- Where Coyotes Howl
- White Sands Gold
- The Son
- Old Cowboys Never Die
- A Tale of Two Expectations
- Blood and Thunder: The Epic Story of Kit Carson and the Conquest of the American West
- New Women in the Old West: From Settlers to Suffragists, an Untold American Story
By the staff at Covered Treasures
“Courage is being scared to death … and standling up anyway.”—John Wayne
Westerns are part of our history and center on courage, strength, and justice. Here’s a sampling of outstanding fiction and nonfiction Western reads:
Where Coyotes Howl
By Sandra Dallas (St. Martin’s Press) $27.99
It’s 1916. The two-street town of Wallace, Wyo., is not what Ellen Webster had in mind when she accepted a teaching position, but within a year she’s fallen in love with the High Plains and with a cowboy. Life is hard, but Ellen and Charlie face it all together, growing stronger with each shared success, and each deeply felt tragedy. Ellen finds purpose as a rancher’s wife and in her bonds with other women. Bestselling Colorado author Sandra Dallas’ meticulous research and detail is an ode to western history.
White Sands Gold
By Mike Torreano (Wild Rose Press) $18.99
New Mexico Territory, 1890. In a hidden cavern, a treasure trove of gold sits alongside an ancient relic. To find her treasure-hunting brother, Lottie Durham enlists the help of an easygoing lawman. When a mysterious woman asks her to join the relic’s guardians, Lottie’s world spins. Should she take on this solemn obligation? Will a looming raid by a band of determined killers be the end of the guardians, the gold, and the relic? Local author Mike Torreano provides twists, turns, and adventure in this historically accurate Western.
The Son
By Philipp Meyer (Harper) $16.99
This critically acclaimed, bestselling epic, a saga of land, blood, and power follows the rise of one unforgettable Texas family from the Comanche raids of the 1800s to the oil booms of the 20th Century. This gripping novel maps the legacy of the American west with rare emotional acuity, even as it presents an intimate portrait of one family across two centuries.
Old Cowboys Never Die
By William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone (Kensington) $16.95
After 30 years chasing stampedes into storms and pushing herds of cows across the plains, longtime buddies and cattle drivers Casey Tubbs and Eli Doolin are ready to hang up their spurs. But when they get to Abilene with their final cow delivery, the company lawyer has skipped town with their crew’s wages. That means one last job for Eli and Casey—steal it back. After pulling off the perfect crime, Casey and Eli start thinking this could be the start of a new career as outlaws. This is the first in a new series.
A Tale of Two Expectations
By James Mariner (Dorrance) $19
It is 1884 and Caleb O’Rourke leaves his home in Connecticut. Arriving in Montana, he is discovered by Matthew Rangely and becomes the cowboy of his visions. Five years later, willful, well-to-do, city-bred Marie Devereaux boards the new westbound Northern Pacific train and encounters Rangely, who convinces her to find her place in his little town. When Marie meets Caleb, her skill as a teacher and his willingness to learn result in changing expectations for both.
Blood and Thunder: The Epic Story of Kit Carson and the Conquest of the American West
By Hampton Sides (Anchor) $20
The Army of the West marched through Santa Fe in 1846, en route to invade and occupy the Western territories claimed by Mexico. Fueled by the new Manifest Destiny, this land grab would lead to a decades-long battle between the United States and the Navajos. At the center of this sweeping tale is Kit Carson, the trapper, scout, and soldier whose adventures made him a legend. Rich in detail and spanning more than three decades, this is an essential addition to our understanding of how the West was really won.
New Women in the Old West: From Settlers to Suffragists, an Untold American Story
By Winifred Gallagher (Penguin) $18
Hundreds of thousands of men and women traveled deep into the American West between 1840 and 1910. The traditional model of womanhood shifted. By 1914 western women became the first American women to vote; a right denied to women in every eastern state. Drawing on an extraordinary collection of research, Winifred Gallagher weaves together the legacy of persistent individuals who not only created homes on prairies but also played vital roles in forever redefining the American woman.
Until next month, happy reading.
The staff at Covered Treasures can be reached at books@ocn.me.
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