Top Ten Western Writers
Join us for June on the Range!
Also, I called Ray Hogan Roy in this video, even though I know better. I’m an idiot.
The Gang:
CriminOlly
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Another Bibliophile Reads
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Shawn D. Standfast
/ shawndstandfast
The Bookish Bryants
/ @thebookishbryants
Steve Donoghue
/ saintdonoghue
This Just In
/ thisjustinbooktube

[@farhad_s]

Growing up in Bangladesh, Westerns were surprisingly popular in the '80s. Who would've thought? They were all in Bengali, of course, and it was only years later that I found out they were mostly translations of Louis L'Amour Westerns. I have fond memories, and plan to read the originals someday.

[@troytradup]

Off the top of my head, I think I've only read five Westerns in my entire long life. Weirdly, each of them was very high on my list of top reads for their respective year. And even more weirdly, none of them made me go out and look for more Westerns -- I wonder why? (If anyone is interested: The Ox-Bow Incident, Incident at Twenty-Mile, Heart of the Country, Lonesome Dove, and my very favorite novel of all time: The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon, which I bet some people wouldn't count as a real Western but they're wrong.)

[@Monsterblood]

I've only read a handful of westerns as well, but have enjoyed them all. I don't know I haven't sought out more either lol

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I’ve read so many westerns I can’t remember them all.

[@troytradup]

@@michaelk.vaughan8617 I can believe that!

[@nunyabidness4220]

I had kind of the same experience. I'm primarily a horror reader, but I've always read a lot of westerns, mostly 'cuz my dad had tons of 'em. But I only really went crazy on 'em recently, because I kept reading books that turned out to be among the best things I ever read, so I decided "Maybe I should focus more on westerns if so many of 'em are turning out to be so great." First was Lonesome Dove, which was magnificent, maybe the best book I ever read. Then a month or two later I read The Time It Never Rained by Elmer Kelton and thought, "Wow, this may be better than Lonesome Dove!" So I ran out and found everything he wrote. The Time It Never Rained and Wagontongue turned out to be almost as great as Time It Never Rained. They aren't "shoot 'em ups," but intelligent literature with a point. Time It Never Rained almost feels like The Old Man and the Sea, in a way. Then I found Cowboy and the Cossack by Clair Huffaker. WOW. People are truly obsessed with that book, and for good reason. So I went looking for his stuff, which is scarce nowdays. Posse From Hell is amazing. Then I went back to an old fave, Lewis B. Patten, and The Red Sabbath (about Custer's last stand) and A Killing In Kiowa both blew me away. Then The Violent Land by Wayne D. Overholser was also amazing. So, now I'm Western-crazy, and so far, I've been very glad I got onto 'em. Those guys could WRITE.

[@mtngrl5859]

Michael, Great selection! In the late 1970's, Louis L' Amour was at a writer's conference that I attended. At that point was not much of a western fan, but he was a very magnetic man and had a very adventurous life.

[@daviddunham9830]

Love your channel, Michael! I'm old. I'm 79 next month. I grew up on Zane Grey, read every book and they sit in a case most with the old dust jackets.! I started at 15 when I discovered The Last Trail, followed by Spirit of the Border and Betsy Zane. Based on the Ft. Henry area of WV in the 1700s-1800s and Lewis Wetzel. The other westerns mostly are romantic novels with the best known -Riders of the Purple Sage. Between you and Steve Donoghue, you two got me started again reading and rereading the old classics. You two put excitement back into reading! Thank you. Dave from Maine. * By the way- the Hopalong Cassidy westerns were written right here in Fryeburg Maine by Clarence Mulford. (The character in tv and movies is not the same as in the books. Hoppy was a nasty, spitting rough and tumble cowboy but changed to a kid's hero in movies.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I have at least one Hopalong book. I need to check it out.

[@denisadellinger4543]

My daddy loved westerns. He read a lot of Louis L'amoure. I think writing westerns is a lost art. I've never read any because I liked girl stuff. There are a lot of romance novelists who wrote tons of romances. They are all formulaic but enjoyable.

[@Monsterblood]

Surprised William Johnstone wasn't on your list! I have a Louis L' Amour book I need to get to

[@Voyleglover]

Used to write westerns some decades ago. Market for them disappeared. It has slowly returned but every time I get back in the saddle I get distracted by something running across my trail.

[@zimmer50]

My 1st author for June on the range is T. V. Olsen and the book is Canyon of the Gun. I' m half done and loving it, of course it's very short, only 144 pages. Next up will be a few Max Brand. Also The Good Old Boys by Kelton and Ambush for Lassiter by Loren Zane Grey. Maybe one or two more, time permitting. Love your channel and look forward to a new video every morning.

