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The Shootist
By the author of The Homesman, now a major motion picture The Shootist is John Bernard Books, a gunfighter at the turn of the twentieth century who must confront the greatest Shootist of all: Death. Most men would end their days in bed or take their own lives, but a gunfighter has a third option, one that Books decides to exercise. He may choose his own executioner.
As word spreads that the famous assassin has incurable cancer, an assortment of human vultures gathers to feast on the corpse—among them a gambler, a rustler, a clergyman, an undertaker, an old love, a reporter, even an admiring teenager. What follows is the last courageous act in Books’s own legend.
This classic, Spur Award–winning novel was chosen by the Western Writers of America as one of the best western novels ever written and was the inspiration for John Wayne’s last great starring role in the acclaimed 1976 film adaptation. The Bison Books edition includes a new introduction by the author’s son, Miles Swarthout, in which he discusses his father’s work and the making of the legendary film.
As word spreads that the famous assassin has incurable cancer, an assortment of human vultures gathers to feast on the corpse—among them a gambler, a rustler, a clergyman, an undertaker, an old love, a reporter, even an admiring teenager. What follows is the last courageous act in Books’s own legend.
This classic, Spur Award–winning novel was chosen by the Western Writers of America as one of the best western novels ever written and was the inspiration for John Wayne’s last great starring role in the acclaimed 1976 film adaptation. The Bison Books edition includes a new introduction by the author’s son, Miles Swarthout, in which he discusses his father’s work and the making of the legendary film.
215 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1975
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6356 people want to read
About the author
Glendon Swarthout
52 books93 followersGlendon Fred Swarthout was an American writer. Some of his best known novels were made into films of the same title, Where the Boys Are, The Shootist and They Came To Cordura.
Also wrote under Glendon Fred Swarthout. Twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glendon_...
Also wrote under Glendon Fred Swarthout. Twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glendon_...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 361 reviews
October 23, 2022
This book contained some of the best writing I've ever read, and the first eighty pages were just perfect. But the tension fell away slightly in the second half, and the ending, while incredibly clever, was just a bit too brutal for my tastes. A great book, though, perfect for fans of Larry McMurtry and Cormac McCarthy.
July 9, 2023
Excellent.
This is a western novel, but so much more. It’s set in El Paso Texas in 1901, about a dying gunslinger, with other western themes, so yes, it is a western. But truth be told, change this up and it’s still a great story. It could be about an aging samurai set in feudal Japan. It could be about an old crusader, the last days of a trial lawyer, the tragic end of a warrior.
JB Books is in his early 50s and a doctor in Colorado has diagnosed prostate cancer and so Books makes the painful horseback trip down to El Paso to visit the same doctor who pulled a bullet out of him a few years back. When they meet, the old physician asks what his colleague in Denver said. Books replies with a request: examine him, form his own diagnosis and then he’ll tell him if its the same as the earlier doctor.
Author Glendon Swarthout has set the table for a brilliantly poignant glimpse into the final days of a legendary gunman. On his arrival into El Paso, Books purchases a daily newspaper and learns that Queen Victoria has just passed away and the idea that the old world is dying away, being replaced by something new. The Marshall that greets Books describes for him the new El Paso, and the new century, full of electric lights, horseless carriages, indoor plumbing and a town that has no place or time for an old gunman. Books draws comparisons with the old world and even imagines that he will soon visit and have an audience with the recently departed British monarch.
The American rock band The Eagles first released their hit Desperado in 1973 and Swarthout first published The Shootist in 1975. While its possible that Swarthout could have been inspired by the popular song, this theme of an old timer coming to the end of his days may be timeless. We see the old fighter reading the writing on the wall. And while this is so much more than just a western, it is unabashedly a western and Books, while reflecting on his life he remembers a uniquely American experience with adventures in the Old West. He fondly recalls the freedoms and triumphs he has experienced in a hard life.
The poet Galway Kinnell once wrote that “there are some regrets we can never be rid of”. Books also looks back on a life devoid of lasting relationships. His was a celebrity of lonesome times and solitary periods. His success with the gun has brought him fame, and infamy, but it has also robbed him of connections with humanity that are sorely missed at the end. Books’ reflections of his life’s balance sheet is noteworthy as the people who come to see him only want more of him, from him.
Swarthout’s musings as Books faces God and his own mortality (and morality) are some of the best writing in the book and some of the best writing in this genre. Readers will likely draw comparisons with Charles Portis and Larry McMurtry because of the exceptional dialogue, but Swarthout’s prose is gifted and rises above the genre when we read his descriptions of a man choosing to courageously live, and die, as he sees fit. An important theme is living one’s own life, for good and bad, and accepting consequences as they come, even when (especially when) circumstances result in conflicts with a moral code.
As we explore Books’ dark thoughts, his unrepentant stance even while allowing for the righteous animosity of victims’ families and lawmen, I recalled a scene from the 1990 film Godfather III, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Michael Corleone has confessed to Cardinal Lamberto and the clergyman says, “Your sins are terrible. It is just that you suffer. Your life could be redeemed, but I know you don't believe that. You will not change.” Books is an evil man. He is a killer. He is arrogant and is accustomed to getting his way. Love is a two way street and the dearth of friends and family at the end is a testament to the kind of life he has lived. Hollywood and other writers may have tried to make Books’ description more sympathetic. Sawrthout, to his great credit, spares us none of Books’ complexities. We, like Books himself, look into the harsh glass darkly, and the withered old visage reflected back, not long for this world, is both frightening and knowing of fear.
