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Panhandle
In the Texas Panhandle of the late 1880s, two young cowboys, Nate Reynolds and Billy Champion, team up to rid this violent territory of rustlers, horse thieves and outlaws, until their partnership is put to the test when they fall in love with the same green-eyed beauty. (westerns).
514 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 6, 2015
Grew up in the Panhandle and enjoyed seeing familiar names. Thought the book did a good job of capturing some universal emotions. Recommend the book.
Grew up in the Panhandle, and enjoyed reading about places I knew. Author did a good job with some universal themes. I recommend the book.
Grew up in the Panhandle, and enjoyed reading about places I knew. Author did a good job with some universal themes. I recommend the book.
September 16, 2022
Every now an then I enjoy reading a western. They are usually simple straight-forward novels. I was expecting no more from this one, but boy, did I get a surprise! This book is so much more than a western. Friendship, love, justice and injustice are some of the themes running through this complex, beautifully crafted novel. Rather than just gunfights this book describes the life of cowboys: the long hours of work for little pay, the days and weeks spent out in the open, exposed to the elements, heat in the summer, cold in the winter. And to compensate, when they got paid and could visit a town, they blew all their hard-earned cash on booze, gambling and the working women in the saloons and dance halls. This books relates the story of two young men who become fast friends until they meet a young respectable girl they both fall in love with. Their friendship survives the competition to win her, but of course their friendship is strained with jealousy when she marries one. This is a book I wouldn't mind reading again, it was that good.
February 21, 2021
Good western
Cogburn took the to define the 3 main charcters. Then the story starts. It was enough to keep you going to find out who survived the last gun fight. Was it Andy, Billy, or Nate? Only time would tell, because I won't! Its a good book for a lazy afternoon. Now to another of Mr Cogburn's books.
Cogburn took the to define the 3 main charcters. Then the story starts. It was enough to keep you going to find out who survived the last gun fight. Was it Andy, Billy, or Nate? Only time would tell, because I won't! Its a good book for a lazy afternoon. Now to another of Mr Cogburn's books.
July 7, 2017
Pretty much unreadable. I was disappoint because I have childhood memories of the Texas Panhandle. I was willing to trudge through some mediocre writing but I only made it about 50 pages.
February 4, 2018
Panhandle
This story is a little less than I expected, the story just got a little too long and seemed to lag in places.
This story is a little less than I expected, the story just got a little too long and seemed to lag in places.
August 30, 2021
This is a long story. Some parts are interesting, other parts are very boring.
December 18, 2016
Wanted to love it, but could not.
March 14, 2017
Thought I'd give this one a try and I'm glad I did. Normally I lean more toward romance or I guess what would be considered "women's fiction", but this was really good. It reminded me a lot of old western movies which I love. (John Wayne fan here) Would definitely be interested in reading more from Brett Cogburn.
February 15, 2018
Before Jeff Bridges re-envisioned him, before John Wayne established him and before Charles Portis introduced him, there was a real "Rooster Cogburn" in the Arkansas of the late 19th century. He was never a lawman, had two good eyes and was actually named Franklin instead of Reuben, but he was real and was part of the blend that Portis used in creating the character in his novel True Grit. And now his great-great grandson Brett is telling some of his own tales of the Old West, beginning in 2012 with Panhandle.
Cowboys Nate Reynolds and Billy Champion are as rootless as the herds they work for the ranchers of the Texas panhandle. Supplementing their pay with an occasional scheme of their own -- which includes liberating horses from the Cheyenne now and again -- neither can imagine himself settling down or trading their lives of adventure for anything even remotely sedentary. Then they meet Barby Allen, and the competition for her favor drives a wedge between the friends. Billy seems to have the upper hand with his smile and smooth ways, but could Nate's solidity and devotion be preferable?
Cogburn gives his novel a little of the wry tone used by Portis in creating the fictional Rooster. Nate describes the cowboy's life clearly and explicitly, only now and again he uses the kind of semi-Victorian circumlocutions necessary to speak of matters polite people didn't speak of. Cogburn uses an old Nate reminiscing on his youthful cowhand days and adopts a longing tone for bygone and simpler times. But he doesn't settle for a simple atmospheric recreation of a Wild West wrangler, offering a fascinating contrast between the two friends, Nate and Billy, who will both aid and compete against each other over the years. It echoes the kind of ambivalence John Knowles gives to Gene and Fin in A Separate Peace and it gives significant weight and depth to the sadness which colors Nate's recounting.
