The Shelf2Life Western Fiction Collection is a fascinating set of pre-1923 materials that capture the beauty, mystery and adventure of the old west. From honorable cowboys and spirited pioneer women to questionable sheriffs, notorious gunslingers and unruly outlaws, these classic westerns introduce lively characters who embody the essence of the American frontier. Authentic dialog combined with vivid scenic descriptions help re-create a time and place where chasing cattle rustlers, tracking wild horses and fighting for land ...
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The Shelf2Life Western Fiction Collection is a fascinating set of pre-1923 materials that capture the beauty, mystery and adventure of the old west. From honorable cowboys and spirited pioneer women to questionable sheriffs, notorious gunslingers and unruly outlaws, these classic westerns introduce lively characters who embody the essence of the American frontier. Authentic dialog combined with vivid scenic descriptions help re-create a time and place where chasing cattle rustlers, tracking wild horses and fighting for land were a part of everyday life, highlighting the strength of character necessary to survive. The Shelf2Life Western Fiction Collection allows readers to escape the modern world and be transported into the rough and tumble escapades of the Wild West.
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Add this copy of The Virginian to cart. $24.01, new condition, Sold by Ingram Customer Returns Center rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NV, USA, published 2022 by Legare Street Press.
Written in 1902, The Virginian is considered to be the first cowboy novel and the basis of the genre of Western movies and TV shows that remain popular to this day. Author Owen Wister (1860-1938) was from Philadelphia but made several trips out to the West in the 1880s and 1890s; his visit to Wyoming was the inspiration for the novel entitled The Virginian (much of the story takes place in Medicine Bow, Wyoming). The story develops the themes of toughness and rugged individualism typically connected with the West. The story includes various elements one associates with Western novels: cowboys, horses, trains, ranches, cattle rustlers, sagebrush, cottonwood trees, wide-open spaces, romance, and a gun battle. I will admit I was hoping for a little more action as I would see with James Drury (the Virginian), Doug McClure (Trampas), and Lee J. Cobb (the Judge) in the TV show of the same name as the novel; on the other hand, if one reads this book as a person from the East and living in the United States in the opening years of the twentieth century one can see the literary and historical significance of this book. I also liked how the author attempted to reconcile the various regions (East, West, New England, and the South) with characters representing the various sections of the United States. While at times a little slow, I did like this book and I feel as if I have viewed a way of life and a philosophy that seems to be fading away with each passing year.
ris227
May 31, 2015
Virginian
Bought this Classic book as a gift. Pleased with entire transaction.
Katherine B
May 19, 2011
great book
This is one of the great books on the west. It was written while Wister was in Winthrop, WA.