Law of the Desert Born
by Louis L'Amour
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A PRIZED COLLECTION OF AMERICAN FICTION—FROM AMERICA’S FAVORITE STORYTELLERThis first-rate collection of short stories by the incomparable Louis L’Amour showcases the legendary writer at his very best: spinning a fascinating and wholly authentic set of unforgettable tales. In these extraordinary stories, we meet a man who is forced to defend himself by taking another’s life—and must pay for his actions in a most punishing manner; a young thrill-seeker who finally finds a place show more he can call home, and vows to stay there—regardless of the man who tries to stand in his way; and a drifter who honors a deathbed promise to a stranger by embarking on an unlikely mission of mercy.
Complete with revealing author’s notes, the stories in Law of the Desert Born are historically precise, and filled with L’Amour’s trademark humor and adventure. They are nothing less than modern classics of the American West, told by one of the most beloved storytellers of our time. show less
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Member Reviews
One of my favorites to “listen again” to. All 7 short stories are well woven and engaging. 5 hrs. of clean writing about loyalty, romance, courage, gunplay, intelligent characters, and compassion in the old west. Narrator is fine. Storyline is more entertaining at a higher audio playback speed (2-3).
This is an above-average collection of short stories by that iconic Western author. Included are two stories about Mathurin "Matt" Sabre, and one with Kim Sartain, familiar to those who have read stories of Ward McQueen from the Tumbling K ranch. Included, too, is the gripping "Trap of Gold", also in the "War Party" collection. Not a lame steer in this bunch, recommended to any who just like a good short story.
Note: this is the original book, and should not be confused with the graphic novel, also reviewed here.
Note: this is the original book, and should not be confused with the graphic novel, also reviewed here.
Terrific short story collection.
A collection of stories by the masterful Western author introduces a cast of classic character, including a drifter who honors his deathbed promise to a stranger and a young thrillseeker who will settle down no matter the cost. Reprint.
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870+ Works 99,425 Members
Born in Jamestown, North Dakota on March 22, 1908, Louis L'Amour's adventurous life could have been the subject of one of his novels. Striking out on his own in 1923, at age 15, L'Amour began a peripatetic existence, taking whatever jobs were available, from skinning dead cattle to being a sailor. L'Amour knew early in life that he wanted to be a show more writer, and the experiences of those years serve as background for some of his later fiction. During the 1930s he published short stories and poetry; his career was interrupted by army service in World War II. After the war, L'Amour began writing for western pulp magazines and wrote several books in the Hopalong Cassidy series using the pseudonym Tex Burns. His first novel, Westward the Tide (1950), serves as an example of L'Amour's frontier fiction, for it is an action-packed adventure story containing the themes and motifs that he uses throughout his career. His fascination with history and his belief in the inevitability of manifest destiny are clear. Also present and typical of L'Amour's work are the strong, capable, beautiful heroine who is immediately attracted to the equally capable hero; a clear moral split between good and evil; reflections on the Native Americans, whose land and ways of life are being disrupted; and a happy ending. Although his work is somewhat less violent than that of other western writers, L'Amour's novels all contain their fair share of action, usually in the form of gunfights or fistfights. L'Amour's major contribution to the western genre is his attempt to create, in 40 or more books, the stories of three families whose histories intertwine as the generations advance across the American frontier. The novels of the Irish Chantry, English Sackett, and French Talon families are L'Amour's most ambitious project, and sadly were left unfinished at his death. Although L'Amour did not complete all of the novels, enough of the series exists to demonstrate his vision. L'Amour's strongest attribute is his ability to tell a compelling story; readers do not mind if the story is similar to one they have read before, for in the telling, L'Amour adds enough small twists of plot and detail to make it worth the reader's while. L'Amour fans also enjoy the bits of information he includes about everything from wilderness survival skills to finding the right person to marry. These lessons give readers the sense that they are getting their money's worth, that there is more to a L'Amour novel than sheer escapism. With over 200 million copies of his books in print worldwide, L'Amour must be counted as one of the most influential writers of westerns in this century. He died from lung cancer on June 10, 1988. (Bowker Author Biography) Louis L'Amour, truly America's favorite storyteller, was the first fiction writer ever to receive the Congressional Gold Medal from the United States Congress in honor of his life's work, & was also awarded the Medal of Freedom. There are over 260 million copies of his books in print worldwide. (Publisher Provided) show less
Work Relationships
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Law of the Desert Born
- Original publication date
- 1946-04
- People/Characters
- Shad Marone; Madge; Clyde Bowman; Jud Bowman; Tips Hogan; Lopez
- Important places
- Puerto de Luma, The West, USA; Fotked Tree,The West, USA; Black River,The West, USA; Window in the Rock,The West, USA
- Important events
- The brother of the sheriff is killed.; The posse bites the dust.
- Epigraph
- [None]
- Dedication
- To my loyal readers, who
will know how to read a brand. - First words
- Shad Marone crawled out of the water swearing and slid into the mesquite.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"Well," Shad said as he holstered his gun, "I've got a fire."
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 566
- Popularity
- 51,969
- Reviews
- 4
- Rating
- (3.53)
- Languages
- English, French
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 32
- ASINs
- 10
