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The Cowboy Way: Stories of the Old West
No one writes the old west like Seven-time Spur Award-winning author Elmer Kelton. In The Cowboy Way, Kelton captures the action, adventure, brotherhood and betrayal of the old west, chronicling the highs and lows of cowboy life in these sixteen stories, collected together for the first time.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
232 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 10, 2020
About the author
Elmer Kelton
204 books276 followersElmer Kelton (1926-2009) was award-winning author of more than forty novels, including The Time It Never Rained, Other Men’s Horses, Texas Standoff and Hard Trail to Follow. He grew up on a ranch near Crane, Texas, and earned a journalism degree from the University of Texas. His first novel, Hot Iron, was published in 1956. Among his awards have been seven Spurs from Western Writers of America and four Western Heritage awards from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. His novel The Good Old Boys was made into a television film starring Tommy Lee Jones. In addition to his novels, Kelton worked as an agricultural journalist for 42 years. He served in the infantry in World War II. He died in 2009.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 22, 2026
Kelton knows cattle, ranching and cowboys. These stories touch on many facets of these occupations. Now we have feedlots and “agribusiness” and the small ranches are losing their sons and daughters to other occupations.
I particularly liked this part of the story titled, “A Bad Cow Market”
"Bubba nodded. “Mine was already here. A man could make a good livin’ then, raisin’ cows on a little spread like that. Now it’s like a life sentence to hard labor with no parole.” George could offer no argument."
"He sipped the last of his coffee and watched Bubba paying the cashier. Bubba’s father and grandfather would turn over in their graves if they knew the direction Bubba had taken their ranch. But financially it was a sensible direction. Bubba was still building and buying while the old-line ranchers who stayed by tradition were losing their butts and all the fixtures. He had the judgment to change with the times. George begrudged him nothing."
"Old man Hardy’s voice was rough, but you couldn’t miss the edging of pride in it. “From now on, Jimbo, whether it’s a man or a job, don’t you ever take a whippin’ and quit. No matter how many times it takes, a Buckelew keeps on comin’ back till he’s won.” Now then, to the debt of Hardy Buckelew."
From The Burial of Letty Strayhorn - "All Quinton had done, really, was to buy the notes from the frustrated banker and foreclose on Letty. Quinton had acquired several other properties the same way. He was not a hawk that kills its prey but rather a buzzard which feeds on whatever has died a natural death."
"Ed Whitley would always remember where he was and what he was doing when the old man had his heart attack: in the dusty corrals behind the barn, preg-checking a set of Bar W black baldy heifers. It was not a dignified job for a cowboy who would much rather be on horseback, doing something else—anything else. It was not the pastoral western scene depicted on calendars or Christmas cards, and certainly not the stuff of song and story. It was messy work and smelled a little, but it had become an economic necessity of life for a rancher in a time of tight or negative profit margins. A dollar saved was better than a dollar earned, for it was not subject to income tax."
"Clay gently laid a hand on his father’s shoulder. “Then that’s what we’ll do.” The return to the ranch after the funeral was one of the most trying ordeals of Ed’s life. He tried to find comfort in the fact that nothing physical had changed. The entrance gate, the headquarters layout, all looked the same as he drove in. Four horses stood near the barn, waiting for someone to fork hay into the steel rack. Either Tom or Ed customarily did so in the late afternoon. A Jersey milk cow stood outside the milk-pen gate, patiently awaiting the bucket of ground feed that would be poured for her as she took her place in the stanchion. All these things were the same as they had been for years and years. In these, at least, there was constancy. But Tom’s red dog, tail wagging, came out to meet the car. It watched Ed and Frances get out, then looked expectantly for its master. It turned away, its tail drooping in disappointment."
From Dry Winter
"It had been a dry winter all over the Trans-Pecos country, and there wasn’t a harder-hit ranch in it than Charlie McDermott’s place. Every day since late in September he had taken his worn-out pickup truck over the dusty pasture roads to pour out cottonseed cake for his cattle and sheep. Now it was March, and there wasn’t any end to it. The calf crop had come, and it was lambing time. It was bad business to feed through lambing. Hungry ewes would abandon their lambs and go chasing after the rattling pickup. Lots of them never paired up again. Pain would lance through Charlie every time he saw a pitiful little body crumpled under a mesquite—"
The stories are vignettes and a couple have that charming cowboy, Hewey Calloway, in them. If you read them, you will nod or shake your head at some of the choices that are made. But you will come out the other side with a much more nuanced appreciation for this life.
I particularly liked this part of the story titled, “A Bad Cow Market”
"Bubba nodded. “Mine was already here. A man could make a good livin’ then, raisin’ cows on a little spread like that. Now it’s like a life sentence to hard labor with no parole.” George could offer no argument."
"He sipped the last of his coffee and watched Bubba paying the cashier. Bubba’s father and grandfather would turn over in their graves if they knew the direction Bubba had taken their ranch. But financially it was a sensible direction. Bubba was still building and buying while the old-line ranchers who stayed by tradition were losing their butts and all the fixtures. He had the judgment to change with the times. George begrudged him nothing."
"Old man Hardy’s voice was rough, but you couldn’t miss the edging of pride in it. “From now on, Jimbo, whether it’s a man or a job, don’t you ever take a whippin’ and quit. No matter how many times it takes, a Buckelew keeps on comin’ back till he’s won.” Now then, to the debt of Hardy Buckelew."
From The Burial of Letty Strayhorn - "All Quinton had done, really, was to buy the notes from the frustrated banker and foreclose on Letty. Quinton had acquired several other properties the same way. He was not a hawk that kills its prey but rather a buzzard which feeds on whatever has died a natural death."
"Ed Whitley would always remember where he was and what he was doing when the old man had his heart attack: in the dusty corrals behind the barn, preg-checking a set of Bar W black baldy heifers. It was not a dignified job for a cowboy who would much rather be on horseback, doing something else—anything else. It was not the pastoral western scene depicted on calendars or Christmas cards, and certainly not the stuff of song and story. It was messy work and smelled a little, but it had become an economic necessity of life for a rancher in a time of tight or negative profit margins. A dollar saved was better than a dollar earned, for it was not subject to income tax."
"Clay gently laid a hand on his father’s shoulder. “Then that’s what we’ll do.” The return to the ranch after the funeral was one of the most trying ordeals of Ed’s life. He tried to find comfort in the fact that nothing physical had changed. The entrance gate, the headquarters layout, all looked the same as he drove in. Four horses stood near the barn, waiting for someone to fork hay into the steel rack. Either Tom or Ed customarily did so in the late afternoon. A Jersey milk cow stood outside the milk-pen gate, patiently awaiting the bucket of ground feed that would be poured for her as she took her place in the stanchion. All these things were the same as they had been for years and years. In these, at least, there was constancy. But Tom’s red dog, tail wagging, came out to meet the car. It watched Ed and Frances get out, then looked expectantly for its master. It turned away, its tail drooping in disappointment."
From Dry Winter
"It had been a dry winter all over the Trans-Pecos country, and there wasn’t a harder-hit ranch in it than Charlie McDermott’s place. Every day since late in September he had taken his worn-out pickup truck over the dusty pasture roads to pour out cottonseed cake for his cattle and sheep. Now it was March, and there wasn’t any end to it. The calf crop had come, and it was lambing time. It was bad business to feed through lambing. Hungry ewes would abandon their lambs and go chasing after the rattling pickup. Lots of them never paired up again. Pain would lance through Charlie every time he saw a pitiful little body crumpled under a mesquite—"
The stories are vignettes and a couple have that charming cowboy, Hewey Calloway, in them. If you read them, you will nod or shake your head at some of the choices that are made. But you will come out the other side with a much more nuanced appreciation for this life.
October 24, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan - Tor/Forge for an e-galley of this collection of short stories.
Elmer Kelton was a new Western author for me and I sincerely enjoyed reading these short stories as an introduction to his longer fiction. I learn a lot about an author by starting out with this type of collection including style of writing and keeping my interest focused. I will say that Mr. Kelton was successful in both of those instances.
There are 16 short stories included in this collection with publication dating from 1951 to 2010; 12 of the stories are set in the Old West and 4 in modern times. I definitely enjoyed the Old West stories because their subjects were so varied. The stories from modern times had their focus on essentially the same subject which were interestingly written, but not favorites. These stories all follow along with the "code of the West" feeling where there is a specific cowboy way of thinking and living your life. Pride, resourcefulness, determination; all are traits exhibited by the lead characters in these stories. There were no lawman stories so also no outlaws which made each of these short stories highlight the everyday life in the harshness of the west.
Kelton was a very prolific writer so there is much more for me to explore. This would also be a good jumping-off place for anybody who wanted to sample the works of this author with a view to reading his full length novels. I can certainly see myself headed down that trail.
Elmer Kelton was a new Western author for me and I sincerely enjoyed reading these short stories as an introduction to his longer fiction. I learn a lot about an author by starting out with this type of collection including style of writing and keeping my interest focused. I will say that Mr. Kelton was successful in both of those instances.
There are 16 short stories included in this collection with publication dating from 1951 to 2010; 12 of the stories are set in the Old West and 4 in modern times. I definitely enjoyed the Old West stories because their subjects were so varied. The stories from modern times had their focus on essentially the same subject which were interestingly written, but not favorites. These stories all follow along with the "code of the West" feeling where there is a specific cowboy way of thinking and living your life. Pride, resourcefulness, determination; all are traits exhibited by the lead characters in these stories. There were no lawman stories so also no outlaws which made each of these short stories highlight the everyday life in the harshness of the west.
Kelton was a very prolific writer so there is much more for me to explore. This would also be a good jumping-off place for anybody who wanted to sample the works of this author with a view to reading his full length novels. I can certainly see myself headed down that trail.
June 27, 2021
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley to read and review.
THE COWBOY WAY by well known western author Elmer Kelton is a collection of short stories that vary in the era they take place in, and the settings and characters that make up each tale.
Excellent stories in all, and it’s not surprising given the quality of the author’s prolific output that includes several classics including my favorites “The Time It Never Rained” and “The Day the Cowboys Quit”.
5 stars.
THE COWBOY WAY by well known western author Elmer Kelton is a collection of short stories that vary in the era they take place in, and the settings and characters that make up each tale.
Excellent stories in all, and it’s not surprising given the quality of the author’s prolific output that includes several classics including my favorites “The Time It Never Rained” and “The Day the Cowboys Quit”.
5 stars.
July 21, 2021
Sheer pleasure! I had never read an Elmer Kelton before, but he is clearly a great writer in his genre, which is tales of the Old West. Each of these stories is a little gem. Kelton sets the scene in a few brisk sentences, introduces you the characters, poses a dilemma or problem, then solves the problem in a way you would not have suspected, and always with a genuinely humorous twist. If that sounds easy, just try it. It is not great literature, but the stories exude a sense of authenticity, and each one is satisfying. The Old West was mostly an invention, and Kelton probably did his bit of embroidering on the theme. The Rugged Individual and the lonesome cowboy with a heart of gold make their required appearances here, but they are here to entertain, not glorify, and their random acts of selflessness and harmless good humor will spice up anyone's day. .Kelton, who died a few years ago, was a master of the form.
September 7, 2021
There’s the right way of doing things, the wrong way of doing things, but above all there is the cowboy way of doing things. This book is a collection of sixteen short stories written by Elmer Kelton about the western way of life. What I enjoyed most (his writing style apart) was these stories spanned close to 100 years of western history, but the cowboy way of doing things remained true to form whether the cowboy was riding a horse or driving a truck. Each story includes aspects of the struggles we face within everyday life—we may struggle, but in the end, we overcome by doing it the right (cowboy) way. Excellent read.
August 31, 2024
"The Cowboy Way" is a collection of 16 short stories by western legend Elmer Kelton between 1954-1998. With a variety of fun characters and situations, these Kelton shorts range from humorous tales to serious character studies.
First, my criticism: a few of these stories seem to be the same story with the same kind of protagonist, the old-school stubborn rancher in the 1950's who refuses to give up or change his ways to meet the times, a guy taken straight out Kelton's masterpiece "The Time it Never Rained" named Charlie Flagg but with minor adjustments and a different name.