Finally, this was of course the basis for the 1976 film of the same name, directed by Don Siegel and starring John Wayne and Lauren Bacall. It was for the most part a faithful adaptation of Swarthout’s work, though the book was far darker, with some scenes that were intentionally left out. One scene in particular was axed by Wayne himself as it would conflict with his own screen persona.
Literary westerns are a rare joy and this is one of the best.
This is a western novel, but so much more. It’s set in El Paso Texas in 1901, about a dying gunslinger, with other western themes, so yes, it is a western. But truth be told, change this up and it’s still a great story. It could be about an aging samurai set in feudal Japan. It could be about an old crusader, the last days of a trial lawyer, the tragic end of a warrior.
JB Books is in his early 50s and a doctor in Colorado has diagnosed prostate cancer and so Books makes the painful horseback trip down to El Paso to visit the same doctor who pulled a bullet out of him a few years back. When they meet, the old physician asks what his colleague in Denver said. Books replies with a request: examine him, form his own diagnosis and then he’ll tell him if its the same as the earlier doctor.
Author Glendon Swarthout has set the table for a brilliantly poignant glimpse into the final days of a legendary gunman. On his arrival into El Paso, Books purchases a daily newspaper and learns that Queen Victoria has just passed away and the idea that the old world is dying away, being replaced by something new. The Marshall that greets Books describes for him the new El Paso, and the new century, full of electric lights, horseless carriages, indoor plumbing and a town that has no place or time for an old gunman. Books draws comparisons with the old world and even imagines that he will soon visit and have an audience with the recently departed British monarch.
The American rock band The Eagles first released their hit Desperado in 1973 and Swarthout first published The Shootist in 1975. While its possible that Swarthout could have been inspired by the popular song, this theme of an old timer coming to the end of his days may be timeless. We see the old fighter reading the writing on the wall. And while this is so much more than just a western, it is unabashedly a western and Books, while reflecting on his life he remembers a uniquely American experience with adventures in the Old West. He fondly recalls the freedoms and triumphs he has experienced in a hard life.
The poet Galway Kinnell once wrote that “there are some regrets we can never be rid of”. Books also looks back on a life devoid of lasting relationships. His was a celebrity of lonesome times and solitary periods. His success with the gun has brought him fame, and infamy, but it has also robbed him of connections with humanity that are sorely missed at the end. Books’ reflections of his life’s balance sheet is noteworthy as the people who come to see him only want more of him, from him.
Swarthout’s musings as Books faces God and his own mortality (and morality) are some of the best writing in the book and some of the best writing in this genre. Readers will likely draw comparisons with Charles Portis and Larry McMurtry because of the exceptional dialogue, but Swarthout’s prose is gifted and rises above the genre when we read his descriptions of a man choosing to courageously live, and die, as he sees fit. An important theme is living one’s own life, for good and bad, and accepting consequences as they come, even when (especially when) circumstances result in conflicts with a moral code.
As we explore Books’ dark thoughts, his unrepentant stance even while allowing for the righteous animosity of victims’ families and lawmen, I recalled a scene from the 1990 film Godfather III, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Michael Corleone has confessed to Cardinal Lamberto and the clergyman says, “Your sins are terrible. It is just that you suffer. Your life could be redeemed, but I know you don't believe that. You will not change.” Books is an evil man. He is a killer. He is arrogant and is accustomed to getting his way. Love is a two way street and the dearth of friends and family at the end is a testament to the kind of life he has lived. Hollywood and other writers may have tried to make Books’ description more sympathetic. Sawrthout, to his great credit, spares us none of Books’ complexities. We, like Books himself, look into the harsh glass darkly, and the withered old visage reflected back, not long for this world, is both frightening and knowing of fear.
Finally, this was of course the basis for the 1976 film of the same name, directed by Don Siegel and starring John Wayne and Lauren Bacall. It was for the most part a faithful adaptation of Swarthout’s work, though the book was far darker, with some scenes that were intentionally left out. One scene in particular was axed by Wayne himself as it would conflict with his own screen persona.
Literary westerns are a rare joy and this is one of the best.
April 6, 2025
Forgot I read this years ago. It’s good writing. The interesting thing is we have a storyline different than the movie script. In the novel, Gillom, played by Ron Howard in the 1976 movie, is the quintessential “bad boy”, becomes a killer during the final shootout and chooses to keep going in that direction. In the film, he throws the gun away. So, two different stories. Wayne, who played the gunslinger dying of cancer, J.B. Books, wanted that change. You’ll have to decide if you prefer one storyline over the other🐴
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2016
John Bernard Books has found out he has terminal prostate cancer.
Books is an aging but notorious gunman, who is known across the frontier for being dangerously quick on the draw, for loving women, and for killing over thirty men. So it comes to his dismay that he is destined to die an undignified and unremarkable death, taken down by a disease in his crotch. He doesn't have long to live and pretty soon news of his condition spreads around town. But J.B. Books is determined to die with some semblance of dignity.
A great theme that is prevalent throughout the book is the changing times. It is the turn of the 20th century, year 1901, and the West is changing from the frontier that it was to a more modern, civilized place. And the aging gunman is part of those dying times. He's constantly reminded of this in every new invention he sees, or by the newspaper articles he reads to pass the time.
I would agree with critics that this is one of the best Western novels ever written (definitely one of the best that I've read). It's about courage, dignity and throwing up a middle finger to death, taking control of your life and the the way you leave it.
Books is an aging but notorious gunman, who is known across the frontier for being dangerously quick on the draw, for loving women, and for killing over thirty men. So it comes to his dismay that he is destined to die an undignified and unremarkable death, taken down by a disease in his crotch. He doesn't have long to live and pretty soon news of his condition spreads around town. But J.B. Books is determined to die with some semblance of dignity.
