Lonely on the Mountain (The Sacketts) [Paperback]

Louis L'Amour (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1984 | Series: The Sacketts

In Lonely on the Mountain, Louis L’Amour’s solitary wandering Sackett brothers make a stand together—to save one of their own.

The rare letters Tell Sackett received always had trouble inside. And the terse note from his cousin Logan is no exception. Logan faces starvation or a hanging if Tell can’t drive a herd of cattle from Kansas to British Columbia before winter. To get to Logan, he must brave prairie fires, buffalo stampedes, and Sioux war parties. But worse trouble waits, for a mysterious enemy shadows Sackett’s every move across the Dakotas and the Canadian Rockies. Tell Sackett has never abandoned another Sackett in need. He will bring aid to Logan—or die trying.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

The Sackett Brothers didn't know what kind of trouble had Cousin Logan treed up yonder but he needed beef cattle badly. So with Tell Sackett ramrodding, Tyrel, Orrin, and Cap Rountree ride north to the wild country--pushing 1100 head of fat steers across the wide Dakota plains toward the mountains of far western Canada. Past Sioux, past Logan's treacherous enemies, through trails no cattle had ever crossed, the Sacketts drive on. Because when you step on the toes of one Sackett they all come running.

From the Inside Flap

The Sackett Brothers didn't know what brand of trouble had Cousin Logan stirred up, but he needed beef cattle badly. So with Tell Sackett ramrodding, Tyrel, Orrin, and Cap Rountree ride north to the wild country--pushing 1100 head of fat steers across the wide Dakota plains toward the mountains of far western Canada. Past Sioux, past Logan's treacherous enemies, through trails no cattle had ever crossed, the Sacketts drive on. Because when you step on the toes of one Sackett they all come running.

One of the outstanding narratives of our time, the chronicle of the Sackett family is one of the great achievements of one of our finest storytellers. In Lonely on the Mountain, the solitary, wandering Sackett brothers make a stand together...to save one of their own.


A Sackett's Word.
The rare letters Tell Sackett received always had trouble inside. And the terse note from his cousin Logan was no exception. Logan faced starvation or a hanging if Tell couldn't drive a herd of cattle from Kansas to British Columbia before winter. To get to Logan, he must brave prairie fires, buffalo stampedes, and Sioux war parties.But worse trouble waits, for a mysterious enemy shadows Sackett's every move across the Dakotas and the Canadian Rockies. Tell Sackett has never abandoned another Sackett in need. He will bring aid to Logan--or die trying.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (September 1, 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553276786
• ISBN-13: 978-0553276787
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.6 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #44,670 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #29 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Westerns > General

More About the Author

"I think of myself in the oral tradition--as a troubadour, a village tale-teller, the man in the shadows of a campfire. That's the way I'd like to be remembered--as a storyteller. A good storyteller."

It is doubtful that any author could be as at home in the world re-created in his novels as Louis Dearborn L'Amour. Not only could he physically fill the boots of the rugged characters he wrote about, but he literally "walked the land my characters walk." His personal experiences as well as his lifelong devotion to historical research combined to give Mr. L'Amour the unique knowledge and understanding of people, events, and the challenge of the American frontier that became the hallmarks of his popularity.

Of French-Irish descent, Mr. L'Amour could trace his own in North America back to the early 1600s and follow their steady progression westward, "always on the frontier." As a boy growing up in Jamestown, North Dakota, he absorbed all he could about his family's frontier heritage, including the story of his great-grandfather who was scalped by Sioux warriors.

Spurred by an eager curiosity and desire to broaden his horizons, Mr. L'Amour left home at the age of fifteen and enjoyed a wide variety of jobs, including seaman, lumberjack, elephant handler, skinner of dead cattle, and miner, and was an officer in the transportation corps during World War II. During his "yondering" days he also circled the world on a freighter, sailed a dhow on the Red Sea, was shipwrecked in the West Indies and stranded in the Mojave Desert. He won fifty-one of fifty-nine fights as a professional boxer and worked as a journalist and lecturer. He was a voracious reader and collector of rare books. His personal library contained 17,000 volumes.

Mr. L'Amour "wanted to write almost from the time I could talk." After developing a widespread following for his many frontiers and adventure stories written for fiction magazines, Mr. L'Amour published his first full length novel, Hondo, in the United States in 1953. Every one of his more than 120 books is in print; there are more than 300 million copies of his books in print worldwide, making him one of the bestselling authors in modern literary history. His books have been translated into twenty languages, and more than forty-five of his novels and stories have been made into feature films and television movies.

