American West: Twenty New Stories from the Western Writers of America [Paperback]

Loren D. Estleman (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 8, 2001

Once, there was a world where the heroes were defined by their white clothing and the bad guys always wore black. The town sheriff always gunned down the wild gunslinger while the lady in distress cowered. The Indian was to be feared, not understood, and the white man always saved the day. This was the traditional Western.

But times change, as did the Western. The evolving Western is told from the point of view of blacks, Native Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Jews, Gentiles, Mormons, Catholics, women, and men. It is about America; it is about life. Whether a story's central element is a hangman or a midwife, a piano or a cowboy who hates tomatoes, you may be certain of one thing, if the tale reflects an expanding continent, it reflects the American West.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In a continuing attempt to revive publishing interest in western writing, the Western Writers of America showcase themselves in this superior anthology of short fiction. It's safe to say that if all western writing measured up even to the lesser stories in this volume, the American western would be alive and well and looking forward to a new frontier in the nation's world of books. Among the 20 entries in the volume, three are especially good. Loren D. Estleman, who also provides an introduction, shines with "Thirteen Coils," a unique look at a hangman's duties on the cusp of the modernization of capital punishment. JoAnn Levy's "A Woman 49er" offers an unsentimental but moving portrait of a hopeless and long-suffering widow in the California mining camps; it stands out as an example of the modern short story at its best. Richard S. Wheeler's "The Last Days of Dominic Prince" offers a poignant and telling tour de force study of the impact of changing times and attitudes on the traditional westerner. Other thoroughly excellent short fictions by Johnny D. Boggs, Elmer Kelton, Judy Magnuson Lilly, Patti Sherlock and Deborah Morgan demonstrate the genuine vitality that can be derived from traditional plots and themes, and point out that a writer needn't "show off" his or her research and deep emotional ties to history in order to spin a good yarn. It remains to be seen whether a short story collection will spark new interest in western writing in general, but this volumes proves writers are at least keeping the faith. (Jan.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

The traditional western of high-noon showdowns and heart-of-gold whores is changing. Estleman, winner of four Spur Awards from the Western Writers of America, points out in his wonderful introduction to this collection of new stories about the West that today's evolving western may be set in an age before Europeans discovered North America or in the modern west of sport-utility vehicles or at any point in between. Just as such so-called traditional westerns (Jack Schaefer's Shane, for example) stretched the boundaries of the genre in their time, so do these extend our understanding of what western fiction can be. Among the authors included are such luminaries as Don Coldsmith, Elmer Kelton, and Richard S. Wheeler. Story highlights include Johnny D. Boggs' "A Piano at Dead Man's Crossing," told from a piano's point of view, and Kelton's "Huey and the Wagon Cook," in which the showdown is not on Main Street with Colts but over a campfire with Dutch ovens. Uniformly fine writing makes this a welcome addition to any western collection. Wes Lukowsky
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 372 pages
• Publisher: Forge Books (December 8, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031287281X
• ISBN-13: 978-0312872816
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,183,472 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Far outside the western box, February 26, 2010

By 

J. Cadle (Manteca, CA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: American West: Twenty New Stories from the Western Writers of America (Kindle Edition)

Western writer fans should think twice about ordering this collection of "western" short stories. While Loren Estleman is one of the most respected writers of the early American west, these stories are only geographically western, and most are seriously lacking in entertainment value.

1 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Books, February 9, 2010

By 

Linda C. Cash "Quilting Nana" (Oklahoma, USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: American West: Twenty New Stories from the Western Writers of America (Paperback)

This book was purchased as a gift. As of today, I believe it was enjoyed.