Western Novels and Their Authors

[@TUCOtheratt]

L'Amour is my favorite. I love those segments when he describes a scene, painting a vivid picture with the least amount of perfect words.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

He was great at painting it all for us.

[@ruhtra-k]

I also liked how he regarded the native Americans in his novels. He is also my favorite. He paints very well the feeling of survival and life in general.

[@57WillysCJ]

I started reading him in school about 50 years ago and consider him one of the best for teens. Ralph Moody for preteens. L'Amour showed real death without it being too graphic but showing there was cosequences.

[@captbart3185]

Also my favorite. I appreciated his treatment of women as well. I’ve even recommended “Cherokee Trail” to some friends and got those ladies hooked on his work. Yes, I am proud of myself for that. 😊

[@coyoteblue9733]

Louis L'Amour wrote the same 2 or 3 books 180 times

[@LeloniBunny]

It's 2024 and a cowboy telling viewers how "reading is cool" is still the most timeless, totally grooviest thing ever!

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

My actions have never been described as "Grooviest." I like it. Glad you enjoyed!

[@alacharger]

You rarely saw me without a western paperback during my teen years. I still have a huge collection of them. I was, and am still a huge Louis L'Amour fan, as well as Luke Short and Clair Huffaker. Good video! Thanks for posting!

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Cool!!

[@stephenrice4554]

Louis L'Amour could certainly spin a good yarn .

[@indigowolf556]

I love Louis l'amour. When he writes you can just picture yourself in that scene. So creative and descriptive.

[@fighterguystudios]

I'm so glad you mentioned him, even if you didn't talk about his novels, but Elmer Kelton doesn't get near the love he deserves in the western novel conversation. His books are so much more about just life in the west instead of the gunslingers and outlaws. I got to spend a day with him back when I was working in a bookstore in San Angelo. Told he I was horribly disappointed that Hewey Calloway up and left Spring Renfro at the end of Good Old Boys (spoiler.. I guess..) and he just laughed and told me to read the next one. He was such a nice guy and I'm glad I got to meet someone who knew the old west so well. I will always recommend his work.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

I think he's the author with the most Spur Awards, and a few Western Hertiage Awards (not to mention the Owen Wister award) so that's pretty great recognition. He also had a book made into a movie. He is, at least in my circles, spoken fondly of!

[@fighterguystudios]

@@ArizonaGhostriders I guess it's more of a 'doesn't get enough love' from those who aren't already big western fans. I sold book IN SAN ANGELO and I'd get people who would be interested in the genre and it was a lot of Louis L'amour, Zane Grey, and Larry McMurtry - all fantastic authors, but when you're in the author's own town it's disappointing to have to explain that there are more western authors out there. Even a lot of times I see on Reddit or in discords people are quick to name the big names but miss out on Mr Kelton. I've been singing his praises to anyone even sort of interested in the Western Genre (and quite a few people who aren't...). I didn't know about winning the most Spur awards.. I might have to go explore some other authors in that group, too.

[@EsaPaloniemi]

For the moment being, I am the only active Western writer here in Finland. So this even more interesting video than others. Reading/writing❤

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

WOohooO!! Write well.

[@hardheadjarhead]

@@ArizonaGhostriders Okay, Santee. We need to go to Europe and meet this guy!

[@MelissaKaren-v2t]

@@EsaPaloniemi totally agree 👍 hey 👋 nice to meet you 😊 how are you doing ☺

[@ralphbo]

My grandfather liked the author Zane Grey so much he named my mom after him. She ended up getting a draft notice in WW2. Pop and Mom had to go to the induction center to prove she was a she.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

🤠 Wow!

[@thomasallen3818]

My dad got me into reading Western novels back in the early 1960’s. We would go to Arizona every other year to see family and friends and go to Old Tucson, Tombstone, Bisbee and would stay with family in Patagonia. My aunt’s family owned a huge ranch in the mountains around Patagonia. They also owned The Wagon Wheel Bar in Patagonia, and back in the 60’s it was the oldest family owned bar in Arizona. The ranch had several ghost towns on it which were associated with the abandoned mines that were on the ranch. So I’ve been heavily influenced by the time I spent in Arizona.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Cool!! Come back and visit sometime.