The stories that don't follow that pattern are more enjoyable, notably "Fighting for the Brand," "Horse Well," "The Reluctant Shepherd," "That 7X Bull," (which is actually another variation on the Charlie Flagg character but instead is an old bull), and a mountain lion chase in "Yellow Devil" that is a really great short.
Verdict: "The Cowboy Way" has a lot of what Kelton does best but also a lot of what he does poorly at times, and I'd say ten of these sixteen stand up as strong reads while the other six aren't. In other words, classic Kelton.
Jeff's Rating: 3 / 5 (Good)
movie rating if made into a movie: PG
First, my criticism: a few of these stories seem to be the same story with the same kind of protagonist, the old-school stubborn rancher in the 1950's who refuses to give up or change his ways to meet the times, a guy taken straight out Kelton's masterpiece "The Time it Never Rained" named Charlie Flagg but with minor adjustments and a different name.
The stories that don't follow that pattern are more enjoyable, notably "Fighting for the Brand," "Horse Well," "The Reluctant Shepherd," "That 7X Bull," (which is actually another variation on the Charlie Flagg character but instead is an old bull), and a mountain lion chase in "Yellow Devil" that is a really great short.
Verdict: "The Cowboy Way" has a lot of what Kelton does best but also a lot of what he does poorly at times, and I'd say ten of these sixteen stand up as strong reads while the other six aren't. In other words, classic Kelton.
Jeff's Rating: 3 / 5 (Good)
movie rating if made into a movie: PG
June 30, 2024
The Cowboy Way
Readers don’t need the forty-some-odd novels to know Kelton is the greatest western writer of all time. These sixteen short stories impart both the great drama of the west and, more impressively, the quiet desperation of those scratching out a living in agriculture from a harsh country. Kelton finds the majesty and human triumph in both the great and small.
We read a nice bookend of Hughey Calloway stories. The quintessential American cowboy does not disappoint. In between we are treated to glimpses into the lives of sheep herders, ag teachers, and working cowboys.
Readers don’t need the forty-some-odd novels to know Kelton is the greatest western writer of all time. These sixteen short stories impart both the great drama of the west and, more impressively, the quiet desperation of those scratching out a living in agriculture from a harsh country. Kelton finds the majesty and human triumph in both the great and small.
We read a nice bookend of Hughey Calloway stories. The quintessential American cowboy does not disappoint. In between we are treated to glimpses into the lives of sheep herders, ag teachers, and working cowboys.
October 28, 2020
Elmer Kelton has been a must read in the western genre for many years. My uncles introduced me to his titles when I first started reading. These short stories are awesome. They bring to life the people and places of an era when the land dictated your livelihood and the law was enforced with prejudice. If you've never read westerns, this is a great book to start with. If you love westerns as I do, what are you waiting for?
February 19, 2021
This book is a compilation of short stories. I really enjoy Kelton’s writing, but the stories were not very long, so they were over before I was able to get in to the characters. The stories were well plotted though, and I had read a couple of them before as they were taken from his full-length novels.
September 13, 2023
I've been reluctant to read cowboy books as I always thought they were about gunslingers, Indian fighters, saloons, etc.
How wrong I was. This book highlights what a true cowboy really is. These stories were so wonderful and well written that each story was a pleasure to read.
Normally, I donate my books after reading them, but this one is staying on my shelf.
How wrong I was. This book highlights what a true cowboy really is. These stories were so wonderful and well written that each story was a pleasure to read.
Normally, I donate my books after reading them, but this one is staying on my shelf.
December 6, 2024
Sixteen short stories of the cowboy life in the west. Full of dust, grit, cattle, sheep, gunplay, and various other issues that made up the old west, the hardscrabble lifestyle some men chose, and the lifestyle that chose some men.
January 12, 2025
I had never read anything by Elmer Kelton before and I loved this collection of short stories. I look forward to reading some of his novels and if they are written as well as these short stories, he will become my favorite western author.
January 26, 2021
In a similar vein as the Louis L’amour books in that they all have happy and tidy endings.
July 29, 2021
Decent anthology of old time western stories where honor is prominent.
March 26, 2021
All of these were great, but my favorite was the one where the cowboy helps the sick sheepherders.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews