COWBOY STORIES

These stories—masterfully culled from classics of the genre—pack a punch, both individually and collectively. Chosen not only for their power but for how well each stands alone, each story wears its age and its history well. A brief commentary on the uses of the cowboy bandana from 1929 sits comfortably next to a vivid account of a ranch house in a blizzard set in the 1950s and written just a few years ago. There’s thieving and rustling, stampedes and gunfights, brave and crafty women and laconic and shrewd men. These are not sweet stories—Max Brand’s “Wine on the Desert” is downright terrifying—but they are compellingly good reads with all the glories of the American cowboy legend displayed. Excerpts from Shane, The Virginian and Lonesome Dove, as well as from Annie Proulx, Louis L’Amour and Elmore Leonard, are included. Moser’s wood engravings are perfectly rendered, their lines and shadows heroic and compelling just like the cowboys. (Short stories. YA)