This is my June article reposted here from the Western Fictioneers blog.
It seems all together fitting and proper to remember Louis L’Amour for my June article, since June 10, 1998 was, sadly, the day he passed away. There are any number of biographies about him on the Internet, so I won’t include a bio here, but his website has entertaining reading about him: Louis L’Amour – Website
The first book of his I read was Last Stand at Papago Wells during my junior high years (c. 1966 – 1968). Long about 10th grade, my literature teacher looked down her nose at his books, because they were so far below my reading level that I wasn’t challenging my brain or expanding my literary knowledge. We agreed to disagree, because I was reading plenty of challenging books not in the school’s curriculum: The Godfather, Catch-22, Lost Horizon, Pride and Prejudice… You get the idea.
When she finally admitted she’d never read any of his novels. I challenged her to read my favorites (five or so – don’t recall which ones). She agreed if I’d read Tolstoy’s War and Peace.
I read War and Peace and went on to read other books by Russian authors. While she didn’t love Louis L’Amour, she admitted for reluctant readers, especially boys, his books had value.
So, Win-Win. She never openly criticized my choice of books again.
This is my commemorative Louis L’Amour coin (front and back).
The image is a mountain in the background with a miner/frontiersman walking ahead of his pack mules.
Here are my Top 10 favorite Louis L’Amour books beginning with my favorite as Number One.
- Last Stand at Papago Wells (1957)
- The Key-Lock Man (1965)
- The Man Called Noon (1970)
- Down the Long Hills (1968)
- How the West was Won (1962)
- Conagher (1969)
- Brionne (1968)
- The Sackett Brand (1965)
- Sitka (1957)
- The Haunted Mesa (1987)
What are your favorite Louis L’Amour books? If you have a Louis L’Amour anecdote or story, it would be great if you’d share your story in the comments or leave a comment on the Facebook post of this article.
Until next time,
Kaye Spencer
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