[@thomasallen3818]

@@ArizonaGhostriders My wife had never been to Arizona, so in 2016 we drove out and stayed a week in Tombstone then Bisbee and finally we drove up to Flagstaff and toured the Grand Canyon for 3 days. Then took a nice long drive to site seeing through Colorado and down to New Mexico to Carlsbad Caverns, and back home in South Texas. The town I grew up in Kingsville, is home to the World famous King Ranch. Even though the Yankee relatives have just about ruined what the ranch was by running off the only real cowboy that truly loved the ranch for what it is, and did so just for their own profit. Tio Kleberg was the heart of the ranch and town that he loved more than anything. But he was too philanthropic to suit their greedy needs. I’ve known Tio my whole life, and he lived and breathed the King Ranch and its history.

[@terryschiller2625]

Thank you Santee for all you hard work and time. You bring the history of the West back again. 🤠🇺🇲

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

My pleasure!!

[@ManLikeKitch]

I grew up with Westerns in comics and the screen. My old man was a major John Wayne fan, so those movies were constantly on play at home. I have recently gotten into Blood Meridian, which exemplified the themes in Western, human dichotomy, imporatnce of self-preservation, nature of life and man, the trivialisation and return of morality when faced with extreme, importance of courage and the need for community and settlement over flocks and gangs. That has made me also seek lighter literature, so this video is very helpful. I never appreciated these stories and setting enough as a youngster, so I am making up for it now, thanks to you.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Thank you and enjoy that dark story!

[@billrivenbark8983]

I hate rudeness in a man. Won’t tolerate it. The best line in that whole series! Great video.

[@kenkahre9262]

One heck of a punch line.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Thank You!

[@MelissaKaren-v2t]

@@billrivenbark8983 totally agree 👍 hey 👋 nice to meet you 😊 how are you doing ☺

[@ZeRowe]

Lonesome Dove and Shootist are at the top of my list 🍻😎

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Thank You!

[@Sven_E07]

I've read those two masterpieces. They and "The Searchers" are my three favorite western movies too.

[@SamSnoekBrown]

Interesting fact: Cormac McCarthy apparently rode on horseback over every inch of ground he covers in Blood Meridian, just to get a feel for the land and the pace.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

I wouldn't doubt it.

[@rhondaz356]

Somehow you ALWAYS manage to cover the topic, *educate many of us along the way... and give us the BEST audio/visual inserts and clips, Santee and company. THANK YOU. 🤠👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🌞🎊

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

My pleasure!

[@Reddrik]

I would LOVE a Zane Grey video. I live 10 minutes from his old house in PA which is now a museum. I think he’s just the most interesting guy - It WAS typical for men to wear many hats (no pun intended) in that time, but a master fisherman, a minor league baseball player, a world-recognized dentist, AND one of the most influential Western authors of all time? That man packed more into a day than most of us do in a year!

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Yeah he did.

[@MelissaKaren-v2t]

@@Reddrik totally agree 👍 hey 👋 nice to meet you 😊 how are you doing ☺

[@Aswaguespack]

And now Westerns and Sci-Fi have blended into interesting stories. Who knew?!? As always Saturday Morning is not Saturday Morning without an Arizona Ghostriders production. Thank you Santee.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Thank You!

[@hellacoorinna9995]

@@Aswaguespack Mind, Star Trek's always had a "Frontier fort interestin' times and dealing with 'em" kinda vibe. If you look at Gorn and the mistakes with dealing with Amerind tribes, and the sometimes unfortunate consequences there-in. ("Arena", TOS) Lost in Space and Space:1999 was the Oregon Trail. Hell, Han Solo in his iteration, is basically a gunslinger. Mandolorian, season 1 had a certain aura to it. Indeed, most western sci-fi has some "western" vibe to it. Some, like "Firefly" take that, and lean real hard into it.

[@Aswaguespack]

@@hellacoorinna9995 Gene Roddenberry got his start in the Western Genre. Many of the original Star Trek cast members could be seen on Wagon Train episodes.

[@hellacoorinna9995]

@@Aswaguespack Ah, I forgot about that. Go figure. Kirk tended to punch and shoot, like a western hero, too.

[@gsdfan8455]

I’m 56 and grew up reading Louis L’amour books and am still rereading them today. He will always be my favorite. Elmore Leonard also wrote some of my favorites. Both crime and western.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Yay! 🤠

[@JEDiTV]

Comic Books and Western Paperbacks are what I started reading at a very young age and continue to read today. Good stuff Santee.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Awesome, Jedi!

[@sitaspell4384]

Mr. Santee, your great Rapscallioness, is truly, offset by your great historical knowledge, willingness to share and inform us! THANK YOU for all you do!!

[@sitaspell4384]

You are truly, a Historians Historian!!😊😊

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Wow, thank you

[@Tadicuslegion78]

The Longmire Series by Craig Johnson, while always filed under the Mystery genre at your library, is western through and through

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Just not Old West. Modern, but good.

[@abrahemsamander3967]

Glad you made this. I’ve recently started writing westerns.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Wonderful!

[@Snuffy03]

Yippee Ki Yay. It's Saturday and time for Santee's video of western wisdom. I grew up reading all these fantastic books. Thanks for bringing them to the attention of those who may not have been as fortunate as I to know of them. Louis L'Amour book, The Ferguson Rifle, fascinated me with his knowledge of Major Ferguson's innovative weapon. As a grown man I had a custom gunmaker build me a Ferguson Rifle. I was not disappointed. Thanks again pardner.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

🤠🤠

[@Six-Shooter]

So glad you made this episode! Before I even started reading as an adult, in my teens I always fancied reading western books and would look online for audiobooks of westerns. That's where I discovered Zane Grey and Max Brand. For the past few years I've been collecting and reading westerns old and new and have even started a small channel showing off some of my finds and sharing very little knowledge I have. I hope this video gets alot more people looking for these books and reading westerns. That's what I aim to do with my channel. Thanks Santee

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

I'll check it out. Thank You!

[@philthethotdestroyer4194]

my dad used to love the Valdez is coming movie.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Yeah, it's a good 'un.

[@ruhtra-k]

I remember as a kid in the 70’s going with my grandparents to the flea market. There was a stall that dealt in used books. You would get credit for your used books towards what he had. My grandfather was always getting ’new’ westerns this way. He was constantly reading them. It was hard to find any at the book store that he hasn’t read yeT for his birthday. I was always in to fantasy and science fiction but over the past several years have been reading a lot of westerns.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Neat memory!

[@robdavidson4945]

I have the Louis L'Amour collection and read most of them at least twice. When I was much younger in the late 70's early 80's was working as cowboy for several ranches in the Owyhee country. I hadn't read the Louis L'Amour book Mountain Valley War yet when I heard that there had been a "writer fella" stayed on one of the ranches I worked on for sometime before I moved to the area. I believe it was L'Amour. I had a Great Uncle who was a fan of Zane Gray and had many of his books in his later years. My Dad read them and may have been inspired to move here to the Pacific Northwest from the Highlands of Scotland after WW2 and married a backcountry girl. The Great American Western inspired many people to move to the American West or at least visit. Glad to hear there are young people today keeping the the Old West alive

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Thanks!

[@Cole1966]

One of so many videos you release that I wish was longer

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

🤠

[@justinsane7128]

Read them all while working on a 36,000 acre mountain ranch in the 70s, Zane grey Louis L'Amour the whole time life series of western books, had no TV for 2 years. Still enjoy them but most of them are books on tape now.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Nice.

[@LinnKeller]

Thank you for your words of encouragement for modern writers. I've had the delight to read several!

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Good!

[@chubbethsthunder]

Santee, Absolutely Awesome. I have been reading Peter Brandvold lately also Robert Vaughan. Brandvold has a very vivid imagination. Thank you very much. You and Mrs. Pew Pew have a beautiful and blessed weekend. Hug the kitty cat for me.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Thank You!

[@indigowolf556]

My favorite Western author is and always will be Louis l'amour. He had a strong influence on me. I love westerns love reading writing. And with Louis L'Amour I always felt I was right there with him in those stories. Thank you for spotlighting these great authors 🤠

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@trynsurviven2440]

I know there are so many western novels that could be adapted into a movie that still sit on someone’s shelf. Hopefully they will discover that little piece of gold soon.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Yes!

[@stopmotionkid1041]

Even tho im a kid i read luis la more,zane grey,elmer kelton, and more i really love western novels

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Great to hear!

[@anangryranger]

Now in my 70s, I have time on my hands and though movies are great, nothing can beat a good western novel. Been reading 'em since a lad in the late 1950s. There must be over 500 books on western novels alone in my storage building. And periodically I'll go out and grab a handful of them for evening reading. And though I've read them all, its always a treat to do so again after many years. 😉

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

So great to hear!

[@Remy-de8kl]

I really wish they made a movie out of a William w. Johnston book especially his Smoke Jensen, Preacher, or Jamie Mcalister series

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

maybe one day...

[@A.R.American1]

I listen to audiobooks while i work makes the day go by faster. KZbin has losts of audiobooks from westerns to thrillers.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Do they? Terrific.

[@A.R.American1]

@@ArizonaGhostriders just search western audiobook or thriller audiobook or what ever they will pop up

[@timeminecraft6019]

Great stuff Santee, can you do a history of the postal service in the old west (possibly a dressing the part)?

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Think I did.

[@SmallCaliberArmsReview]

I've listened to many Louis L'Amour audible books during my weekly travels, some of them while traveling through Zanesville! Very nice video Santee!

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Thank You! They are sure fun to read/listen to

[@phillipallen3259]

I don't read as much as I'd like or I should, but a good Western novel will definitely grab my attention.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

🤠🤠

[@adrockey]

Great video! Back when I was in high school I read a lot of Zane Gray books. Between my junior and senior year in high school I worked at Camp Geronimo as a Wrangler . As you probably know it is the Boy Scout camp north of Payson. Zan Greys cabin was to the east couple hilltops over that burned down in 1989 when I was in the army. It was exciting to read about milk Ranch point, Turkey Springs, and bear Springs. Those places on each side of me around camp Geronimo.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Very cool and thanks for your service.

[@jimmysails994]

I have to thank my Grandpa for the love of old western novels. That’s all he read. My favorite was The Ferguson Rifle by Louis L’amour. I even did a book report on it in 7th grade. Great book if you haven’t read it. Thanks for bringing this topic to light. Cheers.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

You're welcome.

[@TimKoehn44]

Great episode Santee! Have a great weekend! Cheers!

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Thanks for the visit

[@sbcinema]

Jears ago, after a flea market, I found a chest full of western pulp magazines from the 50s to 70s that no one had bought. I saved them from the bin and read ALL OF THEM.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

WHoah! Cool.

[@ralphperez4862]

The first book I remember reading for grade school was "Shane". That and hanging out in Nevada with my dad during hunting seasons changed this city boy's life forever. Thanks Santee and congratulation to all those young writers. This is positive info compared to what we hear out there.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Thank You!

[@jazzenewman7398]

I don't live is U.S, But i love western fiction. My heart was at home, when i saw this video. Thank you. Reading now L'Amour's Down The Long Hills.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

It's so good!

[@toriamansfield2999]

I grew up reading Westerns and True West magazine -- among many, many others. My parents let me read anything I wanted, as long as it wasn't one of those "trashy romances", lol! But the Westerns were the best of all. :) I remember the day when I realized some of the Zane Grey books were based in history, so I became an eager student of the various range wars. One book I want to recommend is "The Cowboy and The Cossack" by Clair Huffaker. It's an absolutely amazing, brilliant book, and it's a shame it was never filmed.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Thanks for sharing.

[@margeoconnor166]

Thanks Santee! I'm a big fan of audio books and radio shows. William Johnstone books have full cast presentations that are excellent. I also enjoy the Powder River radio shows from Jerry Robbins. Hope you'll do a follow up on this topic as there is so much more to explore.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Couldn't agree more!

[@timmattingly2250]

Love the Lonesome Dove scene where Gus addresses the rude bartender. Been a person or two or fifty I would love to be able to adjust their attitude like that……..legally!

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

🤠

[@dericmederos1514]

This is the video I've been waiting for! Thank you and great work!

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Appreciated.

[@PhantomObserver]

There are a couple worth mentioning: -- Tombstone by Walter Noble Burns and Wyatt Earp Frontier Marshal by Stuart Lake. I suppose these aren't so much novels as they are exaggerated non-fiction, but good reads nonetheless. -- True Grit by Charles Portis -- Roughing It by Mark Twain. Modern Westerns are all well and good but let's not forget those that were written either in the period or very close to it. -- The Virginian by Owen Wister -- The Hopalong Cassidy series started by Clarence Mulford and continued as a Hardy Boys type ghost written series during William Boyd's TV series period. Of interest are four novels written by Tex Burns (actually Louis L'Amour using a pen name).

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Thanks for sharing your favorites.

[@paddyrat69]

Loren Estelman wrote the best account of the O.K. corral fight I have ever read.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Cool. 🤠

[@carpykeith]

I used to read a series of westerns by a British author, JT Edson, quite “romanticised” about fast draws, rustling, lawmen etc but he expanded into over 100 different books and brought the west to the 1920’s and even the 1960’s with his Lawmen of Rockabye county series before he went to the great range in the sky!

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Thanks for sharing!

[@AlphaTraveler1]

Hey Santee, always enjoy watching your videos my friend. I love the old west even as a kid. You ROCK my friend👍👍👍

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Thanks 👍

[@virginia7191]

I have not seen Lonesome Dove, but I did read the book. Great! I haven’t read any Louie L’Amour, but have enjoyed a number of the movies made from them. However, my favorite western writer has always been and will always be Zane Grey! No one else describes the scenery in such a way that you feel you are there!

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

It's so good!

[@paulyoungtrains]

I highly recommend the books of Terry C. Johnston. He wrote The Plainsman series which follows his fictional Irishman, Seamus Donegan through the Plains Indian Wars, starting with the Fetterman Massacre of 1866. He also wrote a series about mountain man Titus Bass.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Not bad. I got into a couple of 'em.

[@jacobmarley4907]

Also author Max Brand who sometimes wrote as Evan Evans. L'Amour was the best though, because he had been everywhere he wrote about. Great video Santee!

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Thanks for sharing!

[@faceman96]

Thanks for the encouragement Santee.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

sure!

[@AM-lh7rw]

Got into reading westerns as a boy growing up in London, UK. Corgi and Bantam books were a main stay Santee👍🤗. Audio books are also awesome. Firefly the scfy series could easily be said to be a western descendant.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

So cool!

[@nate2064]

Love me that McCarthy westerns, whether set in the 1850s or the 1980s, gotta respect a man who barely uses punctuation.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

🤠

[@sigfit1]

Another artist was Dwight Newton. He also wrote under several different pin names. He also wrote for quite a few western TV series during the 1950s and 60s.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Cool!

[@lawrencelewis2592]

I recall reading a book by L'Amour where his character is in an Austrian mountain town called Axams. I was there in 1978 and realised, this guy knows what he's talking about. I would suggest "The Court Martial of General George Armstrong Custer" by Douglas C. Jones as well as his "Elkhorn" series of novels. A great writer. In Germany there was a writer named Karl May who wrote Western stories. He died in 1912 and never came to the USA but his stories remain popular over there. The same characters are in most of his books. I have seen Western theme parks similar to Old Tuscon where people re-enact the old West. They take it seriously, too.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

🤠🤠

[@simiouno6125]

The Sam Elliott Stach is comin' on Strong !

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Thank You!

[@squint04]

Capt. Call has spoken!! See you next week for another "coffee visit" Santee! Have a good week!

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

🤠

[@DynamixWarePro]

I had an interesting coincidence when researching my 3rd great-granduncle, Thomas Mckeag. He left Ireland sometime in the 1800s, went to the US and had a stake in a silver mine in Silver Star, Madison, Montana in the later half of the 1800s. When I searched for McKeag and Montana, I found an unrelated book, "McKeag's Mountain" by L.J. Martin which is about a fictional McKeag family of Lucky Seven Ranch in Montana. I haven't yet got a copy of it, but I am going to get one. I have the complete Dollar series by Joe Millard. My dad passed them onto me. He was dyslexic and didn't read much but he liked Westerns and WW2 novels and had a number of those.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

🤠🤠

[@joelhurley2678]

Thank you Santee as always I enjoy your perspective on historical West especially with the books thank you.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

My pleasure!

[@MatthiasMatt1331Pottkamp]

My first western was by H. J. Stammel, a German author, at the end of the 70s. I also enjoyed reading (and still do) James Warner Bellah and Lewis B. Patten.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Cool!!!

[@Culloden-1745]

You mentioned several of my favorites. Bill Pronzini is also an author who has written some good westerns. Also, there are a few who write modern day westerns like C J Box and Craig Johnson. I also enjoyed that little bit of Cherokee Shuffle at the end of the clip.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Thanks for sharing.

[@wadejustanamerican1201]

Thanks Santee! I'm fortunate enough to have inherented my Grandfather's collection of Zane Grey novels.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Woohoo!

[@SteveMrW]

Here in the U.K. I loved western novels by several American authors, however one of my favourite authors was Englishman JT Edson with his Dusty Fog floating outfit series.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Yes!

[@JeffDeWitt]

My grandfather was a big fan of Louis L'Amour, and so I started listening to some of the audiobooks. I live in North Carolina so getting out west isn't something I get to do often, but I was driving along highway 89A in Utah while Logan Sacket was talking about some of the places he'd been. He mentioned the Vermillion Cliffs... which I'd never heard of until that moment, and then there they were off to the left in real life. Very weird and cool. Wish i could tell Grandpa DeWitt!

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

🤠🤠

[@nagjrcjasonbower]

Good one!! We certainly need more good writers!!!

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

🤠

[@jeff9104]

Great stuff Santee, I grew up reading Robert Utley, Paul Hutton, True West magazine and a whole bunch of Louis L'Amour and now we also have Santee !🌵🚂🚃🚃🌵

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Yes!

[@tumbleweed6658]

Nice work partner Love, Luis Lamar and Lonesome Dove one of my absolute favorites.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

So good

[@ADRay1999]

Hey Santee how about a video on how Western tv shows/ Movies helped influence colt to reintroduce the SAA and how it also opened the door for Ruger to enter the Single Action revolver market.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

OK!

[@led8541]

Louis L'Amour books helped me graduate high school Great video Santee

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

That's awesome!

[@b-rizzle2224]

Before discovering the johnstone westerns i was in a rut id had been a reader my whole life but wasnt a fan of the old west untill about 2019 what happened was i read stephen kings "it" and it depressed the heck outta me and kinda killed my love of reading for a while. i was in walmart when i came across my first william w johnstone book it was called "bloodthirsty a buckhorn novel" i picked it up on a impulse buy and ive been a fan of the old west time period ever since and even discovered this channel in the process

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

That's a great story!

[@andrewgilbertson5356]

Lonesome Dove and the follow up books are my favourite westerns

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Terrific!

[@abrahemsamander3967]

Richard Mathesom wrote westerns? Awesome. Lot of new names I’ve heard of, and some I’ve heard before.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

🤠🤠

[@Rick_King]

Great video, as usual, Santee! I would recommend a two-book series by Mary Doria Russell: Doc, and Epitaph. These novels follow Doc Holliday from his birth, along the way encountering Wyatt and the rest of the Earps, Big Nose Kate, and all the rest. I'm currently rereading Epitaph (A Novel of the OK Corral.) Both are fantastic stories with plenty of fiction to fill in the gaps. --Desert Rat Rick

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Thank You!

[@henryrodgers1752]

Growing up in El Paso,Texas, in the middle 1950s and beyond, I was steeped in stories of the transition to the 20th Century. My great uncle Henry served 8 years in Co. A Texas Rangers, stationed in El Paso, 1902 - 1908. Visits to Concordia Cemetery to visit the grave of John Wesley Hardin and, 20 feet away, the grave of City Marshall John Selman, who killed him. Visits to the Acme Saloon at San Antonio and Utah streets, where that killing to place. Nearby, on El Paso Street the location of the “Four Dead in Five Seconds” gunfight when U.S. Marshall Dallas Stoudenmire introduced himself to El Paso on April14, 1881. Growing up anywhere in the West, it would be difficult not to be a fan of Western lore, both historical and fiction. Thanks for the reminder, Santee!

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Great family history.

[@scenicdriveways6708]

Great episode Santee, really enjoyed this one. I've been reading Westerns for a long time, these days I usually download them onto my 8" Amazon HD Fire Tablet and read them in my Kindle library. Once while my wife and I were Full Time RVers, we were dry camping (no electricity or hookups) in the Tonto National Forest in Arizona, so I randomly picked a Louis L'Amour's novel out of the pile of Westerns we had with us, to entertain myself because we didn't have TV, Internet or electricity. Well, as I was reading the Louis L'Amour novel (one of the Sackett series) I discovered that the story takes place right where I was reading it, in the Tonto National Forest. How cool is that? Recently I read Louis L'Amour's novel " Westward The Tide", and discovered that I have literally been to every place he mentioned in this novel. I thought that was very cool too. Anyway, I really enjoyed this episode. Maybe I'll pick up a couple of the Westerns you mentioned in this episode. Have a great week. JT

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

🤠🤠🤠 Thank You!

