Zane Grey, 1872-1939

[dpaterso]

Y'all probably know this, but some of the famous Western author's novels can be found on Project Gutenberg, e.g.

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1300
Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
(which I am reading at this here moment)

For a full list of available works:
http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/g#a212

-Derek

[Shadow_Ferret]

I didn't realize he had died in 1939. When I was a kid in the late 60s it seemed like Zane Grey books were all over the place. He had his own shelf (and in some used bookstores, still does). Were they being ghost written or was it just a resurgence of his books?

[Cav Guy]

Zane's stuff has been reprinted many times, and I believe he still remains the #1 selling Western author.

[alleycat]

I know I'm going to be hung from the nearest cottonwood tree for this . . . but Riders was one of the most disappointing books I've ever read. I'd heard of it all my life and expected such great things that when I finally got around to reading it, I found it to be uninteresting, repetitive, false, and, to me, not all that well-written (even excusing the differences in writing style back when it was published).

Just an opinion. I don't wanna draw, partn'r.

[Ol' Fashioned Girl]

I couldn't get into Grey, either. And I found it slow going to get through the first hundred pages of 'Lonesome Dove'... but was extremely glad I did! Couldn't get into the sequels and the prequels, but writing another 'Lonesome Dove' is a far-off dream.

My dad loved Grey. Read everything he could get his hands on, including all the Old West mags he could beg, borrow, buy or steal. As far as dad was concerned, Grey was IT.

[Cav Guy]

I know I'm going to be hung from the nearest cottonwood tree for this . . . but Riders was one of the most disappointing books I've ever read. I'd heard of it all my life and expected such great things that when I finally got around to reading it, I found it to be uninteresting, repetitive, false, and, to me, not all that well-written (even excusing the differences in writing style back when it was published).

Just an opinion. I don't wanna draw, partn'r.

Nothing wrong with that. I've had to outrun a few lynch mobs in my time for not being a Louis L'Amour fan. I like his short fiction MUCH better than his novels.

That said, I think at the time it came out Riders was a *big deal*. Maybe not now, but it's interesting to look back and see where we came from, as it were. The Virginian is similar.

I also never quite got into Lonesome Dove. Read the hell out of Terry Johnston's Plainsman series, and enjoy some of Matt Braun's stuff (though not all). I got started reading the new Gunsmoke series but tapered off once I started finding major inconsistencies between it and the actual TV series. I guess for me the big draw of Westerns is being able to take my historical background and knowledge and turn it into something that people might enjoy reading. History itself can be dry as hell (though I never thought so), but if you can change it into something folks can relate to or feel part of it becomes a whole different animal. And this is something the Western can do very well.

[alleycat]

. . . and enjoy some of Matt Braun's stuff (though not all).
Have you ever read his book on writing westerns? I have a copy; I think I got it in a library sidewalk book sale. It's worth reading.

[Festus]

Hi guys, just jobbing my old nose in. Look, we need more folks making submissions to the Western Forum. Derek, Shadow Ferret, Alley Cat, and Ol' Fashioned Girl. I'd sure love yall to jump in with some storiesl

I fear without more participation we will be shut down, and I'd truly hate that.

Festus

[alleycat]

I fear without more participation we will be shut down, and I'd truly hate that.

Festus
Not anytime soon. Mac will give it every chance to work out. Of course, if it doesn't in the long run . . .

[MacAllister]

Yeah. We'll look at it in a year or two. If there hasn't been a post in six months, then we'll move it to a subforum inside Historical.

No worries, Festus. :)

These things take time to find their way, and develop their own character and flavor.

[Ol' Fashioned Girl]

I also never quite got into Lonesome Dove.

If you didn't stick it out through those first one hundred pages, give it another try, CG. You might be very pleasantly surprised. I hated those first hundred pages... then, when I was done, I was mad that there weren't a thousand more. :)

[Ol' Fashioned Girl]

Hi guys, just jobbing my old nose in. Look, we need more folks making submissions to the Western Forum. Derek, Shadow Ferret, Alley Cat, and Ol' Fashioned Girl. I'd sure love yall to jump in with some storiesl

I fear without more participation we will be shut down, and I'd truly hate that.