The recipient of many great honor and awards, in 1983 Mr. L'Amour became the first novelist to ever to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by the United States Congress in honor of his life's work. In 1984 he was also awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Reagan.

Louis L'Amour died on June 10, 1988. His wife, Kathy, and their two children, Beau and Angelique, carry the L'Amour publishing tradition forward with new books written by the author during his lifetime to be published by Bantam.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Sacketts ride!, May 9, 2001

By 

Robert S. Clay Jr. (St. Louis, MO., USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lonely on the Mountain (The Sacketts) (Paperback)

Since Western movies seem out of favor with the film industry, it's nice to find an old-fashioned story of the wild frontier. After they receive a plea for help from cousin Logan Sackett, Tell Sackett and brothers Orrin and Tyrel join Cap Rountree and a rag-tag group of drovers to drive a herd north along the James River. In an unusual development, a couple of tough-as-nails women also join the trail drive and punch cattle beside the hardened men. The trail takes them across the Dakotas toward the Canadian high country. They encounter hostile Sioux and Blackfeet, ambush and treachery by their enemies, and a buffalo stampede that scatters the longhorns across the wooded plains.

Louis L'Amour breathes new life into the familiar elements of the Western story. The Sackett tales stress family solidarity in the face of adversity. In addition, there is L'Amour's typical emphasis on the freedom of the big sky country and the lure of distant trails. The setting is rugged and colorful, and a pleasing contrast to the hustle and noise of modern life. The novel is a quick read that doesn't require deep thought to get the point. A superior entry from the Master of the West. ;-)

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In the old west, blood is thicker than water...., February 11, 2000

By 

"nick_wiseblood" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely on the Mountain (The Sacketts) (Paperback)

Everything was right in the worlds of Tell and Tyrel Sackett until they got a message from their cousin Logan saying he needed a herd of cattle brought up north to right away, and that is when the trouble began. Lonely On The Mountain is a superb tale of family pulling together to help each other out, no matter what the circumstances may be. When you pick up this book, pack your saddle roll because you'll be trailing around with Tell, Tyrel, Orrin, and that old sidewinder Cap Rountree. You'll read about the most beautiful country on earth, and L'Amour describes it so wonderfully that you can almost imagine yourself on the prairie watching that tall grass sway in the wind like the waves on the ocean. However, there will be trouble on the way for our beloved Sacketts because not everybody wants to see them bring all that cattle through to cousin Logan. This is truly one of L'Amour's best efforts, and his use of descriptions is breathtaking. If you find yourself lazing around on a summer day, or you can't do your errands because it's raining outside, then pick this one up. You'll be transported to a time when family was the only thing you stood for, and good conquered all. Oh yeah, watch your back trail for Indians......

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lonely on the Mountain, November 28, 2003

By 

A. Reum (Montana, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lonely on the Mountain (The Sacketts) (Paperback)

A mysterious message alerts the Sackett boys, Orrin, Tell, and Tyrel that their cousin Logan Sackett ( a Clinch Mountain Sackett) is in deep weeds up in Canadian gold country. Abiding by the heritage of the Sackett family to support, protect , and honor other Sacetts, this band of three strong men rush away from all of their own interests to help Logan. Very little is known of the circumstances surrounding his call for a herd of cattle, but it doesn't matter; when a Sackett needs help, Sacketts come running.

If the drive itself were not enough of a challenge, the Sackett boys find that they are hindered by local political upheaval and uncertainty about some of the hands they've brought along for the drive. There are also some unknown and unseen antagonists along the trail. Are these bandits or is this a part of the conspiracy to do Logan Sackett harm?

L'Amour adds his trademarks; intrigue, suspense, and romance. Wonderful imagery and Louis' excellent knowledge of his subject make this a great all around book. There is a special historical note from Louis in this book. I'll leave this for you to enjoy on your own.

One additional note on the Sackets. I believe Louis L'Amour was attempting to create, through his work, a bridge between the way things are and the way he thought things should be.

Take the Sackett loyalty. This isn't a quality that one finds very prevalent in today's society. Kinsmen find themselves out of contact with one another for years at a time until their relationships become as dry and destitute as any old west ghost town. Not so the Sackett family! Sacketts care and Sacketts come running when the call goes out. They give no regard to self preservation or comfort, they simply go anywhere, anytime for the good of the family and close friends.