[@joemortimer1763]

This was a very novel episode thar, Pard. I don't get as much of a chance to read Western, or other novels, as I used ta could either. You inspired me to try to cut some time out of my day to read more again.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

That's terrfici. I'm also kinda strapped for time.

[@Justliketree27Studio]

My favorite is True Grit Novel by Charles Portis. Love True Grit, just the title alone inspire me to face challenges in my life.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Yes, I agree.

[@gilanbarona9814]

Good morning from South Australia, Santee. I love this video. John Jakes is one of my favourite western writers. I have his entire North and South set. For Australian westerns, The Man from Snowy River is a great read. Take care of yourself, Mate.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Thanks for sharing!

[@markrandle4368]

Ted Turner apparently was a fan of Louis L'Amour . I just finished up my screenplay for a western skit.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

I would not doubt it! Good luck with the screenplay.

[@CowboyShortY4]

I'm a cowboy bookseller here in Pryor Creek America and really enjoy the works of Will James... Even though he's a Canuck. William W Johnstone is still writing and he's been dead for 20 years. Thanks for the literary vid-a-o 🆗🤠📚

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

You got it. Thanks for sellin' books.

[@Bucklerbjorn]

Another episode with a great subject :) Keep em comming Santee!!! Yeehaw

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Will do!

[@michaelpage4199]

Ok now I need to get some of these to read. Good stuff

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Yes!

[@paladin4570]

Excellent choices and videos. In over 60 years of reading mostly westerns (Sanford and Grisham got me for a bit) I’d put ‘Bloody Grass’ by Hobe Gilmore up near the top of my favorites list. A page turner. Thanks Santee

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Thanks for sharing!

[@coyoteblue9733]

Richard Matheson's book about Hickok was PHENOMENAL

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

I loved it. Read it twice.

[@duaneho555]

I had ether a Louis L’Amour, Edger Rice Burroughs, or Clive Cussler book in my back pocket my entire high school years.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Very cool. Like Cussler a lot, too.

[@_FNQ]

Lonesome Dove...say no more👌

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Yup!

[@HideAndRead]

Great video, Western fiction has the best stories. Starting a group read of the Sackett Series and everyones invited. Reading 2 a month beginning in september. see ya out on the range ☕️

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

That is awesome!

[@steveb855]

Those orange bookshelves look like a visit to Bookmans.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

YES!! Good guess.

[@stephenalexander6721]

Swarthout was from my hometown, Lowell, Michigan.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Nice!

[@BJBlaskovichGaming]

You know, I was always more of a sci-fi (Star Wars) and WW2 spy thriller/intrigue (think the late, great Jack Higgins) kind of guy, but watching this video is making me rethink my stance on western novels, may have to give em a try! Thanks, Santee! Great vid!

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Maybe try one or two.

[@BJBlaskovichGaming]

@@ArizonaGhostriders I’m considering it!

[@OpieDogie]

Awesome episode! Thanks Santee

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

You're welcome.

[@JohnDoe-wp6xd]

Smoke Jensen and the first mountain man preacher along with the macalisters legacy are my favorite! Charles g west: long road to Cheyenne was the first I had read and it was my all time favorite

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Awesome to hear. Good authors.

[@johngaltman]

Lonesome Dove, I watch it with my dad when it originally aired... Wish I would have understood how much it meant to do that with him when it was actually happening as it does now in my memories...

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

At least you saw it with him originally.

[@distlledbrewedreviewed]

These books do make some great resding.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

🤠

[@Kevin-wr9um]

I would add Loren Estleman and Max Brand. Like Parker, Estleman's heroes would speak and write in Victorian English, which all educated men and women used in the west (Everett Hitch is a West Point grad in Apaloosa). I like Brand because he was so prolific, under several pseudonyms, and died of a shrapnel wound in Italy in WW2. He also created Dr. Kildare.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Thanks for the add