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Shane
This classic Western is a profoundly moving story of the influence of a singular character on one boy’s life. The Starrett family’s life forever changes when a man named Shane rides out of the great glowing West and up to their farm. Young Bob Starrett is entranced by this stoic stranger who brings a new energy to his family. Shane stays on as a farmhand, but his past remains a mystery. Many folks in their small Wyoming valley are suspicious of Shane and make it known that he is not welcome. But dangerous as Shane may seem, he is a staunch friend to the Starretts—and when a powerful neighboring rancher tries to drive them out of their homestead, Shane becomes entangled in the deadly feud. "If you read only one Western in your life, this is the one." (Roland Smith, author of the Peak Marcello adventure novels) I had lain in my bed thinking of our visitor out in the bunk in the barn. It scarce seemed possible that he was the same man I had first seen, stern and chilling in his dark solitude, riding up our road. Something in father, something not of words or of actions but of the essential substance of the human spirit, had reached out and spoken to him and he had replied to it and had unlocked a part of himself to us. He was far off and unapproachable at times even when he was right there with you.
168 pages, Library Binding
First published October 1, 1949
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11117 people want to read
About the author
Jack Schaefer
72 books101 followersSchaefer was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of an attorney. He graduated from Oberlin College in 1929 with a major in English. He attended graduate school at Columbia University from 1929-30, but left without completing his Master of Arts degree. He then went to work for the United Press. In his long career as a journalist, he would hold editorial positions at many eastern publications.
Schaefer's first success as a novelist came in 1949 with his memorable novel Shane, set in Wyoming. Few realized that Schaefer himself had never been anywhere near the west. Nevertheless, he continued writing successful westerns, selling his home in Connecticut and moving to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1955.
In 1975 Schaefer received the Western Literature Association's Distinguished Achievement award.
He died of heart failure in Santa Fe in 1991. Schaefer was married twice, his second wife moving to Santa Fe with him.
Schaefer's novel Monte Walsh was made into a movie in 1970, with Lee Marvin in the title role, and again in 2003 as a TV movie starring Tom Selleck. Shane was also made into a movie and a series.
from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Sch...
Schaefer's first success as a novelist came in 1949 with his memorable novel Shane, set in Wyoming. Few realized that Schaefer himself had never been anywhere near the west. Nevertheless, he continued writing successful westerns, selling his home in Connecticut and moving to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1955.
In 1975 Schaefer received the Western Literature Association's Distinguished Achievement award.
He died of heart failure in Santa Fe in 1991. Schaefer was married twice, his second wife moving to Santa Fe with him.
Schaefer's novel Monte Walsh was made into a movie in 1970, with Lee Marvin in the title role, and again in 2003 as a TV movie starring Tom Selleck. Shane was also made into a movie and a series.
from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Sch...
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,501 reviews
May 17, 2016
Fantastic storytelling. A great classic Western. All the elements needed:
- A dark and mysterious stranger
- A passionate narrator
- The oppression of the little people
- The evil cattle Baron
- Gunslingers
- Clever one liners
- Riding off into the sunset
Even if you don't like westerns, if you enjoy a good, well-written story I think you will enjoy this one. (also, it isn't very long so it is a nice quick read)
- A dark and mysterious stranger
- A passionate narrator
- The oppression of the little people
- The evil cattle Baron
- Gunslingers
- Clever one liners
- Riding off into the sunset
Even if you don't like westerns, if you enjoy a good, well-written story I think you will enjoy this one. (also, it isn't very long so it is a nice quick read)
March 7, 2024
Ok, it's a great western novel. A classic novel no matter the genre. It is also very entertaining. A thing which some classics manage to avoid.
However, its final confrontation scene between Shane and Jack Wilson is just not as riveting as this dialogue from the George Stevens movie starring Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin and featuring Jack Palance as gun-for-hire Jack Wilson.
Shane:
So you're Jack Wilson.
Jack Wilson:
What's that mean to you, Shane?
Shane:
I've heard about you.
Jack Wilson:
What have you heard, Shane?
Shane:
I've heard that you're a low-down Yankee liar.
Jack Wilson:
Prove it.
All of this spoken in quiet voices full of menace, as tense as coiled springs.
And of course guns are now drawn.
However, its final confrontation scene between Shane and Jack Wilson is just not as riveting as this dialogue from the George Stevens movie starring Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin and featuring Jack Palance as gun-for-hire Jack Wilson.
Shane:
So you're Jack Wilson.
Jack Wilson:
What's that mean to you, Shane?
Shane:
I've heard about you.
Jack Wilson:
What have you heard, Shane?
Shane:
I've heard that you're a low-down Yankee liar.
Jack Wilson:
Prove it.
All of this spoken in quiet voices full of menace, as tense as coiled springs.
And of course guns are now drawn.
August 10, 2022
First read this one in high school, (like a lot of folks I guess) and have since read it two more times. This book is timeless. Its not just an story set in the old west wear the bad guys wear black hats.
What makes this book so endearing is the relationships. A book can be written to tell a story, or to display the character, (character driven books are the ones I like the most) but this one is different. Each scene is simply the motivation to show a relationship; husband and wife, father and son, and the intrepid stranger who interacts with all of them. And of course the bad guys who act as a catalyst for all of them. Readers read for emotion and emotions are mined more heavily in this story than most. So don't misinterpret the cover and the title. If you haven't read it pick it up and giver a go.
What makes this book so endearing is the relationships. A book can be written to tell a story, or to display the character, (character driven books are the ones I like the most) but this one is different. Each scene is simply the motivation to show a relationship; husband and wife, father and son, and the intrepid stranger who interacts with all of them. And of course the bad guys who act as a catalyst for all of them. Readers read for emotion and emotions are mined more heavily in this story than most. So don't misinterpret the cover and the title. If you haven't read it pick it up and giver a go.
June 23, 2023
A short, action-packed read. Just fab!
October 21, 2023
🐴 The quintessential American Western. The movie is also a classic with Alan Ladd and Jack Palance, Palance taking on the role of the gunslinger villain. Sheep ranchers vs cattle ranchers and Shane, unarmed for most of the story, trying to shed his past, sides with the underdogs.
Shane! Shane! cries the young boy Joey at the end, a now immortalized denouement. A completely enjoyable story.
Yet not without its hard lessons - Shane to the boy: “There’s no going back from a killing. Wrong, right, there’s no going back.”
Shane! Shane! cries the young boy Joey at the end, a now immortalized denouement. A completely enjoyable story.
Yet not without its hard lessons - Shane to the boy: “There’s no going back from a killing. Wrong, right, there’s no going back.”
August 15, 2022
Reread
RIDER FROM NOWHERE
If the stranger had taken the left fork, Schaefer’s story might have been different. The stranger might have been hired by the big rancher or he might have just kept riding out of a valley that was in the throes of a range conflict between rancher and homesteaders.
Legally, the rancher could do nothing about the open range shrinking as a result of the right of each homesteader to claim 160 acres, since he too could only lay claim to the same acreage. However, that didn’t mean that there weren’t extralegal means at his disposal that he could resort to in order to reclaim the lost open range that was now held by homesteaders. He could bully, intimidate, and threaten – and he did.
There was only one homesteader, an ex-cowhand, who possessed the physical and mental strength to oppose the rancher and his cowhands. That one man was the one the other homesteaders looked to for leadership and guidance. His name was Joe Starrett.
CALL ME SHANE
******
“'My name’s Starrett,' said father. 'Joe Starrett. This here,' waving at me, 'is Robert McPherson Starett. Too much name for a boy. I make it Bob.'"
"The stranger nodded again. 'Call me Shane,' he said. Then to me: 'Bob, it is.'"
******
Shane is a gunfighter who seems to be aimlessly roaming the west, looking for something, something that even he can’t identify. But when he chose the right hand fork and rode onto Joe Starrett’s homestead, the fortunes of Starrett, his wife, Marian, and son, Bob took a turn for the better, for homesteader and wife saw something to be admired in the stranger, and Bob worshipped him, even though nothing was ever said about Shane’s past or future.
Even Shane found something to give him a reason to stop his wandering – at least for now – after he agreed to become Joe’s hired hand, agreeing after discovering that the previous hand had been run off by the rancher. The two men became more than employer and employee, for Joe’s demonstration of trust in Shane led to a tightly-knit friendship between them. When the conflict between rancher and homesteaders became more volatile, Shane inevitably became involved.
THE AUTHOR
A Countless number of novels about the sometimes violent conflict between cattlemen and farmers have been written before and after Shane was published in 1949, but none told the story better, and most not nearly as well, even though at the time that he wrote it, Jack Schaefer (1907-1991), who was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, had never traveled west of Toledo.
While pursuing a career in journalism he began trying his hand at writing fiction. The first thing he was able to sell was a story that he titled Rider from Nowhere, which was serialized in three installments in Argosy Magazine. He then rewrote some of the story and Houghton-Mifflin published it in 1949, with a new title: Shane.
THE MOVIE
Schaefer’s debut novel was a success. Three years later, Paramount produced a film adaptation that was even more successful, starring Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin, and eleven-year-old Brandon DeWilde, who, for my money, stole the film. DeWilde was even nominated for a Best Supporting Oscar, at the time the youngest to be nominated in any category, but lost to Frank Sinatra for his role in From Here to Eternity.
When Schaefer first viewed a screening of the film that opens with Alan Ladd, all blonde and bronzed and buckskinned, riding a beautiful sorrel, rigged with fancy bridle and saddle, Schaefer said, “Who the hell is that?”
Well, that was Hollywood’s idea of a gunfighter, but not Schaefer’s. His Shane was a dark man wearing dark clothes and riding a plain horse. However, Schaefer was pleased overall with the film and praised director George Stevens “for getting it right.”
Finally:
The most famous scene and line in the film is when young Joey (Bob in the novel) yells: “Shane! Shane! Come back! Shane! Come back!” That scene and that line isn’t in the novel, but was written into the script by the screenwriter, A.B. Guthrie, Jr., a Pulitzer Prize recipient for his western novel, The Way West. Despite the fact that Guthrie received an Oscar nomination for his screenplay, he never wrote another.
RIDER FROM NOWHERE
He rode into our valley in the summer of ’89. I was a kid then, barely topping the backboard of father’s old chuck-wagon…. In that clear Wyoming air I could see him plainly, though he was still several miles away…. He came steadily on, straight through the town without slackening pace, until he reached the fork a half-mile below our place. One branch turned left across the river ford and on to Luke Fletcher’s big spread. The other bore ahead along the right bank where we homesteaders had pegged our claims in a row up the valley. He hesitated briefly, studying his choice, and moved again steadily on our side.
If the stranger had taken the left fork, Schaefer’s story might have been different. The stranger might have been hired by the big rancher or he might have just kept riding out of a valley that was in the throes of a range conflict between rancher and homesteaders.
Legally, the rancher could do nothing about the open range shrinking as a result of the right of each homesteader to claim 160 acres, since he too could only lay claim to the same acreage. However, that didn’t mean that there weren’t extralegal means at his disposal that he could resort to in order to reclaim the lost open range that was now held by homesteaders. He could bully, intimidate, and threaten – and he did.
There was only one homesteader, an ex-cowhand, who possessed the physical and mental strength to oppose the rancher and his cowhands. That one man was the one the other homesteaders looked to for leadership and guidance. His name was Joe Starrett.
CALL ME SHANE
******
“'My name’s Starrett,' said father. 'Joe Starrett. This here,' waving at me, 'is Robert McPherson Starett. Too much name for a boy. I make it Bob.'"
"The stranger nodded again. 'Call me Shane,' he said. Then to me: 'Bob, it is.'"
******
Shane is a gunfighter who seems to be aimlessly roaming the west, looking for something, something that even he can’t identify. But when he chose the right hand fork and rode onto Joe Starrett’s homestead, the fortunes of Starrett, his wife, Marian, and son, Bob took a turn for the better, for homesteader and wife saw something to be admired in the stranger, and Bob worshipped him, even though nothing was ever said about Shane’s past or future.
Even Shane found something to give him a reason to stop his wandering – at least for now – after he agreed to become Joe’s hired hand, agreeing after discovering that the previous hand had been run off by the rancher. The two men became more than employer and employee, for Joe’s demonstration of trust in Shane led to a tightly-knit friendship between them. When the conflict between rancher and homesteaders became more volatile, Shane inevitably became involved.
THE AUTHOR
A Countless number of novels about the sometimes violent conflict between cattlemen and farmers have been written before and after Shane was published in 1949, but none told the story better, and most not nearly as well, even though at the time that he wrote it, Jack Schaefer (1907-1991), who was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, had never traveled west of Toledo.
While pursuing a career in journalism he began trying his hand at writing fiction. The first thing he was able to sell was a story that he titled Rider from Nowhere, which was serialized in three installments in Argosy Magazine. He then rewrote some of the story and Houghton-Mifflin published it in 1949, with a new title: Shane.
THE MOVIE
Schaefer’s debut novel was a success. Three years later, Paramount produced a film adaptation that was even more successful, starring Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin, and eleven-year-old Brandon DeWilde, who, for my money, stole the film. DeWilde was even nominated for a Best Supporting Oscar, at the time the youngest to be nominated in any category, but lost to Frank Sinatra for his role in From Here to Eternity.
When Schaefer first viewed a screening of the film that opens with Alan Ladd, all blonde and bronzed and buckskinned, riding a beautiful sorrel, rigged with fancy bridle and saddle, Schaefer said, “Who the hell is that?”
Well, that was Hollywood’s idea of a gunfighter, but not Schaefer’s. His Shane was a dark man wearing dark clothes and riding a plain horse. However, Schaefer was pleased overall with the film and praised director George Stevens “for getting it right.”
Finally:
The most famous scene and line in the film is when young Joey (Bob in the novel) yells: “Shane! Shane! Come back! Shane! Come back!” That scene and that line isn’t in the novel, but was written into the script by the screenwriter, A.B. Guthrie, Jr., a Pulitzer Prize recipient for his western novel, The Way West. Despite the fact that Guthrie received an Oscar nomination for his screenplay, he never wrote another.
October 27, 2025
A classic that is more than a western. It's also a story about one of the myths of the United States - the heroic Lone Hero on the Frontier. Shane is the embodiment of the Lone Hero; the man who shares the values of civilized society but has the destructive skills of the outlaw. He rides out of the wilderness to aid the band of pioneers and take on the land-grabbing cattle barons in a violent but satisfying bloodletting. In 2012 this is a cliche, but, as I have pointed out in the past when reviewing older stories, Shane is the archetype. It still has a freshness because it's one of the first of it's type.
In reality such men never existed. The real world is messier. Shane is a mythical individual, but what makes the story work so well is that it is told from the perspective of a young boy, or at least the memories of a young boy. The narrator is an adult, but he doesn't clutter the account with adult sensibilities. The man Shane is mythical because that is how children see the adults that they admire. There is no cynicism in Shaffer's story. It's an honest and heartfelt telling because that is how we view the world when we are young.
Now there are times the writing does verge on being pulpy such as when Shane is confronting the gunfighter brought in by the cattle baron. Here is one small sample.
“I’m waiting, Wilson. Do I have to crowd you into slapping leather?”
Nevertheless, it's very good pulp and though it was originally sold to Argosy magazine (men's magazine 1889-1979) as a serial the story rose above its origins - which is why it is a classic. Both the novel and the movie.
Good......no make that a great story. Even if you don't like westerns try Shane. You won't be sorry.
In reality such men never existed. The real world is messier. Shane is a mythical individual, but what makes the story work so well is that it is told from the perspective of a young boy, or at least the memories of a young boy. The narrator is an adult, but he doesn't clutter the account with adult sensibilities. The man Shane is mythical because that is how children see the adults that they admire. There is no cynicism in Shaffer's story. It's an honest and heartfelt telling because that is how we view the world when we are young.
Now there are times the writing does verge on being pulpy such as when Shane is confronting the gunfighter brought in by the cattle baron. Here is one small sample.
“I’m waiting, Wilson. Do I have to crowd you into slapping leather?”
Nevertheless, it's very good pulp and though it was originally sold to Argosy magazine (men's magazine 1889-1979) as a serial the story rose above its origins - which is why it is a classic. Both the novel and the movie.
Good......no make that a great story. Even if you don't like westerns try Shane. You won't be sorry.
April 26, 2024
Heroism
Shane by Jack Schaefer is a timeless masterpiece that transports readers to the rugged landscapes of the American West in the late 19th century. Set against the harsh beauty of the Wyoming frontier and the battle between farmers and cattlemen, Schaefer's novel intricately weaves together themes of loyalty, honour and commitment and the clash over power and justice. At the heart of the story is the enigmatic gunslinger Shane, whose arrival in a small town in Wyoming sparks both admiration and fear among its residents. Shane’s instant connection to the Starrett family and their farm lays the foundation for the story to blend the complexities of human nature and relationships.
The foreshadowing of violence is deftly conveyed as the narrative unfolds with a quiet intensity, building towards a climactic showdown that is as thrilling as it is poignant. Shane will always be my introduction to the lone silent stranger type, like the modern-day Jack Reacher, rolling into town to battle against difficult odds to bring justice and resolution for those less powerful.
Shane is a masterful work of Western fiction that continues to captivate readers with its timeless tale of courage and redemption. I highly recommend reading this book, and, for me, the catalyst for Westerns.
Shane by Jack Schaefer is a timeless masterpiece that transports readers to the rugged landscapes of the American West in the late 19th century. Set against the harsh beauty of the Wyoming frontier and the battle between farmers and cattlemen, Schaefer's novel intricately weaves together themes of loyalty, honour and commitment and the clash over power and justice. At the heart of the story is the enigmatic gunslinger Shane, whose arrival in a small town in Wyoming sparks both admiration and fear among its residents. Shane’s instant connection to the Starrett family and their farm lays the foundation for the story to blend the complexities of human nature and relationships.
The foreshadowing of violence is deftly conveyed as the narrative unfolds with a quiet intensity, building towards a climactic showdown that is as thrilling as it is poignant. Shane will always be my introduction to the lone silent stranger type, like the modern-day Jack Reacher, rolling into town to battle against difficult odds to bring justice and resolution for those less powerful.
Shane is a masterful work of Western fiction that continues to captivate readers with its timeless tale of courage and redemption. I highly recommend reading this book, and, for me, the catalyst for Westerns.
July 22, 2019
Was just reminded of reading this one in school all those years ago. Great story and really enjoyed it.
March 11, 2022
Shane For Independence Day
Each year for the Fourth of July, I try to review a book that captures something of the spirit of the day and of our country. This year, I chose Jack Schaefer's 1949 book, "Shane" his first novel and the source of the famous 1953 film of the same name, directed by George Stevens, starring Alan Ladd, and with a screenplay by the Western novelist, A.B. Guthrie. I chose this book for Independence Day because of the sense of promise it shows for the United States and because of the book's sense of vision and myth-making, qualities which our country sorely needs in difficult times.
Schaefer's novel is set in Wyoming territory in 1889 and is narrated in the first person by Bob Starrett who at the time of the story he tells as an adult was eleven years old. At the outset of the story, Bob is enamored by a mysterious, well-dressed stranger who rides from a distance to the small family farm of his parents, Joe and Marian Starrett. The family are homesteaders trying to establish themselves in a new life. Joe had been a cowboy and the New England born Marian had been a school teacher.
"Call me Shane" the lean, tough stranger says as he and the Starretts become acquainted. Shane's past remains mysterious but troubled. He doesn't wear a gun but clearly is not a man to be trifled with. The Starretts and Shane soon establish a bond, with Shane staying on the farm to work as a hired hand while he gazes longingly in the distance at the mountains.
The film shows conflict and change among three ways of life: the lonely, romantic wanderer and gunfighter represented by Shane, the rising life of the Western small farm and town of the Starrett's and the life of the rancher, represented by Luke Fletcher and his minions. Fletcher is at war with the farmers who use water and land he needs to graze cattle. When Shane comes into the story he becomes attached to the Starretts and their integrity and search for independence. He becomes fond of young Bob who idolizes the charismatic Shane in return. Shane and Joe Starrett form a bond of mutual respect. Shane and Marian become deeply attracted to each other in a way that is painfully obvious to all.
The story involves a fight between Starrett and Shane on the one hand and Fletcher and his hired gun, Stark Wilson, on the other hand. Beginning slowly on the Starrett farm, the novel works to a tense climax and a sharp gunfight in which Shane emerges victorious but severely, likely fatally, wounded. Shane rides off alone and wounded into the mountains telling Bob "Go home to your mother and father. Grow strong and straight and take care of them. Both of them."
The novel is short with simple, beautiful writing that would be the envy of many more self-consciously literary book. The romantic gunfighter Shane comes to usher in a new more settled way of life in the West. The change comes with its costs. Shane and his mystery becomes a symbol for the romance of the American way of life while the Starrett's and their fellow homesteaders show an idealized version of settlement, education, and the value of hard work. Bob carries the vision of his youthful encounter with Shane with him throughout his life, and so, in the aim of the novel, should the reader.
Many people who have seen the 1953 film are probably unfamiliar with Schaefer's novel. At one time, the book appeared on many high school reading lists. The film follows the book reasonably closely, but reading the book is a treasure of its own. "Shane" is included in an upcoming Library of America volume "The Western: Four Classic Novels of the 1940s and 50s" edited by Ron Hansen as well as in a separate paperback edition. It is an outstanding American novel to get to know and a book which will encourage visionary reflection on the United States and its promise on this Independence Day.
