Customer Reviews

THE LONELY MEN

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When it comes to reading Louis L'Amour the modern western fan is faced with having to take things in context. Remember that L'Amour's works were primarily written in the fifties and sixties and, as a result, have a certain "dignity" about them that no longer applies with the westerns of today, especially those on the big screen.

Take THE LONELY MEN for example. There is plenty of action here but it is painted much more subtly on L'Amour's canvass than, let's say, on those of Larry McMurtry or on Clint Eastwood's or Kevin Costner's movie screens. Frankly L'Amour or his readers would not have tolerated the raw, often harsh violence of today's western s offerings.

L'Amour wrote with a clear sense of nostalgia and romance about the west. He was much for the kindred spirit of John Wayne and John Ford than of McMurtry, Eastwood or Costner.

I thoroughly enjoyed THE LONELY MEN, a Sackett tale of revenge, deceit and, as is the case with all L'Amour tales, of ultimate white-hatted triumph and justice. Tell Sackett is tricked into a dangerous venture in Apache-held country. He and his friends find much more than they bargain for. Read it in the correct mindset and you have a masterpiece.

Douglas McAllister

Orrin Sackett's treacherous wife sends Tell Sackett on a false rescue mission. He and three of his drifter friends pursue the elusive Apache to save Orrin's kidnapped child.

This is a basic white men vs. Apache tale. There are plot twists the reader can easily see coming. The action is fast and violent. The writing is colorful. Tell Sackett's first person narrative rambles in places, but that adds to the Western aura. One can almost visualize Tell weaving engrossing tales to listeners around a crackling campfire. There is irony in men facing suffering and death because of loneliness and a woman's deceit. The "Lonely Men" of the title refers to the four men who band together because they have nothing else of meaning in their lives. The Apaches are portrayed as fierce killers, but also as honorable men who respect a worthy enemy.

Louis L'Amour instills new life into the familiar elements of the Western story. His novels and stories stress character and atmosphere over the routine plot elements of "a man, a horse, and a gun." As with many of his novels, this book serves the purpose of good, lightweight reading. It doesn't require in-depth analysis to get the point. Enjoy the ride. ;-)

I have read all but 4 of Mr. L'Amour's (that doesn't include his short stories) and I have to admit this is not his best book but still is earns 5 stars in my opinion. Don't listen to the Yankee from Connecticut.

This book offers the adventures of six feet three inch William Tell Sackett in the mid-1870's in the borderlands of southern Arizona Territory and eastern Sonora. He and three other 'lonely men', who banded together in Yuma, continue to ride together from Tucson into eastern Sonora and the Sierra Mountain stronghold of rancherias of the Apaches. At least two of the Apaches we meet in the book, Kahtenny and Toclani, were actual people, with Toclani serving as Apache scout with Captain Emmett Crawford, one of the better Army officers who was later killed in error within the Sierra Madre Mountain strongholds by the Mexican Army.

Tell Sackett is trying to locate and return his brother Orrin's son from Apache captivity. Two problems here: Orrin has no son, and the Apaches haven't stolen a son that never existed. Through several week's hard riding and hard living, Sackett and the 3 other men riding with him learn that he is following a lie, so they grab all the white children available from the Apaches, trying then to ride and shoot their way back to Tucson.

One of the more standout chapters of this book is Chapter 5; wherein Louis L'Amour shares some of his vast knowledge concerning the desert and how to stay alive in it. Lieutenant L'Amour, during his WWII years, had taught a survival course on just these matters and later in civilian life delighted in just taking off getting lost wandering and living in the desert. So the information shared here is information the reader can count on.

Two other important people from real life we meet along the way in this novel are Pete Kitchen and William S. Oury. Kitchen is a legendary pioneer in Arizona Territory never allowing the Apache to chase him out as true of so many other Arizona pioneers, and the 'Apache pin cushions' mentioned by Louis are from true life. And Pete Kitchen's ranch was a famous stopping place along the Tucson to Nogales trail. William Oury had once been a noted Texas Ranger, a pioneer rancher, and was at the time of this story, Tucson's first mayor. As Louis stated in another book, many books could be written on these two men alone.

One other fact Louis includes in this book concerns the 'deserted ranchos' scattered in eastern Sonora. The Spanish and Mexican ranchers had been fighting the Apaches for many years before the coming of the Americans, and the fight generally went against them. The Apaches from the time of Mangas Coloradas through Cochise pretty much controlled and owned this eastern Sonora area. The Mexican Army early on from the mid-1700's had established what they called "presidios" or 'bastions of the Spanish borderlands' which were many times themselves also wiped out by the roaming, raiding Apache war parties. The extreme desolation mentioned by L'Amour in his writing in The Lonely Men is quite accurate to the time and place.

This is a rather good read with much historical accuracy included, just the discussions of the Shoo-Fly Restaurant operated by Mrs Wallen in Tucson is portrayed exactly as it would have appeared circa 1869. So read and enjoy but also learn some history in this book by the very talented Louis L'Amour.

Over the years I have read all, and posess all, of Louis L'Mour's books. Lonely men takes place in the Apache strong hold in the south west. Tell Sackett is persuaded by Orin Sackett's wife to go into the Apache strong hold to recaputure her son a five yr. old. Unknowing Tell tries to find his nephew (who does not exist)and his sister-in-law hopes the apaches kill him. this is a good story but it is not action packed all the time.

Another thrilling installment in Louis L'Amour's outstanding western series "The Sacketts", The Lonely Men finds that Tell Sackett's nephew has been kidnapped by the Apaches. Accompanied by John J. Battles, Spanish Murphy, and the half-breed Tampico, Tell makes his way to the Aaches' Sierra Madre stronghold. But then all is not as it seems and their could be more against him than just the Apaches! Superbly narrated by David Strathairn, this flawlessly produced and recorded audiobook edition is complete and unabridged and consists of four 90 minute cassettes in a sturdy plastic shell that makes it an ideal acquition for community library audiobook collections.

L'Amour does it again! This short quick read will have you turning the pages eating up this tale of story of deceit, bravery and the love of family. The Sackett family proves their roughness as they make friends along the way in the far Outwest. Having lived in the area of the story, I fell in love with the vivid imagery as I followed the Sackett gang on their adventure South of the US border.

This was another example of L'amour pitting good against evil. He lays out the story and you get to ride a roller-coaster cheering for the good guy, and even when the cards are not looking good the Sacketts name lives on with honor.

The book was shipped on time and the condition as described. I would gladly use this seller again in the future.

Those were the heroes of western such as Louis L'Amour loved them. The desert, passion, brutal determination to the extent of the country. The qualities that are found in North American society are clearly expressed in this good western story. I am a fan reader of Louis L'Amour.

This was bought for my father for when he is in the hspital, Audio books are always good. Thanks

Laura