August – Booklist
Life on the western range-the calls of longhorn cattle at sunrise, the grumbling of a chestnut mare, wanting oats and a nose rub. The fragrance of sagebrush and pinon sap on a summer day, and the sandy feel of red rocks. The beauty of the bluest sky. Paradise. As summer fades to fall, we hope our selection of western titles will take you there.
Nonfiction
Salt Desert Trails: A History of the Hastings Cutoff by Charles Kelly
Tells the story of the Great Salt Lake Desert crossings. The story centers on the opening of the Hastings Cutoff in 1846, which led to the tragedy of the Donner Party.
Blood and Thunder: An Epic of the American West by Hampton Sides
Documents the U.S. government efforts in the nineteenth century to drive Mexico out of the Southwest and California and the destruction of the Navajo nation. Focuses on the role of frontiersman Kit Carson, a comrade of Native Americans, who became instrumental in their defeat.
Fur, Fortune, and Empire: The Epic History of the Fur Trade in America by Eric Jay Dolin
Chronicles the rise and fall of the fur trade in North America from the early 1600s to the late 1800s and examines its influence on shaping the continent. Profiles the explorers, mountain men, and natives who contributed to the near extinction of beaver, buffalo, otter, and other species.
Frontier Grit by Marianne Monson
The stories of 12 women who heard the call to settle the west and who came from all points of the globe to begin their journey. Gripping accounts of good-hearted women, selfless providers, courageous immigrants and migrants, and women with skills too innumerable to list.
Fiction
The Pumpkin Rollers by Elmer Kelton
Trey McLean believes the time has come to head west and fulfill his dream of becoming a cattleman. Known as a pumpkin roller (a farm boy with no knowledge of ranching), Trey soon learns the trade. But not without some problems, and a little romance, along the way. Some strong language.
The Yesterday Rider by Ray Hogan
After returning to Cougar Crossing, former lawman Riley Cord finds the new town marshal the prisoner of a band of outlaws. Only Riley, a brave girl, and a handful of men stand up to the gunslingers.
Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke
Marty is a young and adventurous woman traveling west with her new husband, but tragedy strikes, and she is left alone to learn firsthand the lessons of pain, heartache, and anger. Through her patience and faith, she becomes whole again. First in the Prairie Romance Series.
Hondo by Louis L’Amour
Angie Lowe is raising her son Johnny on an isolated ranch in Apache country. Hondo Lane approaches her homestead on foot to buy a horse. Soon Angie and Hondo are involved in a tale of love, war, and honor.
Image Description: A sweeping view of Monument Valley in Utah. A hazy blue sky framed by two towering red rock features in the foreground with a blanket of red dirt and sage. More rock formations appear slightly out of focus in the background.