Robin Friedman
Each year for the Fourth of July, I try to review a book that captures something of the spirit of the day and of our country. This year, I chose Jack Schaefer's 1949 book, "Shane" his first novel and the source of the famous 1953 film of the same name, directed by George Stevens, starring Alan Ladd, and with a screenplay by the Western novelist, A.B. Guthrie. I chose this book for Independence Day because of the sense of promise it shows for the United States and because of the book's sense of vision and myth-making, qualities which our country sorely needs in difficult times.
Schaefer's novel is set in Wyoming territory in 1889 and is narrated in the first person by Bob Starrett who at the time of the story he tells as an adult was eleven years old. At the outset of the story, Bob is enamored by a mysterious, well-dressed stranger who rides from a distance to the small family farm of his parents, Joe and Marian Starrett. The family are homesteaders trying to establish themselves in a new life. Joe had been a cowboy and the New England born Marian had been a school teacher.
"Call me Shane" the lean, tough stranger says as he and the Starretts become acquainted. Shane's past remains mysterious but troubled. He doesn't wear a gun but clearly is not a man to be trifled with. The Starretts and Shane soon establish a bond, with Shane staying on the farm to work as a hired hand while he gazes longingly in the distance at the mountains.
The film shows conflict and change among three ways of life: the lonely, romantic wanderer and gunfighter represented by Shane, the rising life of the Western small farm and town of the Starrett's and the life of the rancher, represented by Luke Fletcher and his minions. Fletcher is at war with the farmers who use water and land he needs to graze cattle. When Shane comes into the story he becomes attached to the Starretts and their integrity and search for independence. He becomes fond of young Bob who idolizes the charismatic Shane in return. Shane and Joe Starrett form a bond of mutual respect. Shane and Marian become deeply attracted to each other in a way that is painfully obvious to all.
The story involves a fight between Starrett and Shane on the one hand and Fletcher and his hired gun, Stark Wilson, on the other hand. Beginning slowly on the Starrett farm, the novel works to a tense climax and a sharp gunfight in which Shane emerges victorious but severely, likely fatally, wounded. Shane rides off alone and wounded into the mountains telling Bob "Go home to your mother and father. Grow strong and straight and take care of them. Both of them."
The novel is short with simple, beautiful writing that would be the envy of many more self-consciously literary book. The romantic gunfighter Shane comes to usher in a new more settled way of life in the West. The change comes with its costs. Shane and his mystery becomes a symbol for the romance of the American way of life while the Starrett's and their fellow homesteaders show an idealized version of settlement, education, and the value of hard work. Bob carries the vision of his youthful encounter with Shane with him throughout his life, and so, in the aim of the novel, should the reader.
Many people who have seen the 1953 film are probably unfamiliar with Schaefer's novel. At one time, the book appeared on many high school reading lists. The film follows the book reasonably closely, but reading the book is a treasure of its own. "Shane" is included in an upcoming Library of America volume "The Western: Four Classic Novels of the 1940s and 50s" edited by Ron Hansen as well as in a separate paperback edition. It is an outstanding American novel to get to know and a book which will encourage visionary reflection on the United States and its promise on this Independence Day.
Robin Friedman
July 21, 2019
A deceptively simple tale
Review of Kindle edition
Publication date: May 14, 2017
Publisher: University of New Mexico Press
Language: English
ASIN: B0725P6KR2
A great piece of American literature which happens to be a western but is much more than just a well written western story. Even if you have seen the 1953 released movie with Alan Ladd, and maybe even more so if you have, the tension builds as you read until the explosive, but expected, climax is reached.
Shane is a man attempting to escape the past but it can't be done. He can't escape himself. He tells the boy, Bob Starrett, "A man is what he is, Bob, and there’s no breaking the mold. I tried that and I’ve lost.". But even as he lost, he won on another level.
If you are looking for a Louis L'Amour style western, this isn't it. Jack Schaefer's first novel is an easy to read but powerful, moving novel, not just another western adventure tale.
Note: despite what you may see on Goodreads, this is not the critical edition of Shane. Nor, so far as I can tell, is it the pre-1954 text. In 1954 SHANE was supposedly edited to remove offensive words. The only thing I can find in this edition which could be considered even remotely offensive is this passage:
"You’re a damn fool, Wright. But what can you expect from a breed?”
“That’s a lie!” shouted Ernie. “My mother wasn’t no Indian!”
“Why, you crossbred squatter,” Wilson said, quick and sharp, “are you telling me I’m wrong?”
“I’m telling you you’re a God-damned liar!”
In this passage, Wilson was being deliberately offensive and insulting to goad Ernie into a gunfight. I really don't see how a reader could be offended unless the reader is as hot headed as Ernie. Anyway, this seems to be the edited text.
Review of Kindle edition
Publication date: May 14, 2017
Publisher: University of New Mexico Press
Language: English
ASIN: B0725P6KR2
A great piece of American literature which happens to be a western but is much more than just a well written western story. Even if you have seen the 1953 released movie with Alan Ladd, and maybe even more so if you have, the tension builds as you read until the explosive, but expected, climax is reached.
Shane is a man attempting to escape the past but it can't be done. He can't escape himself. He tells the boy, Bob Starrett, "A man is what he is, Bob, and there’s no breaking the mold. I tried that and I’ve lost.". But even as he lost, he won on another level.
If you are looking for a Louis L'Amour style western, this isn't it. Jack Schaefer's first novel is an easy to read but powerful, moving novel, not just another western adventure tale.
Note: despite what you may see on Goodreads, this is not the critical edition of Shane. Nor, so far as I can tell, is it the pre-1954 text. In 1954 SHANE was supposedly edited to remove offensive words. The only thing I can find in this edition which could be considered even remotely offensive is this passage:
"You’re a damn fool, Wright. But what can you expect from a breed?”
“That’s a lie!” shouted Ernie. “My mother wasn’t no Indian!”
“Why, you crossbred squatter,” Wilson said, quick and sharp, “are you telling me I’m wrong?”
“I’m telling you you’re a God-damned liar!”
In this passage, Wilson was being deliberately offensive and insulting to goad Ernie into a gunfight. I really don't see how a reader could be offended unless the reader is as hot headed as Ernie. Anyway, this seems to be the edited text.
June 22, 2022
Shane is a remarkable story about a man that wants to deal with his own personal remorse and live a life like Joe does with Marion and their son, Joey. He has a connection with all three but in different ways.
Shane helps Joe protect his farm against a man that wants to make the land free range.
It all comes down to a fight at the bar against a hired gun. If Shane survives he will have to leave.
Shane is a quiet withdrawn man trying to hide what he has done but feels condemned to do the right thing because of his own personal code.
Is he stuck in a revolving door of the next town?
"There's no living with a killing. There's no going back from it. Right or wrong, it's a brand, a brand that sticks."
Jack Warren Schaefer was born in Cleveland, Ohio. As a young boy he read many of Zane Grey's works. His first novel was Shane. He studied American History giving a firm background for his own stories. Writing was a way of helping him to remain calm.
In 1967 New York Times review of Schaefer's collected novels noted that "Jack Schaefer is not a writer of conventional westerns," instead, they were, "tautly told and tightly constructed," had "additional ingredients that make for complex storytelling."
Shane helps Joe protect his farm against a man that wants to make the land free range.
It all comes down to a fight at the bar against a hired gun. If Shane survives he will have to leave.
Shane is a quiet withdrawn man trying to hide what he has done but feels condemned to do the right thing because of his own personal code.
Is he stuck in a revolving door of the next town?
"There's no living with a killing. There's no going back from it. Right or wrong, it's a brand, a brand that sticks."
Jack Warren Schaefer was born in Cleveland, Ohio. As a young boy he read many of Zane Grey's works. His first novel was Shane. He studied American History giving a firm background for his own stories. Writing was a way of helping him to remain calm.
In 1967 New York Times review of Schaefer's collected novels noted that "Jack Schaefer is not a writer of conventional westerns," instead, they were, "tautly told and tightly constructed," had "additional ingredients that make for complex storytelling."
June 11, 2019
Good book. This is another where the movie will probably forever more be better known than the novel itself. In this case it's also a good movie..it happens now and then you know. As they say even a blind hog finds an acorn occasionally.
Anyway...Shane. The book opens with the (almost stereotypical) dark rider riding through and meeting a family whom he befriends. But if you think about it...this is one or the characters that established the stereotype. So he (Shane) becomes almost a part of said family. This novel rests strongly on some very well done character development. You will get to know these people.
I can recommend this one to everybody. You know there are Westerns that happen to be good books then there are good books that happen to be Westerns. This is the latter.
Enjoy. Recommended.
Anyway...Shane. The book opens with the (almost stereotypical) dark rider riding through and meeting a family whom he befriends. But if you think about it...this is one or the characters that established the stereotype. So he (Shane) becomes almost a part of said family. This novel rests strongly on some very well done character development. You will get to know these people.
I can recommend this one to everybody. You know there are Westerns that happen to be good books then there are good books that happen to be Westerns. This is the latter.
Enjoy. Recommended.
December 15, 2012
I read this book in high school in Sophomore English class. The teacher I had was wonderful,and she was out 8 weeks due to surgery. Thank God she was with us when we read,and discussed this book. I don't really remember the discussion in class much, but I did remember that I loved this book when I was a kid.....then after reading it the first time in 1976....I wondered why she had it on our class roster of novels to read.......so...here I am 2012,and I downloaded it onto my NOOK. I was prepared to be disappointed reading it again after all these years,and being so much older, and wiser....supposedly......
Well, after finishing it last night the verdict is in.....I loved it again....I truly did.
If you are not a Western novel fan....read this one anyway....it's about fighting for what you truly believe in at all costs,and defending your position on what you think is right.....not spoiling it for anyone....Shane is a role model,and a good one. A good one for young people, like Bob , the young boy in the novel....I think the teacher had us read this novel for that point..... that Shane had some things right in his way of life,and we needed to experience that. I applaud the author for a truly inspiring book for young people with a positive role model...to fight,and fight hard for that you think is right, not worrying about the ramifications of what others think about you, or what you believe in....this novel hits that nail right on the head.....
I highly recommend this one. Teachers out there, use this with your students, it has a truly inspiring message,and maybe a message for us wee adults to be reminded of what's the right thing to to do,and what it means to be a "man" or a "woman" due to unsavory situations and people you have to deal with......This novel sends the message that you have to be strong and determined to truly cope with what life throws at you....Shane is truly my hero,and it made me weep to finish those last words on the last page, before bedtime.
Folks, the verdict is in......read this one....truly read this one,and enjoy!
Well, after finishing it last night the verdict is in.....I loved it again....I truly did.
If you are not a Western novel fan....read this one anyway....it's about fighting for what you truly believe in at all costs,and defending your position on what you think is right.....not spoiling it for anyone....Shane is a role model,and a good one. A good one for young people, like Bob , the young boy in the novel....I think the teacher had us read this novel for that point..... that Shane had some things right in his way of life,and we needed to experience that. I applaud the author for a truly inspiring book for young people with a positive role model...to fight,and fight hard for that you think is right, not worrying about the ramifications of what others think about you, or what you believe in....this novel hits that nail right on the head.....
I highly recommend this one. Teachers out there, use this with your students, it has a truly inspiring message,and maybe a message for us wee adults to be reminded of what's the right thing to to do,and what it means to be a "man" or a "woman" due to unsavory situations and people you have to deal with......This novel sends the message that you have to be strong and determined to truly cope with what life throws at you....Shane is truly my hero,and it made me weep to finish those last words on the last page, before bedtime.
Folks, the verdict is in......read this one....truly read this one,and enjoy!
March 29, 2024
Shane is one of my all-time favorite westerns. It's from the viewpoint of Joey Starrett, a farmer's son.
The ranchers are trying hard to get rid of the farmers so they can use the land for their cattle. Then Shane arrives at the Starrett farm. No one knows his past, but he might be a gunfighter.
If you're looking for an action-packed Western with plenty of shooting and violence, Shane isn't the one. Shane is about love among family members, the love between a mysterious gunslinger and a boy and his family, and the refusal to to give in to pressure.
The book was made into a wonderful movie. My only criticism of it is Shane's clothing, which isn't the same as in the book.
The ranchers are trying hard to get rid of the farmers so they can use the land for their cattle. Then Shane arrives at the Starrett farm. No one knows his past, but he might be a gunfighter.
If you're looking for an action-packed Western with plenty of shooting and violence, Shane isn't the one. Shane is about love among family members, the love between a mysterious gunslinger and a boy and his family, and the refusal to to give in to pressure.
The book was made into a wonderful movie. My only criticism of it is Shane's clothing, which isn't the same as in the book.
August 2, 2010
jesus christ, what a beautiful book. i'm tempted to call it holy. there's a part of me that wants to read it every day from now until the end of my life.
Where was Shane? I hurried toward the barn. I was almost to it when I saw him out by the pasture. He was staring over it and the grazing steers at the great lonely mountains tipped with the gold of the sun now rushing down behind them. As I watched, he stretched his arms up, the fingers reaching to their utmost limits, grasping and grasping, it seemed, at the glory glowing in the sky.
Where was Shane? I hurried toward the barn. I was almost to it when I saw him out by the pasture. He was staring over it and the grazing steers at the great lonely mountains tipped with the gold of the sun now rushing down behind them. As I watched, he stretched his arms up, the fingers reaching to their utmost limits, grasping and grasping, it seemed, at the glory glowing in the sky.
December 19, 2018
Splendid little novella, one of the very few told from a child's first person POV that managed to convey the plot with the adequate doses of childish hero-worshipping while still staying realistic, to pull at heart's strings and yet manage to end satisfyingly. Memorable character, too. Why don't they write Westerns like this anymore?
April 28, 2023
This short masterpiece has every beat that a perfect Western should have. It is a superb, almost coming-of-age tale about a boy's awe in the face of a man who he almost sees as God. The dialogue is brilliant, every sentence drives the story forwards as if it is cattle, and I loved it.
Obviously, the film is a classic too, and maybe that's why I loved this so much. But also, it's wonderful.
Obviously, the film is a classic too, and maybe that's why I loved this so much. But also, it's wonderful.
August 24, 2025
Questo romanzo scritto dallo scrittore americano Jack Schaefer [1907-1991] celebra una figura che compare spesso nella narrativa e nella cinematografia, vale a dire l’eroe solitario che viene da un misterioso passato che si intuisce dalla sua reticenza a parlarne, compie la sua buona azione a favore dei deboli, caratterialmente incapaci di reagire con la forza davanti a un sopruso e scompare presto da dove è venuto lasciando dietro di sé l’imperituro ricordo del bene compiuto.
Naturalmente questo tipo di personaggio può essere raccontato in vario modo ma in “Il Cavaliere della Valle Solitaria” del 1949, titolo italiano un po’ pomposo e fiabesco di quest’opera, lontano da quello originale che si intitola semplicemente “Shane” dal nome dell’eroe protagonista, lo scrittore ha saputo destreggiarsi abilmente mantenendosi equidistante tra avventura e introspezione psicologica, di modo che le due componenti vanno alternandosi in maniera singolarmente efficace, incastrandosi l’una nell’altra per regalare al lettore un singolare piacere e insieme l'opportuna riflessione.
Naturalmente questo tipo di personaggio può essere raccontato in vario modo ma in “Il Cavaliere della Valle Solitaria” del 1949, titolo italiano un po’ pomposo e fiabesco di quest’opera, lontano da quello originale che si intitola semplicemente “Shane” dal nome dell’eroe protagonista, lo scrittore ha saputo destreggiarsi abilmente mantenendosi equidistante tra avventura e introspezione psicologica, di modo che le due componenti vanno alternandosi in maniera singolarmente efficace, incastrandosi l’una nell’altra per regalare al lettore un singolare piacere e insieme l'opportuna riflessione.
January 14, 2018
There's no living with a killing. There's no going back from it. Right or wrong, it's a brand, a brand that sticks. There's no going back. Now you run on home to your mother and tell her, tell her everything's alright, and there aren't any more guns in the valley.
Watched Shane for the 3rd or 4th time over the Christmas (the first time I've seen it since seeing Logan over the summer which referenced extensively) so I thought I'd drop one of my iconic not-read-the-book reviews.
Shane is best remembered (by me at least) as a film with great scenes (the opening scene, the bar-fight, the final scene) but rewatching it I was struck by how well those scenes were tied together by everything else in between. The cinematography is beautiful, the characters are well-drawn and acted and the tone and feeling throughout the film is great.
One of my favourite films from last year, Logan, referenced Shane quite a bit and it's easy to draw parallels between them (especially as Shane is one of the great Western archetypes and Logan was imo more a Western than a Superhero film). While it may be unfair to Logan to criticize it for falling short of an all-time great film (and I'd like to state again that Logan was a great film that does lots of brilliant stuff) there was one area I felt that Logan really suffered in the comparison and that's as a study of violence.
Logan made an effort to examine the psychological impact of violence (primarily in how it haunts the Professor and Logan. This, which is a great scene, springs to mind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plvBE...) which is admirable but this effort was rather undermined by the constant action-movie violence especially when you have a 12 year old girl somersaulting over people and decapitating them with metal claws. Shane also deals with the psychological and philosophical consequences of violence but the more restrained violence in the film allows it to be done much more skillfully. In Shane, which has less violence than would be allowed in any modern action-oriented film the sparing use of violence makes each encounter feel truly meaningful and lends weight to the idea, without it even having to be said, that violence, and especially killing, is a serious and irreversible matter.
Overall Shane's iconic scenes, sympathetic characters, beautifully shot cinematography and deftly handled plot make it a timeless classic. Even after more than 60 years and several viewings it's still one of my favourite films.
Watched Shane for the 3rd or 4th time over the Christmas (the first time I've seen it since seeing Logan over the summer which referenced extensively) so I thought I'd drop one of my iconic not-read-the-book reviews.
Shane is best remembered (by me at least) as a film with great scenes (the opening scene, the bar-fight, the final scene) but rewatching it I was struck by how well those scenes were tied together by everything else in between. The cinematography is beautiful, the characters are well-drawn and acted and the tone and feeling throughout the film is great.
One of my favourite films from last year, Logan, referenced Shane quite a bit and it's easy to draw parallels between them (especially as Shane is one of the great Western archetypes and Logan was imo more a Western than a Superhero film). While it may be unfair to Logan to criticize it for falling short of an all-time great film (and I'd like to state again that Logan was a great film that does lots of brilliant stuff) there was one area I felt that Logan really suffered in the comparison and that's as a study of violence.
Logan made an effort to examine the psychological impact of violence (primarily in how it haunts the Professor and Logan. This, which is a great scene, springs to mind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plvBE...) which is admirable but this effort was rather undermined by the constant action-movie violence especially when you have a 12 year old girl somersaulting over people and decapitating them with metal claws. Shane also deals with the psychological and philosophical consequences of violence but the more restrained violence in the film allows it to be done much more skillfully. In Shane, which has less violence than would be allowed in any modern action-oriented film the sparing use of violence makes each encounter feel truly meaningful and lends weight to the idea, without it even having to be said, that violence, and especially killing, is a serious and irreversible matter.
Overall Shane's iconic scenes, sympathetic characters, beautifully shot cinematography and deftly handled plot make it a timeless classic. Even after more than 60 years and several viewings it's still one of my favourite films.
June 12, 2023
I loved watching the film of Shane many years ago, and only recently learned from my brother that it was a book prior to being adapted. I have officially begun my Western journey as I picked up True Grit, and I thought Shane would be great to follow it.
This was fantastic. I love that Westerns seem to centre on characters, but they also have a philosophical lining that enhances the story, but does not detract from the events unfolding. This is essentially about a man with a mysterious past who tries to be a farmer, but events around dictate otherwise, bringing out the version of himself he is trying to smother and forget about. We have a fantastic dynamic between a mother, father, son and then this newcomer, Shane, the namesake of the story. The dialogue in particular is absolutely fantastic, and really brought this story to life.
I have not watched the film since I was a young teenager, but from my vague memory, it stayed pretty true to the book, and in my mind that is a good thing. After reading this for the first time, I definitely need to go and watch the film again.
I will definitely be picking up more Westerns!
This was fantastic. I love that Westerns seem to centre on characters, but they also have a philosophical lining that enhances the story, but does not detract from the events unfolding. This is essentially about a man with a mysterious past who tries to be a farmer, but events around dictate otherwise, bringing out the version of himself he is trying to smother and forget about. We have a fantastic dynamic between a mother, father, son and then this newcomer, Shane, the namesake of the story. The dialogue in particular is absolutely fantastic, and really brought this story to life.
I have not watched the film since I was a young teenager, but from my vague memory, it stayed pretty true to the book, and in my mind that is a good thing. After reading this for the first time, I definitely need to go and watch the film again.
I will definitely be picking up more Westerns!
August 28, 2024
At times overwritten yet somehow manages to rise above its own weight. This critical edition includes movie reviews and other essays, some of which now (in these enlightened times) feel a little dated.
Much is made of a supposed "love triangle" at the heart of this novel about an attractive drifter who arrives at a ranch and lives with a married couple.
My reading of the love triangle differs from that of all but one of the essayists. Joe clearly says to his wife that he knows she is in love with Shane and whatever happens is ok. This does not appear to me to be “competition.” This is acceptance or accommodation. Modern readers might use words like bromance, polyamory, or “it’s complicated”. Is that what the author intended? Who knows, but the love triangle element of this old school western can feel quite modern; even if the critics are uptight and rigid.
Much is made of a supposed "love triangle" at the heart of this novel about an attractive drifter who arrives at a ranch and lives with a married couple.
My reading of the love triangle differs from that of all but one of the essayists. Joe clearly says to his wife that he knows she is in love with Shane and whatever happens is ok. This does not appear to me to be “competition.” This is acceptance or accommodation. Modern readers might use words like bromance, polyamory, or “it’s complicated”. Is that what the author intended? Who knows, but the love triangle element of this old school western can feel quite modern; even if the critics are uptight and rigid.
February 14, 2023
This is one of my favorite books of all time. It has such an elegant simplicity. I admired how it tells this story in a straightforward way, and yet there are so many deeper emotions and themes going on just under the surface. Every time I read it, I see new nuances. Masterful.
Some fictional characters take up residence inside your heart in a quiet, calm, yet confident way, and you can't imagine life without them there anymore. Shane is one of those, for me. But not only Shane -- Joe and Marian and Bobby Starrett too. The whole family of four are so, so dear to me.
Some fictional characters take up residence inside your heart in a quiet, calm, yet confident way, and you can't imagine life without them there anymore. Shane is one of those, for me. But not only Shane -- Joe and Marian and Bobby Starrett too. The whole family of four are so, so dear to me.
May 3, 2025
Everyone falls in love with Shane, as they should.
3.5
3.5
September 21, 2022
Free for Audible-UK Plus members. Grab this. It
is
worth listening too!
Shane is not your typical western tale. What separates it from others is that
-it is told by a youth of eleven years—Bob Starrett by name.
-it focuses more upon friendship and trust than violence.
-farmers play as much a central a role as do cattle ranchers.
Shooting and brawls do of course occur.
In that the story is told by a young boy, a member of a stable and loving homestead family attempting to eke out an existence in the Wyoming of 1889, he does not view events from an adult perspective. His parents shield him from the worst. This changes the tone of the book. Goodness and kindness come to the surface frequently.
A stranger comes into the town. His name is Shane. He strikes up a friendship with Bob and his parents. He gets along very well with Bob’s father, bonding as they hack away at a stump, as well as Bob’s pretty mother. Being the sentimental, sweet story that it is, the relationship between Shane and Bob’s mom doesn’t tip over into licentious territory. This is a s tory that can be given to a child. One senses in Shane both an underlying menacing danger as well as upright behavior and honorability. The reader becomes curious to fully understand Shane’s past. Who is this man?
The scene of the two men tackling the stump is wonderful. Clearly, what they are hacking at is not merely a stump, but rather evil and the injustices of the world. This isn’t s-a-i-d but it is how the reader interprets the message being conveyed. This is my favorite scene of the whole book, and it draws you into the story right at the start.
The beauty of the land out west is vividly drawn.
I tend to object to books that overdo sweetness and sentimentality. I usually prefer reality which is messier and grimmer. Nevertheless, the tone in this tale makes sense when we keep in mind who is telling the tale.
The audiobook is very well read by Eric G. Dove. The words are always clear and easy to follow. Bob’s voice is not made too childish. Four stars for the narration.
This is a classic for young and old alike.
Shane is not your typical western tale. What separates it from others is that
-it is told by a youth of eleven years—Bob Starrett by name.
-it focuses more upon friendship and trust than violence.
-farmers play as much a central a role as do cattle ranchers.
Shooting and brawls do of course occur.
In that the story is told by a young boy, a member of a stable and loving homestead family attempting to eke out an existence in the Wyoming of 1889, he does not view events from an adult perspective. His parents shield him from the worst. This changes the tone of the book. Goodness and kindness come to the surface frequently.
A stranger comes into the town. His name is Shane. He strikes up a friendship with Bob and his parents. He gets along very well with Bob’s father, bonding as they hack away at a stump, as well as Bob’s pretty mother. Being the sentimental, sweet story that it is, the relationship between Shane and Bob’s mom doesn’t tip over into licentious territory. This is a s tory that can be given to a child. One senses in Shane both an underlying menacing danger as well as upright behavior and honorability. The reader becomes curious to fully understand Shane’s past. Who is this man?
The scene of the two men tackling the stump is wonderful. Clearly, what they are hacking at is not merely a stump, but rather evil and the injustices of the world. This isn’t s-a-i-d but it is how the reader interprets the message being conveyed. This is my favorite scene of the whole book, and it draws you into the story right at the start.
The beauty of the land out west is vividly drawn.
I tend to object to books that overdo sweetness and sentimentality. I usually prefer reality which is messier and grimmer. Nevertheless, the tone in this tale makes sense when we keep in mind who is telling the tale.
The audiobook is very well read by Eric G. Dove. The words are always clear and easy to follow. Bob’s voice is not made too childish. Four stars for the narration.
This is a classic for young and old alike.
July 4, 2025
With summer in full swing, it felt like nigh time to settle down to reading a western classic. I’ve owned by copy of Jack Shaefer’s Shane for quite some time, so this was as good of time as any.
Schaefer’s classic novel is not your typical Western even though it has its share of the notable staples of this genre—good guys vs. bad guys, depictions of a landscape, epic confrontations and conflict, and the theme of fighting for justice. It has all these elements, but also is definitely a novel that is a coming-of-age tale as it is told from the point of view of young Bob Starrett, who looks at this stranger named Shane coming into his life.
Although this novel could be labelled a “young adult” novel (and rightly so), there exists a subtleness and depth under the veneer of the surface level storytelling. There’s quite a bit going on underneath the surface, and this is not just because of our young narrator trying to figure out the world. It is also because there is a strong complexity to Shane’s character. He has a mysterious past that is difficult to penetrate because as much as we know about him, there is equally as much we do not know about him. There is a noble, gentlemanly, reserved stoic quality and respectability to him, but also a hard edge, no-nonsense, and dangerous quality as well. At points, from Bob’s point of view, he takes on characteristics of a mythical, heroic figure:
“He was the symbol of all the dim, formless imaginings of danger and terror in the untested realm of human potentialities beyond my understanding.”
And, of course, the novel on its surface level is about Shane finding his way into the Starrett family’s lives and their conflicts with a rancher who wants to drive the family out of their land and basically push them around. Shane comes into the picture, and there is quite a confrontation. And, as Shane becomes more familiar with Starretts, Bob understands and learns lessons about life along the way.
Shane is an old-time Western that has earned it definitive reputation. I know that most are more familiar with the film, but this is a solid classic for Western fans.
Schaefer’s classic novel is not your typical Western even though it has its share of the notable staples of this genre—good guys vs. bad guys, depictions of a landscape, epic confrontations and conflict, and the theme of fighting for justice. It has all these elements, but also is definitely a novel that is a coming-of-age tale as it is told from the point of view of young Bob Starrett, who looks at this stranger named Shane coming into his life.
Although this novel could be labelled a “young adult” novel (and rightly so), there exists a subtleness and depth under the veneer of the surface level storytelling. There’s quite a bit going on underneath the surface, and this is not just because of our young narrator trying to figure out the world. It is also because there is a strong complexity to Shane’s character. He has a mysterious past that is difficult to penetrate because as much as we know about him, there is equally as much we do not know about him. There is a noble, gentlemanly, reserved stoic quality and respectability to him, but also a hard edge, no-nonsense, and dangerous quality as well. At points, from Bob’s point of view, he takes on characteristics of a mythical, heroic figure:
“He was the symbol of all the dim, formless imaginings of danger and terror in the untested realm of human potentialities beyond my understanding.”
And, of course, the novel on its surface level is about Shane finding his way into the Starrett family’s lives and their conflicts with a rancher who wants to drive the family out of their land and basically push them around. Shane comes into the picture, and there is quite a confrontation. And, as Shane becomes more familiar with Starretts, Bob understands and learns lessons about life along the way.
Shane is an old-time Western that has earned it definitive reputation. I know that most are more familiar with the film, but this is a solid classic for Western fans.
December 16, 2018
What a fantastic story! I read it years ago & remembered liking it & the movie a lot, but so many books are disappointing on a reread decades later. This is NOT one. Like To Kill a Mockingbird, reading it from two entirely different age perspectives just made it even better.
Yes, it's a western & the type of story has been done to death, but this 1949 book is one of the trend setters. It's so concise & well written, too. Highly recommended. This time around, I listened to it & Grover Gardner did a great job.
Yes, it's a western & the type of story has been done to death, but this 1949 book is one of the trend setters. It's so concise & well written, too. Highly recommended. This time around, I listened to it & Grover Gardner did a great job.
March 28, 2020
When I was a lot younger the film of this book was always on TV, and I used to love it. For a change the film is a fairly good representation of the book.
I highly recommend this even if you are not a big fan of Westerns, read this classic story. It is a very well written story of good over evil, morals, mysterious dark strangers, even the cliche of riding off into the sunset.
I highly recommend this even if you are not a big fan of Westerns, read this classic story. It is a very well written story of good over evil, morals, mysterious dark strangers, even the cliche of riding off into the sunset.
February 19, 2024
This was beautiful. They sure don't write them like this any more.
June 16, 2014
Contains minor spoilers
Loved this book from beginning to end for two primary reasons:
First, Schaefer has an elegant and simple style that is, much like the story itself, quintessentially American: relatively short declarative sentences, the sparing and precise use of modifiers, and the brief and intense focus on those aspects of characterization and setting that highlight common themes and images in American fiction (but themes that are also timeless and universal). Some of these themes include man versus nature, the lone gunslinger with a checkered and mysterious past, the abuse of power and the power to control that abuse, coming of age, and pride. I found myself continually amazed at Schaefer’s ability to provide such vivid descriptions while using so little language. I was also impressed with his ability to efficiently build a story around some rather profound philosophical and ethical issues without diminishing the import of those issues by editorializing or having the characters ruminate on them; the issues are presented in plain fashion and the reader is left to determine their weight and relevance based on the facts of the story.
Furthermore, Shaefer is very deliberate and precise with his pacing, his organization and his structuring of the story, so that once, for example, the issue of justifiable violence is introduced, it is always present, even when it is not written about or spoken of by the characters. In brief, it’s amazing how much content Shaefer packs into such a short story.
Second, this story is noteworthy for what Shaefer doesn’t pack into it. As a writer, Shaefer understands what a story needs to be successful: an interesting storyline, an interesting set of characters, and an interesting stage upon which everything will be acted out. As for the storyline, there is so much that is hidden from the reader, but this is what makes the story so savory. From beginning to end, the mystery of Shane is preserved. He is and remains an enigma, a cypher. In many ways, he comes to embody the mythos of the old West, a place that is both beautiful and dangerous, a place whose origins are contested and its future unclear (something also represented by the feud between the farmers, a group attempting to lay down roots, and Fletcher, the itinerant cattle baron).
The true nature of the relationship between Shane and Marion is also portrayed in an ambivalent fashion. Much is said between them but even more is said in the looks and in the silences that pass between these two characters. Similarly, much of the real dialogue between Shane and Joe remains unspoken.
Fletcher also remains the reclusive villain, only making a brief appearance at the end, and the true motives of why the characters do what they do (why, for example, is Wilson such a cold-blooded killer; why does Chris have a change of heart at the end?) remains vague. This makes the characters interesting because they remain individuals with private lives that readers are denied access to; it keeps the characters human and preserves their dignity, the latter of which is an important theme in the novel.
To conclude, this is a wonderful novel that moves at a brisk pace, that is filled with drama and expectation, and that is superbly written. A book that everyone should read at some point.
Loved this book from beginning to end for two primary reasons:
First, Schaefer has an elegant and simple style that is, much like the story itself, quintessentially American: relatively short declarative sentences, the sparing and precise use of modifiers, and the brief and intense focus on those aspects of characterization and setting that highlight common themes and images in American fiction (but themes that are also timeless and universal). Some of these themes include man versus nature, the lone gunslinger with a checkered and mysterious past, the abuse of power and the power to control that abuse, coming of age, and pride. I found myself continually amazed at Schaefer’s ability to provide such vivid descriptions while using so little language. I was also impressed with his ability to efficiently build a story around some rather profound philosophical and ethical issues without diminishing the import of those issues by editorializing or having the characters ruminate on them; the issues are presented in plain fashion and the reader is left to determine their weight and relevance based on the facts of the story.
Furthermore, Shaefer is very deliberate and precise with his pacing, his organization and his structuring of the story, so that once, for example, the issue of justifiable violence is introduced, it is always present, even when it is not written about or spoken of by the characters. In brief, it’s amazing how much content Shaefer packs into such a short story.
Second, this story is noteworthy for what Shaefer doesn’t pack into it. As a writer, Shaefer understands what a story needs to be successful: an interesting storyline, an interesting set of characters, and an interesting stage upon which everything will be acted out. As for the storyline, there is so much that is hidden from the reader, but this is what makes the story so savory. From beginning to end, the mystery of Shane is preserved. He is and remains an enigma, a cypher. In many ways, he comes to embody the mythos of the old West, a place that is both beautiful and dangerous, a place whose origins are contested and its future unclear (something also represented by the feud between the farmers, a group attempting to lay down roots, and Fletcher, the itinerant cattle baron).
The true nature of the relationship between Shane and Marion is also portrayed in an ambivalent fashion. Much is said between them but even more is said in the looks and in the silences that pass between these two characters. Similarly, much of the real dialogue between Shane and Joe remains unspoken.
Fletcher also remains the reclusive villain, only making a brief appearance at the end, and the true motives of why the characters do what they do (why, for example, is Wilson such a cold-blooded killer; why does Chris have a change of heart at the end?) remains vague. This makes the characters interesting because they remain individuals with private lives that readers are denied access to; it keeps the characters human and preserves their dignity, the latter of which is an important theme in the novel.
To conclude, this is a wonderful novel that moves at a brisk pace, that is filled with drama and expectation, and that is superbly written. A book that everyone should read at some point.
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