And then, emptied, on hands and knees, head hanging over his own spew, teeth chattering with cold, in that animal posture he knew fear for the first time in his adult life.I was really taken with this outstanding novel and this great character: a portrait of a dying man who must figure out the best way to make his last stand in life. Author Glendon Swarthout creates a three-dimensional character out of the conventionally one-dimensional Western antihero. On the outside Books is trying to portray the same stoicism and grit that he's known for, but on the inside is a man terrified of dying the way he is. Not only is he forced to look back on his life and decide if it was truly worth anything, but he also has to deal with the town's sudden interest in his imminent death, interest both curious and nefarious, but everyone looking to profit one way or another.
A great theme that is prevalent throughout the book is the changing times. It is the turn of the 20th century, year 1901, and the West is changing from the frontier that it was to a more modern, civilized place. And the aging gunman is part of those dying times. He's constantly reminded of this in every new invention he sees, or by the newspaper articles he reads to pass the time.
She looked at him bravely now for the first time, at his face, the face from which a child had fled, and drew breath. She rose. Her eyes filled.It was a real joy reading this book, which was tender and mournful, like a melancholy fable, downright funny at times, and gorgeously written. Swarthout seems to always use just the right words; I felt like every page had a line or paragraph I wanted to make note of. The book also contains a stunning classic Western bar shootout that is well-crafted, dark, and nihilistic.
She knew.
He took her in his arms and kissed her ardently. Men in their hosts, young and old, innocent and corrupt, had paid her for her favors, but she put her arms about him of her own free will as though to give him what she could in recompense for this, the last gift she guessed, of his manhood.
I would agree with critics that this is one of the best Western novels ever written (definitely one of the best that I've read). It's about courage, dignity and throwing up a middle finger to death, taking control of your life and the the way you leave it.
He thought: I will not break. I won't tell anybody what a tight I am in. I will keep my pride. And my guns loaded to the last.
January 28, 2022
Sheesh, I almost feel bad not giving this one a 5 star. I feel like I owe JB Books more. Unfortunately for him I just read The Homesman and I loved it more. Yes, I feel indebted to a fictional character.
This gut punches you. It’s graphic and brutal at times. And this isn’t in reference to the shoot ‘em up parts. Books’ end of life moments are so honest and real that I was left with very little choice but to feel sympathy and hurt for how he would bare the suffering of his last days, physically and emotionally.
And that ending, as it should have been.
This gut punches you. It’s graphic and brutal at times. And this isn’t in reference to the shoot ‘em up parts. Books’ end of life moments are so honest and real that I was left with very little choice but to feel sympathy and hurt for how he would bare the suffering of his last days, physically and emotionally.
And that ending, as it should have been.
November 24, 2016
Decades ago, I saw the John Wayne movie of the same name & really liked it, so thought the audio book would be decent. It wasn't, it was freaking awesome! Horrible, depressing, awfully realistic, & yet somehow inspiring. If you saw the movie, know that you saw a cleaned up, pale Hollywood version. Much is the same, but Swarthout's descriptions are intense & a little too detailed at times, but extremely moving.
The book takes place just after Queen Victoria dies & Books rides into town for his final time & buys a newspaper. He has cancer & it's killing him painfully. He spends his final days thoroughly reading the paper, every ad & article. He remembers parts of his life while doing so & in graphic dreams produced by the laudanum he's taking for the pain. It's a wonderful journey & fairly short. The characters are beautifully crafted, absolutely perfect in so many ways. Very few are truly decent, though.
I'm getting into spoiler territory & it's a journey best taken without too many expectations. Highly recommended!
The book takes place just after Queen Victoria dies & Books rides into town for his final time & buys a newspaper. He has cancer & it's killing him painfully. He spends his final days thoroughly reading the paper, every ad & article. He remembers parts of his life while doing so & in graphic dreams produced by the laudanum he's taking for the pain. It's a wonderful journey & fairly short. The characters are beautifully crafted, absolutely perfect in so many ways. Very few are truly decent, though.
I'm getting into spoiler territory & it's a journey best taken without too many expectations. Highly recommended!
December 2, 2022
Reread
THE BOOK.
Here in a nutshell is the personal creed of one John Bernard Books, professional shootist:
And after reading this novel (for the second time), I believe him. He gives no quarter, and he expects none in return. His world has been one in which there has been much cruelty and viciousness, but also courage and heroism. He gives no quarter and he expects none in return. He claims that he never killed a man who wasn’t trying to kill him, nor did he ever kill one who didn’t deserve it.
Now, in the year 1901, and at age fifty-one, he is the last of the shootists, for the others have been killed, died in their beds, or hung up their guns. His days are numbered as well, for he is a sick man who is experiencing excruciating pain as he rides from Colorado to El Paso, Texas to see a doctor who eight years ago saved his life by removing a potentially fatal bullet from his body.
After conducting his examination, the doctor gives Books the bad news that he has terminal cancer of the prostate. Books asks the doctor how much time he has left and how much suffering he will have to endure. The doctor pulls no punches and tells him that the pain he is now experiencing will greatly intensify and that it will become unbearable and that he has only a month or possibly six weeks left before he dies.
After the doctor leaves the room and closes the door, he reopens it immediately and adds:
Without explicitly expressing his thoughts the doctor inferred a way of dying that would circumvent the unbearable ending that lay before Books. He got the message. It meant a kind of suicide, not one that was self-inflicted, but one that involved a final showdown.
THE MOVIE.
The Shootist was published in 1975 and Hollywood came calling as it often did when Swarthout (1918-1992) published a book. The movie was released the very next year.
