Flint (1960)

Not bad. It was a nice change of pace to read something different. But there really wasn't any surprises, you see what was going to happen from a clear Montana mile away. ( )

It's been a while since I read the story of the New York financier James T. Kettleman, a.k.a. Jim Flint. I might point out that there is a character named Nancy Kerrigan in the novel!

"Flint" seems to be considered one of L'Amour's top novels. I enjoyed the character Flint, who is a desperate wolf-like man. Not only has his wife hired a hit man to kill him, but a NY doctor has diagnosed him with stomach cancer. Flint leaves the big city in search of the place of his boyhood, where he was raised by a gunfighter, in the wild land of Kansas, in which the people there still remember the boy in gun-fighting legend.

L'Amour's is said to use actual locations that he is familiar with in his writings. Whether he does or not, the environments are vivid and well painted, and the story is extremely well written. However, the story itself may not be all that memorable.

I remember only a few details about the story. One—that Flint believes he is dying of cancer and "doesn't give a damn". Two—he is being hunted. Three—I believe eventually some dynamite comes into play. Four—a country doctor reveals to Flint at the end of the story that he does not have cancer, but an ulcer, and that beef broth should cure it.

Back in my alcoholic days, I took note of the good 'ole country doc's advice and stocked up on beef broth myself...

I remember that it was very exciting tracking Flint from his great fall through to his rise; in part because Flint, thinking he is terminal, does not have a care left in the world. His priorities become crystal clear. It's a bit like Howard described his Conan—Flint is as dangerous as a wounded leopard.

Try some beef broth today! Available at your local grocer! I add a dash of hot-sauce, pinch of white pepper, and chopped fresh chives to mine, though I don't need it now that I've stopped drinking... ( )

Forsaking a successful law career and a failing marriage, Flint has returned home to die. Cancer is eating away at his insides, and he's decided to crawl away back into the badlands like a wounded animal and not come out.

Only one small problem... he doesn't seem to by dying. And people are trying to kill him. Not something any of L'Amour's heroes are prone to take laying down.

No Sacketts in this one, but it's still a top-notch read. ( )

A man to whom life has given nothing expects nothing in return. Flint intends to die alone and in secret, leaving behind nothing but a murderous ex-wife and a lot of bad memories. He finds a reason to live, but it may be too late. One of my favorites. ( )

A soft-spoken, quick-drawing sharpshooter returns to his home in the badlands of the Southwest and discovers that his enemies have hired a gunman to kill him. ( )