The Cowboy Way

October 15, 2020
Texas as a myth looms large in the American psyche. The late Kelton perfected that myth as well as any other novelist. Posthumously published as a collection, the sixteen short stories that comprise The Cowboy Way are important selections from Kelton's expansive oeuvre, some originally published nearly 70 years ago. Each story is set in west Texas, each one features cowboys, and each one makes the reader feel as saddle-sore and calloused as if they'd just spent two months driving cattle. Several stories use classic plots: in Dry Winter, a destitute rancher marries the daughter of the richest banker in town; his stoicism eventually wins over his father-in-law. Others show a sly sense of humor: in The Burial of Letty Strayhorn, a heartbroken widower has the last laugh after confronting a cruel landowner. Still others show a progressive bent: in Man on the Wagon Tongue, a young cowboy is forced to confront his prejudices. While the storylines vary, each one is tinged with nostalgia?which might be exactly what readers are looking for from such a timeless author.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)