The Time It Never Rained

THE TIME IT NEVER RAINED is classic Kelton. It's set in 1950s drouth-ridden west Texas, so it's a bit more 'modern' than most westerns. There are elements of THE GRAPES OF WRATH in the way the approximately seven-year drouth (Kelton's choice of spelling; I always spelled it 'drought,' but then I never experienced one like this and Kelton did, so I defer) affects the ranchers and farmers, in much the same way the 1930s Dust Bowl did. Yes, families are displaced, forced to pack up and move elsewhere. Spirits and hearts are broken. And yes, Charlie Flagg is a man you'll remember - stubborn, principled and uncomplaining, but a man with a heart, who feels compassion for the underdog - the Mexican-Americans, in this case. Even having grown up with the regional biases, he is beginning to sense that he's been wrong, and that things are changing. There is a kind of understated environmentalism throughout the story too, about stewardship of the land. One of Charlie's lines especially hits home: "There'll come a time in this country when a barrel of water is worth more than a barrel of oil." It's certainly apt in the context of the drouth, but it is proving to be prophetic. Think climate change and despoiling the land.

Kelton knows how to create characters more human, more genuine than you will find in most westerns. Hell, in most fiction, not just westerns! There are only shades of gray in most of his people; a little good and a little bad in everyone. His west Texas vernacular and dialogue seem right too - the hard-bitten stoicism, the wry humor.

At first I thought, this book is kinda long and slow in getting started. Because it takes nearly half of its 400 pages to really begin to roll down hill and pick up momentum. But then I realized that the first half was necessary, to show the kind of man Charlie Flagg was. And the final chapters of the book came close to breaking my heart. No spoilers here, but I predict if you stick with this book, your eyes will be stinging by its end. Elmer Kelton was one hell of a good writer. I'm sure this will not be the last Kelton book I read. He's become a kind of non-guilty pleasure. And hey, if you like Kelton's fiction as much as I do, I also highly recommend his memoir, SANDHILLS BOY. Read that and you'll admire Kelton even more. A good man, a great writer. Texas should be proud. ( )

A "stayed put" Grapes of Wrath set in west Texas. Charlie Flagg is stubborn enough to be me, and we sure think the same on a lot of things! A truly great read. Enjoyed it tremendously. ( )

This is a slow, deliberate book that really lets you get to know its main character, Charlie Flagg. I grew up in the West, and I've met people, both men and women, like Charlie Flagg. They can be infuriating to deal with, but you can't help but respect them. They're stubborn and independent, sometimes they lack the forward thinking that I prize, but they are unfailingly reliable, honest, and hard-working. Charlie Flagg is all these things, and The Time It Never Rained follows him and his Texas ranch through an extended drought and all the hardship that entails. The book is melancholy and bleak, but also reflects its characters' determination to continue at all costs. It was a slower read than I usually enjoy, but for people who like a book with vivid characters and a setting that becomes as familiar as your own backyard, this story of hard work and perseverance in the face of impossible odds may be just the thing. ( )

Author knows what he's talking about. Interesting to know how people survived on their ranches back then. ( )