As you probably already know, John Wayne portrayed J.B. Books in what turned out to be his last movie, concluding a career that began in 1926, one that encompassed almost 200 films. Adding to the poignancy of the role is the added fact that at the time that the movie was in production he was seriously ill.
Wayne said at one point that “sometimes the irony of this film gets to me.” His health went downhill from there. He died three years later. He was seventy-two years old.
THE WRITER.
For the most part, Swarthout’s novels are written in a clear and linear style that carefully avoids lyricism or any traces of poetic phrasing. It is a style that has been described as being sometimes sardonic, but nearly always cinematic, and, therefore, easily adapted for film. Thus, it is no accident that seven of his stories have made it to the screen.
His sixteen novels cover a broad and diverse range that includes westerns, dramas, mysteries, romances, comedies and even a number of children’s books. Its difficult to believe that the same writer who wrote The Shootist (1976) and The Homesman (1988) was also the same person who wrote the first college spring break Florida beach comedy novel, Where the Boys Are (1960).
THE BOOK.
Here in a nutshell is the personal creed of one John Bernard Books, professional shootist:
I won’t be wronged, I won’t be insulted, I won’t be laid-a-hand on. I don’t do these things to others and I require the same of them.
And after reading this novel (for the second time), I believe him. He gives no quarter, and he expects none in return. His world has been one in which there has been much cruelty and viciousness, but also courage and heroism. He gives no quarter and he expects none in return. He claims that he never killed a man who wasn’t trying to kill him, nor did he ever kill one who didn’t deserve it.
Now, in the year 1901, and at age fifty-one, he is the last of the shootists, for the others have been killed, died in their beds, or hung up their guns. His days are numbered as well, for he is a sick man who is experiencing excruciating pain as he rides from Colorado to El Paso, Texas to see a doctor who eight years ago saved his life by removing a potentially fatal bullet from his body.
After conducting his examination, the doctor gives Books the bad news that he has terminal cancer of the prostate. Books asks the doctor how much time he has left and how much suffering he will have to endure. The doctor pulls no punches and tells him that the pain he is now experiencing will greatly intensify and that it will become unbearable and that he has only a month or possibly six weeks left before he dies.
After the doctor leaves the room and closes the door, he reopens it immediately and adds:
There’s just one more thing I’ll say. If you stop to think about it, we have a lot to do with death. I stave it off when I can. You inflict it when you have to. I am not a brave man, but you must be, by virtue of your avocation. Well, you can be braver now than you have ever been, and it won’t help you a tinker’s damn. This is not advice, not even a suggestion, just something to reflect upon while your mind is still clear…. If I was in your circumstances, I know what I would not do….
I won’t put it in so many words. It runs counter to the ethics of my profession. But I would not die a death such as I have described …. Not if I had your courage. I would not. And especially your skill with weapons.
Without explicitly expressing his thoughts the doctor inferred a way of dying that would circumvent the unbearable ending that lay before Books. He got the message. It meant a kind of suicide, not one that was self-inflicted, but one that involved a final showdown.
THE MOVIE.
The Shootist was published in 1975 and Hollywood came calling as it often did when Swarthout (1918-1992) published a book. The movie was released the very next year.
As you probably already know, John Wayne portrayed J.B. Books in what turned out to be his last movie, concluding a career that began in 1926, one that encompassed almost 200 films. Adding to the poignancy of the role is the added fact that at the time that the movie was in production he was seriously ill.
Wayne said at one point that “sometimes the irony of this film gets to me.” His health went downhill from there. He died three years later. He was seventy-two years old.
THE WRITER.
For the most part, Swarthout’s novels are written in a clear and linear style that carefully avoids lyricism or any traces of poetic phrasing. It is a style that has been described as being sometimes sardonic, but nearly always cinematic, and, therefore, easily adapted for film. Thus, it is no accident that seven of his stories have made it to the screen.
His sixteen novels cover a broad and diverse range that includes westerns, dramas, mysteries, romances, comedies and even a number of children’s books. Its difficult to believe that the same writer who wrote The Shootist (1976) and The Homesman (1988) was also the same person who wrote the first college spring break Florida beach comedy novel, Where the Boys Are (1960).
July 11, 2023
I’m giving this book three stars, not because I enjoyed it, but because it is well written. It is filled with violence. I find this hard to stomach. It’s central theme is dying and illness. Empathizing with characters as much as I do, books such as this make me feel extremely uncomfortable. The saving grace is the respect one has for the outlaw. It is he who is . The setting is 1901, Texas.
I found this to be an emotionally tough read. Only a few sections lighten the tone. It made me sad. I do want realism in the books I read, but I can take only so much in one gulp.
John Wayne, who stared in the movie, was ! Can you imagine playing such a part?! This was John Wayne’s last film.
The story is short. This is good because I couldn't have taken much more!
I’ve given P.J. O’Shaughnessy's narration of the audiobook three stars. I could easily hear all the words, but I think he dramatizes too much. Screaming on an audiobook is not fun to listen to.
I found this to be an emotionally tough read. Only a few sections lighten the tone. It made me sad. I do want realism in the books I read, but I can take only so much in one gulp.
John Wayne, who stared in the movie, was ! Can you imagine playing such a part?! This was John Wayne’s last film.
The story is short. This is good because I couldn't have taken much more!
I’ve given P.J. O’Shaughnessy's narration of the audiobook three stars. I could easily hear all the words, but I think he dramatizes too much. Screaming on an audiobook is not fun to listen to.
December 10, 2024
Final Gunfight
Anyone familiar with the western movie legend, John Wayne, has probably seen his final film. The movie was about an aging gunfighter who was dying from cancer. Wayne himself found the movie to be a tad prophetic, since he was dying and very sick from cancer at the time of its filming.
The book is very similar to movie, but ends differently. I personally liked the movie end better, and so did John Wayne. Five stars story with a bit about the making of the film as a prologue.
Anyone familiar with the western movie legend, John Wayne, has probably seen his final film. The movie was about an aging gunfighter who was dying from cancer. Wayne himself found the movie to be a tad prophetic, since he was dying and very sick from cancer at the time of its filming.
The book is very similar to movie, but ends differently. I personally liked the movie end better, and so did John Wayne. Five stars story with a bit about the making of the film as a prologue.
October 17, 2019
Cruel, powerful and elegiac novel by Glendon Swarthout.
This one is a real classic.
Don't miss it.
This one is a real classic.
Don't miss it.
September 22, 2012
I got to know about this book from the movie (staring John Wayne). If that's also your knowledge of the story all you really have is a sort of general outline of the story. It's also an outline that leads you to a different destination than the story in the novel will.
This is another book where I find myself hesitant to say things such as "I like it", or "I enjoyed it" as it is a dark and even sad story with few bright corners. I suppose it might be best here to say what's different from the movie as said movie is well know, and it's a good movie. As noted the book is darker than the movie even though they are both about the last days of a man dying of cancer the movie is a lot more hopeful.
What shall I say yet not give a spoiler? The events while based on the events in the novel are different. Many of the characters in the book (though not all) are significantly different from those in the movie.
And the end is also (to use the same word) significantly...greatly different from the movie.
Go in with the understanding this is for an adult audience (and I'm not referring to sexual content here, I'm referring to actual adult situations). It's dark and you have to dig to find hope or a silver lining. But it is well written and creates real people in real situations. I recommend it.
I would recommend both the movie and the book, but they're different stories.
This is another book where I find myself hesitant to say things such as "I like it", or "I enjoyed it" as it is a dark and even sad story with few bright corners. I suppose it might be best here to say what's different from the movie as said movie is well know, and it's a good movie. As noted the book is darker than the movie even though they are both about the last days of a man dying of cancer the movie is a lot more hopeful.
What shall I say yet not give a spoiler? The events while based on the events in the novel are different. Many of the characters in the book (though not all) are significantly different from those in the movie.
And the end is also (to use the same word) significantly...greatly different from the movie.
Go in with the understanding this is for an adult audience (and I'm not referring to sexual content here, I'm referring to actual adult situations). It's dark and you have to dig to find hope or a silver lining. But it is well written and creates real people in real situations. I recommend it.
I would recommend both the movie and the book, but they're different stories.
January 12, 2016
The date is 1901, the turn of the century and John Bernard Books is one of the last of the great gunmen. Being one of the deadliest shootists of the old west, Books succeeded in outliving most, if not all, of the other notorious gunslingers. But at the age of 51 he finally met his match, and it didn't come in the form of lead.
Upon examination from an old doctor acquaintance that had previously removed a slug from his stomach, Books discovers that his days are numbered and it is nothing that the quick draw of his Remingtons will be able to match.
Books knows he is headed for a showdown with Death himself, but he decides even though he knows it will be a losing battle, he will be going out on his own terms and with guns blazing.
This western was an entertaining and well worth the read.
October 27, 2014
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2023
An easy-to-read western with stark and original prose, quirky characters and gut-punching set pieces.
February 23, 2020
Dear me, is this book so bleak and depressing yet at the same time weirdly comforting . . . No, comfort is the wrong word, but I can't find another right now. The courage and determination of the protagonist in the face of hopelessness and cynicism is maybe what confers on it that small upbeat dying note and makes it an excellent read.
February 14, 2021
The Shootist is my favorite John Wayne movie, and until recently, I didn’t realize it was based upon the book by Glendon Swarthout. I read The Homesman by Swarthout a few months ago, and was blown away by the outstanding writing and character development. It wasn’t what you expect in a western. The Shootist was every bit as good and was also a dark story – this time about John Books coming to El Paso to spend his last days with a terminal cancer diagnosis. He is tended to by the lovely Mrs. Rogers – at first reluctantly and then respectfully. Books has an endless stream of visitors and everyone is wanting something from him before he dies. The book takes place in 1901 just after Queen Victoria’s death and John comments frequently on the changes taking place in the world and how he is the last of a dying breed.
It was impossible to read the book and not think of John Wayne, Lauren Bacall and Ron Howard and the roles they played in this excellent western. And as good as that movie was, the book is even better.
It was impossible to read the book and not think of John Wayne, Lauren Bacall and Ron Howard and the roles they played in this excellent western. And as good as that movie was, the book is even better.
January 16, 2025
Absolutely excellent!
December 30, 2020
2.5 Stars
Truthfully the movie was better. Perhaps it was due to John Wayne flexing his muscle, but the changes made for the screenplay were superior. I understand that the main character is dying from Cancer and he lived a miserable life. He's not a nice man...…..he's a killer after all. With a different actor (say Charles Bronson) the movie probably would have been able to follow the novel more faithfully, but I'm not sure it would have worked as well as the version we all know.
The book is well written. The very graphic descriptions of what it's like to be dying from Prostate Cancer are chilling. Swarthout shows that living a life of strife and violence will take it's toll on one's spiritual and physical well-being. The only problem is nobody in the story is likable and nothing turns out for the best. Now, I'm not a Pollyanna and I have been accused of being excessively cynical (with some justification), but I'm not a fan of relentlessly bleak stories. People are often a damn mess, but there is usually something hopeful. John Wayne understood this and used his clout to introduce a few brighter moments in what is a very grim story. The novel doesn't have that and ,as a result, it's not a very pleasant read. Also because of the unrelenting grimness it's not a very engrossing read. I actually had to work to get through what is a very short read.
Truthfully the movie was better. Perhaps it was due to John Wayne flexing his muscle, but the changes made for the screenplay were superior. I understand that the main character is dying from Cancer and he lived a miserable life. He's not a nice man...…..he's a killer after all. With a different actor (say Charles Bronson) the movie probably would have been able to follow the novel more faithfully, but I'm not sure it would have worked as well as the version we all know.
The book is well written. The very graphic descriptions of what it's like to be dying from Prostate Cancer are chilling. Swarthout shows that living a life of strife and violence will take it's toll on one's spiritual and physical well-being. The only problem is nobody in the story is likable and nothing turns out for the best. Now, I'm not a Pollyanna and I have been accused of being excessively cynical (with some justification), but I'm not a fan of relentlessly bleak stories. People are often a damn mess, but there is usually something hopeful. John Wayne understood this and used his clout to introduce a few brighter moments in what is a very grim story. The novel doesn't have that and ,as a result, it's not a very pleasant read. Also because of the unrelenting grimness it's not a very engrossing read. I actually had to work to get through what is a very short read.
October 18, 2018
This is an impressive novel.
Yes, it's a western and some people will dismiss it, for that. But it's not (for the most part) what you think of, when you think of a western. Yes, there are a few times that guns are fired and yes, the main character is an infamous "shootist". Referred to as a killer, assassin, gunfighter, etc.. Yes.
But it's the story of a man whose time is passing as his era is passing. Dying of cancer, he comes to El Paso for a confirmation of his diagnosis, from a doctor he trusts. The novel is the tale of his rapid deterioration, in the face of his illness. His coming to terms with who he is, what he is, and finally... that he can do something good, finally, with his death.
John Wayne played this character in the movie version. J. B. Books. It was Wayne's final role, to play the aging gunfighter dying of cancer, while Wayne was dying of cancer. (they even had to pause production, to allow him time to recover from illness during filming)
Certainly, the book is grimmer, darker, and far more brutal than the film. And I'm not talking about killings. Books is slowly destroyed by the cancer as people visit him, all trying to make a profit off his impending demise.
I am very happy that I read this sad book.
Yes, it's a western and some people will dismiss it, for that. But it's not (for the most part) what you think of, when you think of a western. Yes, there are a few times that guns are fired and yes, the main character is an infamous "shootist". Referred to as a killer, assassin, gunfighter, etc.. Yes.
But it's the story of a man whose time is passing as his era is passing. Dying of cancer, he comes to El Paso for a confirmation of his diagnosis, from a doctor he trusts. The novel is the tale of his rapid deterioration, in the face of his illness. His coming to terms with who he is, what he is, and finally... that he can do something good, finally, with his death.
John Wayne played this character in the movie version. J. B. Books. It was Wayne's final role, to play the aging gunfighter dying of cancer, while Wayne was dying of cancer. (they even had to pause production, to allow him time to recover from illness during filming)
Certainly, the book is grimmer, darker, and far more brutal than the film. And I'm not talking about killings. Books is slowly destroyed by the cancer as people visit him, all trying to make a profit off his impending demise.
I am very happy that I read this sad book.
April 23, 2025
I used to read westerns like this years ago. I enjoy them. The Shootist describes the end days of a aging gunfighter named John Bernard Books. Books reflects on his life and what he amounted to, and we see his impact on Rogers family with whom he lived is last days. This is book that was made into an acclaimed movie starring John Wayne. Some of the book is identical to the movie other parts are much different. In particular, I found some of the characters to be a bit meaner and grittier than they were in the movie.
If you like westerns or liked the movie you should enjoy the book. One of the reviews from the time of publication compared the book favorably with the book Shane. I agree with this.
If you like westerns or liked the movie you should enjoy the book. One of the reviews from the time of publication compared the book favorably with the book Shane. I agree with this.
June 4, 2017
It's 1901 and a stranger has just rolled into town. Known throughout the country as the most dangerous "shootist" alive, J.B. Books has come to El Paso, Texas on a mission. He's here to see a doctor. J.B. Books, 51 years old, is slowly and painfully dying of cancer and this is where he knows his life which "hasn't been worth a damn" will end.
But much like his chaotic and unpredictable life up to this point, things will not end quietly. Before he goes he will encounter a string of visitors to his room seeking by turns to exploit, profit off of, or kill him. Before it's all over events will come to a head where nobody is really sure who the good or bad truly are.
I found this to be a deeply affecting and philosophical look at death, and a reflection on what we truly leave behind (if anything) when we're gone. There are multiple ways to read this book and it's moral(if there is one).
One is that Books was a violent and unrepentant man in life who while he claims killed only in self defense, seems unlikely given the volume of killings attributed to him and the pride he takes in his reputation. That at the end of his life when he's weakened and the people he's harmed see a chance to harm or exploit him, the jump at the chance. Should we feel pity for him? Or is this the proverbial chickens coming home to roost?
The second moral could be that Books has come to realise through his illness that the end is near and wants to set certain things right, such as setting the son of the boarding house woman on the right path, therefore he is indeed deserving of our pity.
Does any amount of righteousness at this point however make up for the mayhem his life has caused?
I don't have any easy answers to the questions this book poses but it is certainly profound and not one I will easily forget.
But much like his chaotic and unpredictable life up to this point, things will not end quietly. Before he goes he will encounter a string of visitors to his room seeking by turns to exploit, profit off of, or kill him. Before it's all over events will come to a head where nobody is really sure who the good or bad truly are.
I found this to be a deeply affecting and philosophical look at death, and a reflection on what we truly leave behind (if anything) when we're gone. There are multiple ways to read this book and it's moral(if there is one).
One is that Books was a violent and unrepentant man in life who while he claims killed only in self defense, seems unlikely given the volume of killings attributed to him and the pride he takes in his reputation. That at the end of his life when he's weakened and the people he's harmed see a chance to harm or exploit him, the jump at the chance. Should we feel pity for him? Or is this the proverbial chickens coming home to roost?
The second moral could be that Books has come to realise through his illness that the end is near and wants to set certain things right, such as setting the son of the boarding house woman on the right path, therefore he is indeed deserving of our pity.
Does any amount of righteousness at this point however make up for the mayhem his life has caused?
I don't have any easy answers to the questions this book poses but it is certainly profound and not one I will easily forget.
April 20, 2020
It's a bit like the Western's response to The Death of Ivan Ilych. While Ivan Ilych slowly succumbs to the disease that is ravaging him, and is gradually engulfed by the feeling of helplessness at his fate, the shootist Books takes matters into his own hands one last time. It fits squarely into the tradition of stories starring the aged veteran who is preparing for his last ride and last stand. The Old Man and the Sea and Eastwood's The Unforgiven come to mind as better known parallels, or Sergio Leone's My Name is Nobody without the abursdism of the latter.
December 19, 2024
The shootist
Esta novela narra el final de la vida de un pistolero a principios del siglo XX llegado a El Paso a visitar a un médico conocido para confirmar su enfermedad terminal.
John B. Books es el pistolero más famoso de la época, el último de su estirpe. Aunque está en las últimas la gente le teme, no lo quiere ver en la ciudad. Pero otros quieren pasar a la historia a costa de él.
Una de las mejores novelas que he leído este año, el mejor western. Una historia contada crudamente por el autor que no se guarda ninguna descripción mientras Books lee el periódico, toma láudano para el dolor y conoce a la gente aprovechada del lugar.
Se hizo una película al poco de publicarse esta novela. Un papel, a priori, a medida de John Wayne en su último western: "El último pistolero"
La película no refleja la crudeza y violencia del libro.
Esta novela narra el final de la vida de un pistolero a principios del siglo XX llegado a El Paso a visitar a un médico conocido para confirmar su enfermedad terminal.
John B. Books es el pistolero más famoso de la época, el último de su estirpe. Aunque está en las últimas la gente le teme, no lo quiere ver en la ciudad. Pero otros quieren pasar a la historia a costa de él.
Una de las mejores novelas que he leído este año, el mejor western. Una historia contada crudamente por el autor que no se guarda ninguna descripción mientras Books lee el periódico, toma láudano para el dolor y conoce a la gente aprovechada del lugar.
Se hizo una película al poco de publicarse esta novela. Un papel, a priori, a medida de John Wayne en su último western: "El último pistolero"
La película no refleja la crudeza y violencia del libro.
July 3, 2023
We only really care about ourselves, according to Swarthout. Possibly this book also comments on how fame triggers a predatory instinct in the people who surround the famous. In any event, humans are portrayed here basically as vultures, circling carrion, who see the vulnerable around them not as expiring beings worthy of sympathy, but as an opportunity to score a few bucks. Counterbalancing this is their would-be meal, a dying gunslinger who is determined to go out with dignity. I like how Swarthout portrays the ‘sanctimonious’ as vicious, while the ‘bad’ guy is struggling to do something meaningful and altruistic. Swarthout creates a situation here where he can throw a bright light on this distasteful part of us. Thankfully, I consider it somewhat exaggerated.
This novel feels like Western Noir. It’s got that pace and punchy dialogue and gritty feel of Dashiell Hammett. He uses repetition in an unusual way that is poetic, and helps to frame the story, and then to elevate the climax toward a kind of Orestian tragedy. The Coleridge motif is a stretch, and his anatomy fetish too. But his execution of the climax is just consummate.
This novel feels like Western Noir. It’s got that pace and punchy dialogue and gritty feel of Dashiell Hammett. He uses repetition in an unusual way that is poetic, and helps to frame the story, and then to elevate the climax toward a kind of Orestian tragedy. The Coleridge motif is a stretch, and his anatomy fetish too. But his execution of the climax is just consummate.
November 12, 2024
“He put his back to the brick and stood erect and brought both arms close in to his ribs until he had the fellowship of his guns. Then, through the sunlight of his pride, under the shadow of his agony, J.B. Books crossed the street and entered the Constantinople”
Loved it!!! Just the way a western should be. Dark, gritty, with themes of mortality, honour, and the last of the old west. The shoot out at the end was thrilling and very graphically written for an old western. This is no Louis L'Amour book.
Swarthout wastes no time diving into the story and our heroes predicament. The book is short, to the point and captivating from start to finish. The portrayal of the protagonists cancer (which is not a spoiler as we find it out in the first few paragraphs) was very medically accurate and his suffering and struggle was described so well.
Highly recommended if you enjoy westerns.
Loved it!!! Just the way a western should be. Dark, gritty, with themes of mortality, honour, and the last of the old west. The shoot out at the end was thrilling and very graphically written for an old western. This is no Louis L'Amour book.
Swarthout wastes no time diving into the story and our heroes predicament. The book is short, to the point and captivating from start to finish. The portrayal of the protagonists cancer (which is not a spoiler as we find it out in the first few paragraphs) was very medically accurate and his suffering and struggle was described so well.
Highly recommended if you enjoy westerns.
March 2, 2011
I'm afraid the Don Siegel John Wayne movie colored my enjoyment of this a bit as well. It's superbly written, but awfully cynical compared to the uplifting movie. Books is the same man as the Duke portrays, but Gillom is extremely different - I didn't care for him at all in the novel version, and the ending bleeds a star off my rating.
March 11, 2024
Wow. I am just blown away by this book. More than a great western, it is simply one of the best novels I've ever read. The characterization and story-craft are superb. The plot concerns John B. Books, a notorious gunman, last of his breed and relic of the old west, dying of cancer in 1901 in a rapidly modernizing El Paso, Texas. Human vultures gather to feed on his reputation. Themes of redemption, fate, friendship, and moral ambiguity flow through the narrative. John Wayne famously portrayed Books in the movie version. Lauren Bacall played his landlady, and Ron Howard had the part of her son Gillom. I'm going to have to watch the movie again because it's been ages since I've seen it, and I don't recall Gillom being portrayed as the irredeemable little shit that he is in the book. Anyway, this book is excellent, and I can't recommend it enough.
October 25, 2023
JB Books is at the end of his span of being a legendary Sheriff, a man that shows no fear and that he is not one to mess with he is the true and right justice.
Cancer... diagnosed with only a short time to live. Books will read as the sturdiest and strongest there is out there.
He decides to reside in a rooming house where he can maintain some dignity or is it bravery, but in the evening it all catches up with him. He howled and screamed in pain as it progresses. "What have I done to deserve this miserable excuse for a cancer!" as he says to God. Which I do not think he believes in.
He decides to show chivalry when it comes to dealing with it. The relationship between Ms Rogers and John, she's stern and strict yet funny when around John. He becomes more popular with the town folk as his days wind down. Gillom Ms Rogers son is a trouble maker type teen. He steals and feels nothing. I wish there was a goodbye for Ms Rogers by John but not. The Shootist is extremely well written tale. It is not the stereo typical western. Heartfelt and moving. The novel won the Spur Award in 1975.
(4 1/2 Stars: I only wanted more of a relationship with Ms Rogers to make it perfect 5)
I watched the movie a week or so later the film stars John Wayne in his last appearance before his death in 1979, along with Lauren Bacall, Jimmy Stewart and Ronnie Howard. John Wayne was not initially considered due to his health and stamina issues. They used clips from his movies for the opening of this film.
Cancer... diagnosed with only a short time to live. Books will read as the sturdiest and strongest there is out there.
He decides to reside in a rooming house where he can maintain some dignity or is it bravery, but in the evening it all catches up with him. He howled and screamed in pain as it progresses. "What have I done to deserve this miserable excuse for a cancer!" as he says to God. Which I do not think he believes in.
He decides to show chivalry when it comes to dealing with it. The relationship between Ms Rogers and John, she's stern and strict yet funny when around John. He becomes more popular with the town folk as his days wind down. Gillom Ms Rogers son is a trouble maker type teen. He steals and feels nothing. I wish there was a goodbye for Ms Rogers by John but not. The Shootist is extremely well written tale. It is not the stereo typical western. Heartfelt and moving. The novel won the Spur Award in 1975.
(4 1/2 Stars: I only wanted more of a relationship with Ms Rogers to make it perfect 5)
I watched the movie a week or so later the film stars John Wayne in his last appearance before his death in 1979, along with Lauren Bacall, Jimmy Stewart and Ronnie Howard. John Wayne was not initially considered due to his health and stamina issues. They used clips from his movies for the opening of this film.
August 7, 2022
A very good and pretty unusual bite-sized Western.
J.B. Books is literally one of a dying breed. In 1901, the aging gunman rides into El Paso looking to get a second opinion: he can't barely pee and his crotch hurts like a sumbitch. The doc says he's got prostate cancer and only has a month or two left. It's not exactly the blaze of glory Books always thought he'd go out in.
Looking forward to rapidly dwindling ability and a painful death, he begins to contemplate the situation. Meanwhile, his landlady figures out he's a wanted man and tries to evict him and, in the process, word gets out that he's in town. Books was just hoping for a quiet place to die without bounty hunters or lawmen coming to kick him while he's down. Facing a fate that's out of his control on so many levels, he makes the only decision he truly has left.
I really thought this was a pretty neat story, and Swarthout's clean, pithy prose wastes no words telling Books' brave final days. The big gun fight at the end was pretty amazing and graphic. Recommended.
J.B. Books is literally one of a dying breed. In 1901, the aging gunman rides into El Paso looking to get a second opinion: he can't barely pee and his crotch hurts like a sumbitch. The doc says he's got prostate cancer and only has a month or two left. It's not exactly the blaze of glory Books always thought he'd go out in.
Looking forward to rapidly dwindling ability and a painful death, he begins to contemplate the situation. Meanwhile, his landlady figures out he's a wanted man and tries to evict him and, in the process, word gets out that he's in town. Books was just hoping for a quiet place to die without bounty hunters or lawmen coming to kick him while he's down. Facing a fate that's out of his control on so many levels, he makes the only decision he truly has left.
I really thought this was a pretty neat story, and Swarthout's clean, pithy prose wastes no words telling Books' brave final days. The big gun fight at the end was pretty amazing and graphic. Recommended.
August 23, 2019
Came across ‘The Shootist’ in a secondhand bookshop, remembered liking the John Wayne movie of the same name in the seventies, so gave it a try. It was a fairly OK read, short and not very enthralling, but interesting in how much the ending differed from the movie . Worth it just for that!
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