Five Louis L’Amour books you have to read

Louis L’Amours books are some of the best westerns written. However, he did not exclusively write westerns and this list is not all westerns.

To Tame a Land

I’d have to say that this is his best western. It follows a boy whose father is killed by Indians and his subsequent journey towards manhood. The characterization is extremely good and there is a twist ending that’s just icing on the cake.

Last  Stand at Papago Wells

This book was a treat to read. It’s the typical plot where several people with differing personalities are thrown together and have to survive against seemingly insurmountable odds. I cannot recommend this one highly enough.

Tucker

This one is similar to To Tame a Land. A young man’s father is killed and he has to learn his way to manhood. This and To Tame a Land are very good in the way they portray teenagers. I have always respected Louis L’Amour for his view on teenagers.

Now we move on to two books that are not in the western genre.

The Last of the Breed

This is one is set in the Cold War. It follows a downed American pilot as he tries to escape the Russians over the Siberian tundra. The writing in this is magnificent. I could feel the cold. The survival part is really good and gives some excellent advice.

The Walking Drum

This one is set in 1200’s Europe. If I have a complaint with this it has to be the main character. Read the book, I can’t really explain here, but suffice to say he is an arrogant creep. But, beyond that, the book is a solid look at the Middle Ages and I really wish he had the chance to write more.