Festus


I'll get there... I promise! :) I'm working on a rewrite of a historical that Mac critted for me and I'm beta reading two other historicals for two other members. I'll say this, however: I'm closer to actually getting that western/historical of my own started than I was a week ago! :) I think that opening scene - in a hated Prologue, just 'cause I'm cantankerous! - is about ready to creep out into the light of day... or the eerie blue glow of the monitor, as the case may be.

[dpaterso]

I'm reading Riders of the Purple Sage for the first time, and I'd have to say the style is kinda wordy and often too flowery for my liking, but I'm trying to put myself in the shoes of someone who would have read this when it was first published back in 1912, and I can appreciate how visually ZG writes, he's describing a world in colorful detail and I'm seeing that world as surely as if I were watching a film -- or, perhaps a better analogy, watching an oil painting taking form -- or even ridin' through the sage myself. The characters seem to be a-movin' kinda slow, and talkin' as if good manners is the most important thing in their lives (I'll admit to having chuckled inwardly a couple of times when I probably wasn't supposed to, the quaintness of it all just overwhelmed me for a moment), and nobody's actually fired a gun yet! But there's promise of things to come, and the visuals are helping me to keep going.

Festus, I'm tinkering with a couple of things but I dunno if they'll find their way into SYW just yet, vomiting first pass material over people is regarded as rude in some social circles. :) Let's see what happens.

-Derek

[skelly]

I picked up Riders two days ago, now you tell me I could have read it online for free. Holy crap. BUT, mine is the UNCUT one with all the hot barmaids :P As far as the Western SYW ... I have to get my YA out the door first. I sort of jumped the gun and queried one agent, but I got a beta thing going with it (if you hear any balloons popping, they are probably mine). I might try a Western short story tho. That might be fun. I'm still exploring the genre. :)

[Cav Guy]

Scott,

Go for it! We're open for beginning efforts in the SYW Western area. Everyone's gotta start somewhere, and since there is no real outlet for Western short fiction we might as well be it.

[Cav Guy]

Have you ever read his book on writing westerns? I have a copy; I think I got it in a library sidewalk book sale. It's worth reading.

I do have it, and it's one of the better writing books I've seen.

OFG, I did finish Lonesome Dove. It was good, but it just didn't grab me the way some other books have.

And to Derek and others who may be considering posting rough stuff in SYW Western, like I said to Scott - GO FOR IT! There is no real Western short story market anymore, so working on your chops in this genre is difficult (more so than it was back in L'Amour's day). We all can help each other and stick together.

[Silver King]

Mr. Grey wrote some terrific fishing stories as well.:) He was a pioneer of big-game fishing techniques, and helped develop better tackle, including stronger lines, stouter rods and smoother reels. He was one of the first anglers to ever take truly big fish, weighing in excess of one thousand pounds, on rod and reel, in particular swordfish and blue marlin.

[JeanneTGC]

When I was little, my grandmother told me that we were related to Zane Grey, but no one in the family would read his books because they were "trashy pulp". My mother, upon hearing this conversation, went into great detail about why Zane Grey was a terrible writer and why I should never read his books.

The next day my grandmother slipped me a copy of the only Zane Grey book we owned, with the suggestion that I not let my mother know it was in our possession.

I, of course, read it and then trotted right out to score some more trashy pulp. I loved Zane Grey when I was younger; now I read him like I read any non-contemporary author -- trying to read from the perspective of the day they were writing in. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I don't.

I have no idea if I really am related to Zane Grey somewhere, however I'm sure it was this tidbit that always made me believe that I, too, had the "family" writing talent.

I hope I do. :D

[Festus]

Dear Mac, I just read your input on my worry. Thank you very much, Ma'am.

Festus

[Festus]

Derek: I just noticed that I didn't thank you for the info on Zane Grey. I haven't read any of his books for years.

Now I can do some free reading, thanks to you.

We appreciate you, Derek.

Festus