[@DuncanMcCurdie]

Yay you got your cowboy hat. This was a great list, a few authors for me to check out. Thank you for creating June On The Range.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Thanks for joining us! I appreciate it.

[@rolpaw4371]

Hello, un petit bonjour de votre fidèle visionneur français ... Surtout pour le roman western; Merci ;) , amicalement, Roland.

[@frankmorlock9134]

I find the discussion interesting because I've never read many novels about The West. The exception is Shane which I read , I think after I first saw the movie with Alan Ladd. I grew up watching Roy Rogers, Gene Autrey on screen and listening to The Lone Ranger and The Cisco Kid on radio. There are not too many plays dealing with the West, but I do recall two. One was called A Texas Steer, and it is about a rich Texan family that moves back East and their attempts to fit in to Eastern Society with their Texas manners. Very funny. But one of the all time great plays in my opinion is The Girl of The Golden West by David Belasco. Belasco was very famous as both a playwright and producer at the turn of the 20th century. This play is set during the California Gold Rush. The Girl, as she is called, is an orphan that grew up in a camp of gold miners. Being the only girl, and charming woman as she now is, the miners are all in love with her and she is virtual Queen of the place. Everything is fine until she falls in love with a bandit from outside the camp. She hides him, but eventually they catch him, and plan to hang him. But when they find out The Girl loves this no-good a very interesting situation is presented. Although the characters are from central casting they are still believable and the play works very well. I'm convinced Shakespeare would have loved it. Puccini made it into an opera. I highly recommend it.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Thanks for the recommendation, as always!

[@frankmorlock9134]

I forgot to mention that David Belasco himself novelized his play The Girl of the Golden West in case that interests anyone. It might be easier to find then the play.

[@omaramat4813]

You could check out the Opera by Puccini, great music

[@ThisJustInBookTube]

I don’t know that I could have named ten western writers let alone pick ten favorites. But that’s part of why I’m taking a part in this event, to find out about more great western authors. 🤠

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I’m really glad you are taking part. I really thought I would be alone on The Range.

[@jeremyfee]

I love the cowboy outfit. When I was growing up, all my mom and I could get my dad to read was those paperback westerns. I saw a lot of Louis Lamour sitting around the house, but not for long. We'd go trade them in at the used bookstore for more books. I'm sure after you read Lonesome Dove, if you redo this list, Larry McMurtry will be at the top of the list. :)

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

That’s what everyone seems to think. That book must be amazing.

[@petervandeweyer517]

@@michaelk.vaughan8617 it is 🙂

[@blacknwhitecookie8967]

Thank you for a fascinating list of western books. Definitely will be trying many of these guys out. 🤠

[@charlieplett]

I just finished reading all of the Louis L'amour books listed on Goodreads.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

That is a lot of books! Are there some of his books missing from Goodreads?

[@AJ_Dunn]

Have you ever read Annie Proulx? She has some good western stories.

[@barbaraboethling596]

Thanks for mentioning a female writer A.J.! You're the only one who noticed the dearth of female representation in the genre!😊 News flash to all the others, 50% of the old west were women.🐎🐎🐎😁

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

No, but thanks for letting me know about her.

[@PaleyDaley]

Great video. I have a question, which book/author has greatest descriptions of the environment? I love beautiful prose portrayals of the landscape, that make it feel like a living character. Thanks

[@bd803]

My fav western author is R.O.Lane. Men with honor and integrity. Treat women, children, and the unprotected with kindness and respect. Great action. I howled with laughter while reading my fav book "Okefenoke Rifles" The best Hero character ever!!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Fascinating list. I have 3 of these authors on my TBR for June but may have to add so TV Olsen too

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

He’s well worth your time.

[@stevco17]

Michael congrats on hiiting 7k subscribers! So glad to see your channel growing!! 🍺

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Thanks!

[@paulmonahawk4921]

True Grit is one of the best novels ever written love that one...

[@marcsmirnoff936]

Agreed. A masterpiece on so many levels.

[@alexandergapour1253]

Did you like the movies

[@paulmonahawk4921]

Have not seen either!

[@paulmonahawk4921]

My Grandad read a lot of Westerns too! And that was in the wild West of Scotland!

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I’m assuming there are a lot of cowboys in Scotland.

[@paulmonahawk4921]

@@michaelk.vaughan8617 Yes and plenty of bandits, card sharps, and out of tune piano players!