So far, Cogburn is doing well at measuring up to many of the expectations his surname might bring those who love the Old West as it appears in its Western novels with a strong dose of historic reality mixed in.
Original available here.
Cowboys Nate Reynolds and Billy Champion are as rootless as the herds they work for the ranchers of the Texas panhandle. Supplementing their pay with an occasional scheme of their own -- which includes liberating horses from the Cheyenne now and again -- neither can imagine himself settling down or trading their lives of adventure for anything even remotely sedentary. Then they meet Barby Allen, and the competition for her favor drives a wedge between the friends. Billy seems to have the upper hand with his smile and smooth ways, but could Nate's solidity and devotion be preferable?
Cogburn gives his novel a little of the wry tone used by Portis in creating the fictional Rooster. Nate describes the cowboy's life clearly and explicitly, only now and again he uses the kind of semi-Victorian circumlocutions necessary to speak of matters polite people didn't speak of. Cogburn uses an old Nate reminiscing on his youthful cowhand days and adopts a longing tone for bygone and simpler times. But he doesn't settle for a simple atmospheric recreation of a Wild West wrangler, offering a fascinating contrast between the two friends, Nate and Billy, who will both aid and compete against each other over the years. It echoes the kind of ambivalence John Knowles gives to Gene and Fin in A Separate Peace and it gives significant weight and depth to the sadness which colors Nate's recounting.
So far, Cogburn is doing well at measuring up to many of the expectations his surname might bring those who love the Old West as it appears in its Western novels with a strong dose of historic reality mixed in.
Original available here.
May 28, 2021
Great western
I read one review comparing this novel to Lonesome Dove. This one is much grittier but I have to agree that the writing and the theme do compare
I read one review comparing this novel to Lonesome Dove. This one is much grittier but I have to agree that the writing and the theme do compare
September 30, 2015
From the great grandson of the legendary Rooster Cogburn we are graced with a western novel. Now the author being who he is and who he grew up with, is able to spin quite the tale of the early days of the pan handle area of Texas. This story is about cowboys and Indians and the westward expansion that eventually crushed both of these fantastic characters of the old west of America. I really enjoyed this book and was really quite surprised that the author was so prolific in his abilities to carry the story forward as he did. I was expecting a good western novel and got a Great (with a capital G) western novel. If you enjoy the classic westerns I suggest you try this one on for size.
November 1, 2015
'Panhandle' is the second Cogburn book I've read, the first being 'Destiny,Texas.' Panhandle is another well-thought-out story. It starts out with two young, eager cowboys in the 1880's, and follows a deep but unusual friendship. It's a gritty book that I find to be pretty true to Texas history (I live here!). What's reeled me in with Cogburn is his command of the language. He's what I refer to as a "word artist" -- he "paints" his story so well I can see it. I now own all Cogburn's books and will pace myself through the rest of them. If you like good writing, read these books!
November 12, 2019
This is a truly great read. I love good Westerns, but I find most to be formulaic and repetitive. This is not one of those type of Westerns!! A tale of two friends and the different paths they take as they struggle to adjust to the waning days of the free range west. Truly superb.
December 19, 2015
incredible writing. I loved Billy who was a truer friend to Nate than Nate was to him, but in the end Billy lived on young wild and beautiful while Nate just got old lost in the memories of those days. I haven['t read a western this good in a long time.
October 3, 2016
Enjoyable story set in the Texas panhandle during the 1880's. With cowboys, shootouts, horse races, love triangle, this story has lots of adventure and a good story line. Perfect vacation read, 3.5 stars.
PG-13 for a few crude situations and violence. No swearing or sex.
PG-13 for a few crude situations and violence. No swearing or sex.
September 12, 2016
Surprisingly good. Captured character, landscape, lifestyle, era, action, and relationships very effectively. I kept thinking about the people and their lives long after I finished the novel. Good job Mr. Cogburn.
June 17, 2013
This is a good Western written by someone who knows what he is talking about. I would recommend it to anyone who likes a real, un-glorified tale of the way cowboying really was in the old West.
couldnt-get-into
August 16, 2014I gave it 50 pages, but nothing pulled me in--not character, voice, situation.
September 18, 2021
Audible Library
May 11, 2015
4.5 in my book! Definitely a keeper and worth another read. Character building was done very well.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews