Shane And Other Stories

by Jack Schaefer

"Call Me Shane "

He rode into our valley in the summer of '89, a slim man, dressed in black.

"Call me Shane," he said. He never told us more.

There was a deadly calm in the valley that summer, a slow, climbing tension that seemed to focus on Shane.

"There's something about him," Mother said. "Something...dangerous..."

"He's dangerous all right," Father said, "...but not to us..."

"He's like one of these here slow burning fuses," the mule skinner said. Quiet...so quiet you forget it's burning till it sets off a hell of a blow of trouble. And there's trouble brewing."

"TAUT...GRIM...UNFORGETTABLE..."

192 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1986

About the author

Schaefer 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...

Reviews

[GD · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was supposed to have read this in high school, but even if I had, I probably would have made fun of it. Reading it now, I loved it so much. The narrative voice, the pacing, the characters, the symbolism, the ambiguous ending, etc. Shane is a perfect dark, mysterious hero, full of shady past dealings and almost supernatural strength and ability to kick asses. The other stories in the collection, while shorter and maybe not quite as good as Shane, were still good, especially That Mark Horse. Recommended for anyone, especially my dad.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this set of stories. There brilliantly descriptive and real, they're seriously like gold-dust, transporting me to a new world where the characters are JUST OH SO BRILLIANT!!

[P.S. Winn · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories take readers back to a different time. Most people know the story of Shane but may also find a few undiscovered journeys inside.

[Mrs.]

This was compulsory, work-related reading. The mystery and danger of Shane was alive throughout the novel. Some quotes which stood out for me: "A gun is as good - and as bad - as the man who carries it." and "When there's noise, you know where to look, and what's happening. When things are quiet, you're got to be most careful".

[Raro de Concurso · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gran novela corta, la de Shane que da título al libro, y estupendos cuentos cortos que completan este volumen. Para los amantes de las novelas de frontera y la colección del mismo título de Valdemar, que verán con agrado una variación sobre el mismo tema. Tal vez la versión menos dura y la más sentimental y complaciente, pero que no le resta intensidad y buena escritura.

[Nancy Hogan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shane is always a boy's fantasy-dark, mysterious and powerful. Shane is a beautiful story of love and devotion!

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Classic western storytelling that much like the characters, gets the job done.