[@Arven8]

New subscriber. I'm sorry to realize I missed June on the Range in 2023. I hope you will revisit the range in June of 2024. I recently read Journal of the Gun Years on your recommendation, and I thought it was fantastic. I've picked up the Mattheson collection by Penguin that you recommended as well, and I'm about halfway through that. Good stuff. Anyhow, I have only read two other Westerns in my life (Lonesome Dove and True Grit), both of which I enjoyed, so I would love to participate in a June on the Range next year, if y'all are having one.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

June on the Range will definitely happen in 24.

[@bookssongsandothermagic]

I’m definitely doing the June on the Range challenge but because of the other videos I’ve got queued up etc, I’ll be doing two videos later in June, one on the novel I’ll be reading for it, and one for the short story collection I’ll be reading. If I get to it in time I’ll be doing a 2nd novel for the challenge too….but I’m late finishing Horror Mayhem lol

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Thanks for joining us! We need to spread out our JOTR videos anyway!

[@GaryMartinDobbs]

Great to see western content. Thank you

[@ReadbyFred]

Love the hat and the shirt! This here's gonna be a fun reading event partner! Hopefully Roger makes an appearance 😀

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Roger probably will. He loves the attention.

[@troytradup]

The Cowboy Mummy ... or The Mummy Cowboy. Either way, I smell a bestseller!

[@disshelvedwithadamwhite8731]

I’ve got Ray Hogan and Luke Short in my June reviews. Also Elmore Leonard and some others. I really enjoyed them all.

[@bjminton2698]

Oh wow! You had a few authors on your list that Steve D has never read!! Have you watched his top 10 westerns video yet? Thank you for the fun month!! My TBR list just gets longer... and longer.

[@skeller61]

I read a lot of Louis L’Amour earlier in my life. I just got the Library of America Westerns volume, as well as their Elmore Leonard Westerns. Sorry, I’m in the habit of reading what I feel like, and not going by catchy month names to pick for me. Thanks for the author recommendations, as L’Amour and Zane Gray are the only two I’d really heard of.

[@barbaraboethling596]

Thanks Michael! Love those cowboy duds! You bear no resemblance to Buster Scruggs at all. Ah-hem! I'm starting with Elmer Kelton, since he's been lounging on my ancient TBR for a couple of years.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Good place to start!

[@Dave49erman]

I enjoyed your list! My favorite is Louis L'Amour, then I'm tied between Luke Short and Gordon D Shirreffs, I also like Will Henry and have several Ray Hogans, Overholser, etc. I have more westerns than Tarzan and Conan put together, at least a couple of thousand. This is my main genre! Cool outfit too!

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Thanks

[@Friedlandbe]

Hello from Belgium. I really love westerns, but very few are translated in French. Despite this I'll try to participate at the June on the range challenge.

[@nedmerrill5705]

How about Cormac McCarthy? I just read "Blood Meridian" (It might hit two of your sweet spots: horror and westerns). And Owen Wister, author of "The Virginian".

[@SidLaw500]

I'm half-way through my first Overholser book and am digging his style. TV Olsen is next. To those new to the genre, try Ed Gorman's Vendetta.

[@jbullard]

Michael, I posted a TBR video for June on the Range. However, I didn't know that it was originally your tag. I apologize for that. This list was Awesome, Thank you so much for this, For June on the Range, I'll be reading, Broken Trail by Alan Geoffrion, Warlock by Oakley Hall, And Louis L'Amour. I read Broken gun last year, I Really enjoyed it. I would be interested to know your #1 Louis L'Amour, Your absolute favorite,.Thank you for June on the range, and this wonderful list.

[@melvyncollins7305]

Just come across your channel, some fantastic content by the way. I've just started reading the George G. Gilman Edge series that started back in the 70's (1970's not 1870's!), the writer was actually English and the series was heavily influenced by the spaghetti western films of the day, hence very bloodthirsty!

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Great! So glad you found my channel. CriminOlly, on his channel, is reading through the Edge series. Sounds like good, pulpy stuff.

[@BookBlather]

Missed this one. I got my Louis L’Amour and am ready to roll 🤠

[@nunyabidness4220]

Seek out some Lewis B. Patten. You'll be glad you did. I've gotten obsessed with him. Maybe start out with A Killing In Kiowa. I've hardly ever seen a protagonist put through more incredibly-difficult situations than that one...

[@nathanfoung2347]

Channeling "Buckskin Man" there, nice. Thanks for the list. Time to circle the wagons, pardner!

