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The Strong Land: A Western Sextet
Louis L’Amour was the most decorated author in the history of American letters and a recipient of the Medal of Freedom. Now collected here in a single book are several of Louis L’Amour’s finest Western stories the way Mr. L’Amour wrote them. At the time Louis L’Amour was writing, it was common practice for editors to rewrite the manuscript to fit certain publishing criteria. The text of The Strong Land has been restored, and the stories within it appear as Mr. L’Amour intended for them to be read. Whether you’re new to the thrilling frontier fiction of Louis L’Amour or one of his legions of fans, these six short stories will assure you that you are in the hands of a master storyteller. Included here “The One for the Mohave Kid,” “His Brother’s Debt,” “A Strong Land Growing,” “Lit a Shuck for Texas,” “The Nester and the Paiute,” and “Barney Takes a Hand.”
115 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 16, 2012
About the author
Louis L'Amour
760 books3,654 followersLouis Dearborn L'Amour was an American novelist and short story writer. His books consisted primarily of Western novels, though he called his work "frontier stories". His most widely known Western fiction works include Last of the Breed, Hondo, Shalako, and the Sackett series. L'Amour also wrote historical fiction (The Walking Drum), science fiction (The Haunted Mesa), non-fiction (Frontier), and poetry and short-story collections. Many of his stories were made into films. His books remain popular and most have gone through multiple printings. At the time of his death, almost all of his 105 existing works (89 novels, 14 short-story collections, and two full-length works of nonfiction) were still in print, and he was "one of the world's most popular writers".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
November 24, 2017
Great short stories.
April 20, 2021
Six short stories from the 40s and 50s by Louis L'Amour. All well done.
March 16, 2022
I read a bunch of Louis L'Amour westerns in the '80's and liked them well enough. These stories I thought less of. They were early works of his, and betray a bit of immaturity in his writing that later works didn't show. Here he used action-writing cliches of the mid-20th century that are just silly.
In one story the hero shoots a gun out of a desperado's hand. In two other stories the hero gets creased across the scalp by a bullet that leaves him insensible and assumed dead. This reminded me of "The Shadow" and "Doc Savage" series, where such a thing happened frequently. As in many of L'Amour's stories, the hero and the girl fall in love at first site (Note: It doesn't work that way.) Oh...and being a fast draw was a thing in a gunfight.
These may not have been cliches when L'Amour wrote these pieces, but they certainly became so since then.
Two of the heroes in two of the six stories here have scarred pasts because they accidentally shot someone they deeply cared about. The scenarios are identical.
Was it worth listening to? Yeah. It passed the time in the car on a long ride. Was it good? Not really. It was cowboy action of the forties, fifties and sixties. It's the stuff I grew up watching in movie theaters and television.
In one story the hero shoots a gun out of a desperado's hand. In two other stories the hero gets creased across the scalp by a bullet that leaves him insensible and assumed dead. This reminded me of "The Shadow" and "Doc Savage" series, where such a thing happened frequently. As in many of L'Amour's stories, the hero and the girl fall in love at first site (Note: It doesn't work that way.) Oh...and being a fast draw was a thing in a gunfight.
These may not have been cliches when L'Amour wrote these pieces, but they certainly became so since then.
Two of the heroes in two of the six stories here have scarred pasts because they accidentally shot someone they deeply cared about. The scenarios are identical.
Was it worth listening to? Yeah. It passed the time in the car on a long ride. Was it good? Not really. It was cowboy action of the forties, fifties and sixties. It's the stuff I grew up watching in movie theaters and television.
July 9, 2022
As always, Louis L'Amour doesn't disappoint!
December 7, 2014
Immediacy of images, feels like I'm really there, heroes are my friends. Expressions like "plump and gossipy widow .. Niagara of conversation" p 71 say everything and bring a smile. I like his style. A powerful hurt damages hero in both stories #2 and #3, where he accidentally killed beloved brother, in blood or heart. Worthwhile tales are retold over centuries.
1 The One for the Mohave Kid
"By the time he was twenty-two .. had killed twenty-nine, for the Kid had killed a few when they didn't know he was in the country .. nine of them had been killed with something like an even break" p 14. "A few doors of the clan were closed .. sheltered a viper" p 16. "Ab Kale .. thirty-three when electd marshal of the cow town of Hinkley, and he owned a little spread" p 15 .. "thirty-four he married Annie Holdstock" p 16 "three men .. killed in fair, stand-up gunfights" p 17. "Ab was forty when he had his showdown with the Mohave Kid" p 17 "likely to shoot from ambush" p 21.
"Riley McLean .. nineteen, six feet tall, and lean as a rail" p 17 two years earlier. Ab took the boy under his wing "like a son" p 21, taught shooting, "no day passed .. did not take to the hills for practice" p 20, "never draw it unless you mean to kill" p 23. Ab invited Riley to dinner two months later, step-daughter Ruth "opened the door and she fell in love. And the feeling was mutual" p 21.
Ab has to tell Kid to leave town. Days later in a rainstorm, Kid catches Ab shoveling a ditch, his slicker over his gun. When Ab falls, Riley steps forward.
2 His Brother's Debt
When Rock Casaday runs from a bar fight with Ben Kerr, he fears the "Yellow as saffron" p 35 moniker sticks, and keeps on avoiding conflicts. At the Three Spoke Wheel, pretty Sue Landon hopes he will stay. He shoots the head off "one of the biggest rattlers Cat [McLeod] had ever seen" to "a bloody stump" p 41, and dumps bully Pete Vorys in the town water tank.
3 A Strong Land Growing
Marshal Fitz Moore brought order to the town "nine months since the last killing" p 78. Today he sees trouble, "had taken particular care to study the methods of the Henry outfit" p 65, "the town was marked for a raid within two hours. And he was marked for death" p 66. Whoosh. Threat start your heart pumping?
Air of romance, mystery "girl with the gray eyes? Her face was both delicate and strong .. seemed familiar" p 71 solidifies to name "Julia Heath, the sum total of all he had ever wanted in a girl" p 78.
L'Amour work is re-readable. "Jack Thomas .. was a good-natured man, but too inquisitive, too dirty" p 80 can have a double meaning, as in 'dirty cop'. Having read the ending doesn't mean remembering crucial events "if anything happens to me, I want you to have this job" p 80 "You're twenty-six, Johnny, and it's time you grew up" shows author sees human nature.
1 The One for the Mohave Kid
"By the time he was twenty-two .. had killed twenty-nine, for the Kid had killed a few when they didn't know he was in the country .. nine of them had been killed with something like an even break" p 14. "A few doors of the clan were closed .. sheltered a viper" p 16. "Ab Kale .. thirty-three when electd marshal of the cow town of Hinkley, and he owned a little spread" p 15 .. "thirty-four he married Annie Holdstock" p 16 "three men .. killed in fair, stand-up gunfights" p 17. "Ab was forty when he had his showdown with the Mohave Kid" p 17 "likely to shoot from ambush" p 21.
"Riley McLean .. nineteen, six feet tall, and lean as a rail" p 17 two years earlier. Ab took the boy under his wing "like a son" p 21, taught shooting, "no day passed .. did not take to the hills for practice" p 20, "never draw it unless you mean to kill" p 23. Ab invited Riley to dinner two months later, step-daughter Ruth "opened the door and she fell in love. And the feeling was mutual" p 21.
Ab has to tell Kid to leave town. Days later in a rainstorm, Kid catches Ab shoveling a ditch, his slicker over his gun. When Ab falls, Riley steps forward.
2 His Brother's Debt
When Rock Casaday runs from a bar fight with Ben Kerr, he fears the "Yellow as saffron" p 35 moniker sticks, and keeps on avoiding conflicts. At the Three Spoke Wheel, pretty Sue Landon hopes he will stay. He shoots the head off "one of the biggest rattlers Cat [McLeod] had ever seen" to "a bloody stump" p 41, and dumps bully Pete Vorys in the town water tank.
3 A Strong Land Growing
Marshal Fitz Moore brought order to the town "nine months since the last killing" p 78. Today he sees trouble, "had taken particular care to study the methods of the Henry outfit" p 65, "the town was marked for a raid within two hours. And he was marked for death" p 66. Whoosh. Threat start your heart pumping?
Air of romance, mystery "girl with the gray eyes? Her face was both delicate and strong .. seemed familiar" p 71 solidifies to name "Julia Heath, the sum total of all he had ever wanted in a girl" p 78.
L'Amour work is re-readable. "Jack Thomas .. was a good-natured man, but too inquisitive, too dirty" p 80 can have a double meaning, as in 'dirty cop'. Having read the ending doesn't mean remembering crucial events "if anything happens to me, I want you to have this job" p 80 "You're twenty-six, Johnny, and it's time you grew up" shows author sees human nature.
April 26, 2021
I've never read any of these classic westerns, and I figured it was about time to see what they were like. I was surprised to find that nearly every one of these stories was reminiscent (to me) of the old spaghetti westerns. Each of a story of a hard man living in the harsher west, but I was surprised to find that there was very little gun slinging in this collection. It could be the theme of this collection was more about the harshness of the land, instead of the people who inhabit it, but it was still enjoyable.
The writing was sound as well. I always thought that these would be pretty simplistic in style, but these are well told, lyrical at times, and direct at others.
It's a fun collection, but I wish it was a longer story. We'll see how I like some of the longer pieces he's written.
The writing was sound as well. I always thought that these would be pretty simplistic in style, but these are well told, lyrical at times, and direct at others.
It's a fun collection, but I wish it was a longer story. We'll see how I like some of the longer pieces he's written.
January 17, 2022
The One for the Mohave Kid – For every bad man born there’s a man born to take him.
His Brother's Debt – An emotional tale of a supposed coward who sheds his stripe.
A Strong Land Growing – An introspective look at the terror and chaos of a gunfight.
Lit a Shuck for Texas – Dead men do tell tales.
The Nester and the Paiute – The astonishing price of a ham!
Barney Takes a Hand – Salvation came walking out of the desert.
His Brother's Debt – An emotional tale of a supposed coward who sheds his stripe.
A Strong Land Growing – An introspective look at the terror and chaos of a gunfight.
Lit a Shuck for Texas – Dead men do tell tales.
The Nester and the Paiute – The astonishing price of a ham!
Barney Takes a Hand – Salvation came walking out of the desert.
October 10, 2024
Six stories, that make a "sextet'. I feel that not one of the six stories is memorable.
I like L'Amour's crisp writing style, his characters, and his descriptions of the Western landscape.
Unfortunately in this collection he seems to me on a treadmill with the same plots and the same outcomes.
The best thing about this book is the detailed forward that shares a biography of this amazing author's early life.
I am glad that they included that.
I like L'Amour's crisp writing style, his characters, and his descriptions of the Western landscape.
Unfortunately in this collection he seems to me on a treadmill with the same plots and the same outcomes.
The best thing about this book is the detailed forward that shares a biography of this amazing author's early life.
I am glad that they included that.
April 16, 2018
Six very good stories of the Old West by the master. All were familiar from being included in many collections and anthologies that I have read in the past--except for "Barney Takes a Hand." As always, I recommend L'Amour without hesitation. I listened to this on audio CD borrowed from an online library.
October 12, 2021
I wish I liked this collection, but there was only one I particularly cared for in it. The others were a huge helping of mediocre. It was obvious this was old and from early in someone's career because I don't think they'd sell today and they certainly would not have been enough to launch a career as they did back then.
October 3, 2022
A volume containing six short stories -- 4 that I have read (or heard) before, and two new ones. The new ones make it worthwhile, while the 4 repeats were worth listening to again. I think I like L'Amour short stories more than his novels. This short collection will give you a good cross section of what he does, and you will enjoy them.
October 2, 2021
Sometimes you just need some short Westerns to change it up a bit and Louis L’Amour fits the bill very nicely. This whole collection was a very short read but I enjoyed each of the stories in it. The good guys are good and the bad guys are bad. Simple yet entertaining. 4.5 stars.
June 21, 2024
Another great collection.
This Collection of Western stories is another example of L'Amours Great writing about the west. Everyone should get a chance to read Hi s stories About the West. They're hard to put-down Until the very end
This Collection of Western stories is another example of L'Amours Great writing about the west. Everyone should get a chance to read Hi s stories About the West. They're hard to put-down Until the very end
June 17, 2026
These are very short stories originally published in magazines. I personally like that Pulp Fiction type of format and am always intrigued by seeing an author's early work. If you like L'Amour you will probably like these little gems.
January 2, 2018
A collection of early L'Amour short stories of typical fare. His Brother's Debt and The Nester and the Paiute are repeats of another grouping I listened to.
May 26, 2018
I love reading Louis L'Amour books. He doesn't disappoint.
July 24, 2018
Good short stories. Hit the spot for a western itch!
July 7, 2020
A good read!!!
A worthwhile read! Each story holds your interest and the action sequences are well written. Most L'Amour books and stories are worth seeking out.
A worthwhile read! Each story holds your interest and the action sequences are well written. Most L'Amour books and stories are worth seeking out.
January 10, 2021
I chose this book because I recently learned my Grandpa Ford loved this author and read everything he wrote. I liked it too and I feel closer to my grandpa now, having shared the story.
January 15, 2021
Nice set of stories.
February 28, 2022
Just OK
December 4, 2022
An average collection of short stories.
May 12, 2023
Great 30-40m short stories.
November 6, 2023
Louis L’Amour is a classic! When you listen/read his books, you can almost see them play out in your imagination. Clean, pure excitement in each story.
January 9, 2024
I haven’t read Louis L’Amoir for decades! But it was a fun diversion of six short stories. Ok … back to more recent books now :-)
June 1, 2024
Six short stories by Louis Lamar, a fun read.
June 22, 2024
Good early Louis L’Amour short stories.
June 24, 2024
Early short stories by L'Amour as he worked out hist style. Some of them are worth reading.
November 7, 2025
Good Western Shorts
Very well written and fast paced short stories. I wanted to get to the end of each. Enjoyable reading. Wonder how well they might sound read aloud?
Very well written and fast paced short stories. I wanted to get to the end of each. Enjoyable reading. Wonder how well they might sound read aloud?
January 20, 2026
Six short stories about the West by a master storyteller.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews