A highly subjective "overview" of what the author believes to be "the American Western Novel," the author tends to concentrate on novels which had been been previously considered to be "literature," while largely ignoring many post-World War II works, which may easily have been included as exceptions to the "horse opera" genre of writing (such as Frederick Manfred, Ernest Haycox, Thomas Thompson and other beyond-the-ordinary writers of American Western fiction). However, the book deserves attention, since it is one of the few early studies of the American Western novel as serious literature, and may be considered as an introduction to other works which had appeared in the following decades.
A brief indication of authors and titles discussed in the book:
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER -- THE DEERSLAYER; THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS; THE PATHFINDER; THE PIONEERS; THE PRAIRIE
A. B. GUTHRIE -- THE BIG SKY; THE WAY WEST; THESE THOUSAND HILLS
CLIFFORD M. SUBLETTE -- THE GOLDEN CHIMNEY
DOROTHY GARDINER -- THE GOLDEN LADY
SUSAN ERTZ -- THE PROSELYTE
DOROTHY SCARBOROUGH -- THE WIND
EDNA FERBER -- CIMARRON
BRET HARTE -- THE LUCK OF ROARING CAMP
STEPHEN CRANE -- THE BRIDE COMES TO YELLOW SKY
CONRAD RICHTER -- THE SEA OF GRASS; THE LIGHT IN THE FOREST
WALTER GANN -- THE TRAIL BOSS
ROBERT AMES BENNET -- BRANDED
ZANE GREY -- THE U. P. TRAIL, THE VANISHING AMERICAN
FRANK H. SPEARMAN -- WHISPERING SMITH
OWEN WISTER -- THE VIRGINIAN; LIN MCLEAN; THE GIFT HORSE
MAX BRAND -- DESTRY RIDES AGAIN
LUKE SHORT -- STATION WEST
EUGENE MANLOVE RHODES -- GOOD MEN AND TRUE; BEYOND THE DESERT; PASO POR AQUI; NO MEAN CITY
WALTER VAN TILBURG CLARK -- THE OX-BOW INCIDENT; THE TRACK OF THE CAT
JACK SCHAEFER -- SHANE
CHARLES C. PARK -- A PLAYTHING OF THE GODS
GORE VIDAL -- THE DEATH OF BILLY THE KID
ROGER POCOCK -- CURLY, A TALE OF THE ARIZONA DESERT
ROBERT MONTGOMERY BIRD -- NICK OF THE WOODS, OR THE JIBBENAINOSAY
JAMES S. FRENCH -- ELKSWATAWA; OR, THE PROPHET OF THE WEST
TIMOTHY FLINT -- THE SHOSHONEE VALLEY; THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF ARTHUR CLENNING
HAMLIN GARLAND -- THE BOOK OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN; MAIN-TRAVELED ROADS; A SPOIL OF OFFICE; THE MOCCASIN RANCH
ALAN LE MAY -- THE SEARCHERS; THE UNFORGIVEN
JOSEPH SNELLING -- THE BOIS BRULE
HELEN HUNT JACKSON -- RAMONA
EDGAR WATSON HOWE -- THE STORY OF A COUNTRY TOWN
HERBERT QUICK -- VANDEMARK'S FOLLY; THE HAWKEYE
VARDIS FISHER -- TOILERS OF THE HILLS
WILLA CATHER -- O PIONEERS!; MY ANTONIA; DEATH COMES FOR THE ARCHBISHOP
GEORGE PATTULLO -- PIONEER; SURVIVAL; OFF THE TRAIL; UNSPANKED THIRD
ARTHUR MILLER -- THE MISFITS
OAKLEY HALL -- WARLOCK
TOM LEA -- THE WONDERFUL COUNTRY
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