[@garylovisi357]

Great video, Michael, and i agree with you on most of your picks, though maybe not in your order. We all have our favorites. I would add Ernest Haycox, Clair Hufficiar, and Will Cook who died too young and who I did a video on, i liked his books so much. There are so many others, really great writers but you did a good job of covering the genre, bravo!

[@macrosense]

I think I read a book where Zane Grey had a lot of Mormon villains.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Riders of the Purple Sage. The Mormons never come off too well in his books, unfortunately.

[@anotherbibliophilereads]

A used bookstore near me had a lot of TV Olsen, but I didn’t pay any attention to them. Maybe a trip is in order.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Buying more books is always a good idea.

[@bluebellbeatnik4945]

I'm in the middle of watching Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Rick Dalton is reading a very old paperback western so I got curious.

[@thebookishbryants]

You are reading the same Luke Short book I am reading! I am uploading my tbr now. That's kinda cool.

[@garylovisi357]

Not to forget the early pbos by Donald Hamilton and Elmore Leonard that were very hardboiled westerns! Great stuff!

[@richardsonreads573]

Zane Grey’s fishing writing is great. Nice list.

[@bizarrebraincomics7819]

Love Westerns in movies and comics as well as books. Don't forget REH and ERB who wrote Westerns too.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I read them all.

[@musicalneptunian]

Interesting how there was sometimes overlap of Westerns into Sci Fi. Star Trek had an episode where Kirk, Spock and McCoy all went back to the Wild West and had to become gunslingers.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I liked that one!

[@jereldonovan834]

Gene Roddenberry, who created Star Trek, was urged by his father to write westerns and not his space drama. In many ways the original Star Trek series was western in its storytelling. It was often called a western in space

[@fredflintstone1485]

Travels of Jamie McPheeters is a great western book. Also Shane by Jack Schaeffer.

[@sgriffin9960]

I’ll be reading a more modern western, The Sisters Brothers, for June On The Range. Once I get through my book buying ban (I’m at 29/50) I hope to track down Theodore V. Olsen’s The Stalking Moon. Do you know if there were any popular female western writers?

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Mary Doria Russell is the only one I can think of off the top of my head. I know there are others.

[@williamzondersen]

Very entertaining and cool Channel.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Thanks!

[@ABT212]

I will certainly check out T.V. Olsen.

[@LucasMyFriends]

Zane Grey is my favorite!

[@gypsyboomer]

Just found this one. Good job in a niche genre. Might add Elmore Leonard and Larry McMurtry.

[@davidsigler9690]

My eyes, my eyes, that shirt....the hat is cool, but that shirt, oh, you city-slicker types and your shirts....excellent list of Western authors....I knew an ex-German soldier, (WWII), who loved his westerns....will of course try to read as much as I can this June.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Ha! You are just jealous you don’t have a shirt so fashionable!

[@davidsigler9690]

@@michaelk.vaughan8617 Yes, you are correct, I am indeed jealous of that shirt....very fashionable but I am sticking to my flannel....

[@freelivefree7221]

The only writers on this list I've read are Kelton and L'Amour. I actually hold Kelton in higher regard than L'Amour. Not because L'Amour was bad, he wasn't I just think Kelton was a bit less formulaic. According to critics, the two best Westerns are Blood Meridian and Lonesome Dove which is probably true. Though Blood Meridian you have to put up with the extreme violence.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I’m actually in no rush to get to Blood Meridian. I can’t wait for Lonesome Dove.

[@freelivefree7221]

Blood Meridian is not for the faint-hearted but it is worth reading. It actually isn't the most violent book I've read. That would be Tim Willock's The Religion.

[@April_Davis]

I'm just getting into Westerns. I've only read a 2in1 book by Clay Fisher Red Blizzard/The Oldest Maiden Lady in New Mexico. I was trying to fulfill a reading challenge that included reading a book in my home state. This book happened to be in the free cart at my library so I grabbed it which meant I didn't have to actually search for NM set fiction. Easy one to check off my challenge list. 👍. And it was short so YAY! Turns out I loved both stories. Now I'm about to start a Lonesome Dove read-along. And here you are twisting my arm to look for TV Olsen books. 👀 Ok. I'm gonna do it. Happy now?? ☺️

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I am happy now. 👍🏻

[@KyleMaxwell]

I would encourage folks to look at Larry McMurtry ("Lonesome Dove") as well!

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Definitely. Magnificent book.

[@janhart1592]

This is a great book.

[@tonygriego6382]

Howdy pilgrim. You ready to draw?

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

YeeeeHaaaww

[@gamayun6102]

Do you know any great writers actually from the Wild West? I'd be very interested in them!

[@melindayoung7459]

Love westerns Louis lamour

[@derekgreen7319]

I have to mention William johnstone. He is a big reason I got into reading. They jusy happened to be at my house from my older family.

[@AnneEWilliamson]

So many authors I've never heard of. To be honest, I've only heard of Louis L'amour and Zane Grey. Had no idea Richard Matheson wrote westerns though...interesting.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

He wrote good ones! Journal of the Gun Year is excellent.

[@danielsweet858]

Wish we were neighbors mate. Bet you're glad we aren't! 😆🤠

[@Toracube]

Louis Lamour was the biggest seller.. but he only received 1 Spur award, it seems. Almost as if he was sidelined, due to his success.. the J T Edson books were English copies of American tropes…and there were loads of them around when I grew up. Not sure if they crossed the pond.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

They must have all been jealous of LL.

[@koosvandenberg7965]

thank you.

[@CommonSwense]

My Grandfather Edwin (1921-2009) would ask: “Does anyone still read Zane Grey?”

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

A few of us still do, for sure.

[@ITCamefromthePage]

Both of my local thrift stores have Western sections! All of these have amazing covers. THERE ARE SO MANY LOUIS L'AMOUR boooks at my local used book store haha. Great video!

[@April_Davis]

My local used book is the same.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Thanks! Around here if a bookstore has a western section it’s really just the Louis L’Amour section.

[@Im_No_Expert_72]

Elmore Leonard has some really good westerns

[@Carsos1992]

No Larry McMurtry?

[@jobuckley2999]

Frightening isn't it? Pulp western writers like Grey and L'Amour are always mentioned even though their books are average.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I haven’t read McMurtry yet. And Jo, spellcheck must have changed “awesome” to “average “.

[@Robert-w9e7g]

I am shocked Larry Mcmurtry is not on this list. Lonesome Dove is easily the best western I have ever read. If there are better western novels than this book please let me know and I will give them a read. I have never read your first pick Tv Olsen so I will read one of his westerns.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

If I’m remembering right, I hadn’t read Lonesome Dove when I made this video. I have now and I agree with you. It’s an incredible western.

[@Robert-w9e7g]

Yes anybody I know who has read that book thinks it is a really good book. I have not read many westerns so would you have any recommendations for me to read.

[@redwawst3258]

🤠

[@Yuuzhanvon]

Louis L'Amour is the G.O.A.T 🐐 🤠

[@DrMetalpin]

Not including Terry C. Johnston just kinda seems off to me. Your list, but I’ve got all of Terry C. JOHNSTON’s novels. Unfortunately he died too early in his 50’s but his books are great.

[@DDB168]

Thats a great list. T V Olsen 5 spots above Matheson, whoa - I gotta check this guy out. T minus 1 JotR

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

T V Olsen is really good.

[@nathancooley7685]

It’s your list and god bless you, but imagine have a Top-10 list of Western authors that doesn’t include Larry McMurtry, Owen Wister, Elmore Leonard, Jack Schaefer, and the especially the unrivaled and greatest American author, Cormac McCarthy.

[@Jen-ko1ct]

Thanks for the fun video and great channel. Hogan’s first name is Ray, though, not Roy. 😆😆😆

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I can’t believe I did that. I always call him Roy and I know he’s Ray. If I had caught that I would have done this whole video over.

[@Jen-ko1ct]

I greatly enjoy your videos. Hope you keep ‘em coming!!

[@PhillipInbody]

No max brand books

[@isawamoose]

WARLOCK by Oakley Hall and the rest of his western trilogy. You're welcome.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

That was a very good book.

[@Deadletter6]

Are you a fan of William Johnstone?

[@toddhurley5629]

No William Johnstone?

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

With all due respect to Johnstone, he’s never been a favorite of mine.

[@jasonkane8200]

Oh Dude. Larry McMurtry and Elmore Leonard have to be in here somewhere, don't you think? Your list may need to go to fifteen. Lol. If you want something new, try this . . . "The Hues of Requital." (Please delete this posting if that title post is inappropriate for your site. Tyvm. (also, might add that Will Henry (on your list) and Clay fisher (Not listed) were both Henry Wilson Allen)

[@jimsbooksreadingandstuff]

yee hah... Louis L'Amour is the best selling western author with somewhere between 230 million and 330 million books sold. Then come Zane Grey and Karl May

[@37south47]

Any western top ten list without Larry McMurtry is invalid!