Books of the West: Top 10 Cowboy Reads - American Cowboy

Best western books

The best western books of all time

Best Western Books of All Time

21 Western Novels Every Man Should Read | The Art of Manliness

A Novel

Una Novela

Lonesome Dove

Paloma Solitaria

True Grit

Verdadero Coraje

Hondo

The Sisters Brothers

Los Hermanos Sisters

Riders of the Purple Sage, Book 1

Jinetes de la Salvia Púrpura, Libro 1

Riders of the Purple Sage

Jinetes de la Salvia Púrpura

Shane

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

El Asesinato de Jesse James por el Cobarde Robert Ford

The Time It Never Rained

El Tiempo Que Nunca Llovió

The narrative begins by introducing us to Sheriff Ed Tom Bell, who reflects on the wickedness he perceives in the changing world after having encountered a ruthless murderer. Simultaneously, we're introduced to Llewellyn Moss, a Vietnam veteran hunting in the desolate landscapes of Southwest Texas. Moss inadvertently stumbles upon a drug deal gone awry and impulsively decides to pocket a suitcase containing over $2 million. Upon returning to the scene to aid a surviving victim, he finds the man dead and quickly becomes a target of the drug cartel, forcing him into hiding and moving his wife, Carla Jean, to her mother's house in Odessa.

The narrative then shifts to an unnamed man, Anton Chigurh, a sadistic hitman with a signature bolt weapon who flips coins to decide his victims' fate. Having learned of the botched drug deal, Chigurh ruthlessly kills two men and sets out on a mission to find Moss. Meanwhile, Sheriff Bell, being aware of Moss's situation, takes it upon himself to ensure their safety. Despite Moss's attempts to evade Chigurh using a transponder hidden in the money case, he gets injured in a shootout and narrowly escapes to Mexico, where he meets another hitman, Carson Wells. Wells proposes to help Moss in exchange for the money, but Moss declines his offer.

In the aftermath of the shootout, Chigurh, who has also sustained injuries, finds the transponder but not the money in Moss's hotel room. He then ambushes and kills Wells. Moss, having reconsidered Wells's offer, calls him but ends up talking to Chigurh who demands the money in exchange for sparing Carla Jean. Refusing to relent, Moss vows to hunt down Chigurh. Meanwhile, Chigurh begins tracking Carla Jean while Moss is killed by two other hitmen. Chigurh manages to retrieve the money and returns it to an undisclosed businessman. Upon returning home, Carla Jean is confronted and killed by Chigurh, who insists on fulfilling his promise to Moss. A guilt-ridden Sheriff Bell, who had previously abandoned his squad during World War II, decides to retire after being unable to identify Chigurh or stop the cycle of violence and death.

No Country for Old Men

No es País para Viejos

The Son

El Hijo

The Border Trilogy, Book 1

La trilogía de la frontera, libro 1

After the death of his grandfather in 1949, John Grady Cole's mother decides to sell their Texas ranch. This leaves sixteen-year-old John Grady, who cherishes the rustic cowboy lifestyle, with no choice but to leave Texas. He and his buddy, Rawlins, decide to be migrant cowboys in Mexico, and they are joined by a younger, headstrong boy named Jimmy Blevins. Their journey into Mexico is not without challenges; Blevins loses his horse and weapon during a lightning storm and their failed attempt to retrieve these possessions results in them being pursued by a posse.

Despite their rocky start, John Grady and Rawlins manage to find work at a sprawling ranch owned by Don Hector. John Grady's skills with horses earn him a promotion to be in charge of breeding the ranch's horses. However, his growing attraction to Don Hector's beautiful daughter, Alejandra, jeopardizes his newfound success. Ignoring warnings from Alejandra's manipulative great-aunt Alfonsa, John Grady embarks on a clandestine affair with Alejandra. Their secret relationship is discovered, leading to John Grady and Rawlins being handed over to the corrupt police captain of Encantada. They are wrongfully implicated as co-conspirators with Blevins, who had returned to the town to reclaim his belongings and ended up killing a local.

John Grady and Rawlins are sent to jail in Saltillo, where they become targets of constant violence. Their refusal to align with Perez, a powerful inmate, leads to them being attacked. Although they survive, they are severely wounded and end up in the infirmary. In a surprising turn of events, they are released from prison, thanks to a bribe from Alfonsa. Back at the ranch, John Grady tries to rekindle his romance with Alejandra. Despite spending a day together, Alejandra decides not to abandon her family for him. Heartbroken yet determined, John Grady returns to Encantada to retrieve his horses. Although he is gravely injured during the chase, he manages to escape back to Texas, where he finds his father dead and the ranch sold. Having lost his home and family, and feeling estranged from his friend Rawlins, the novel concludes with John Grady riding off into the sunset.

17 Best Westerns Books of All Time

Lonesome Dove

A Novel

True Grit

A Novel

Hondo

A Novel

The Sisters Brothers

Riders of the Purple Sage

Riders of the Purple Sage, Book 1

Shane

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

A Novel

The Time It Never Rained

No Country for Old Men

The Son

All the Pretty Horses

The Border Trilogy, Book 1

The Searchers

The Shootist

Smoky the Cowhorse

The Hell Bent Kid

A Novel

Centennial

A Novel

Butcher's Crossing

Sources

What To Read Next

17 Best Westerns Books of All Time

Lonesome Dove

A Novel

True Grit

A Novel

Hondo

A Novel

The Sisters Brothers

Riders of the Purple Sage

Riders of the Purple Sage, Book 1

Shane

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

A Novel

The Time It Never Rained

No Country for Old Men

The Son

All the Pretty Horses

The Border Trilogy, Book 1

The Searchers

The Shootist

Smoky the Cowhorse

The Hell Bent Kid

A Novel

Centennial

A Novel

Butcher's Crossing

Sources

What To Read Next

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