The Cowboy Way: Stories of the Old West

by Elmer Kelton

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.

Genres: Westerns

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published August 24, 2021

About the author

Elmer 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.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/elmerk...

Reviews

[Judy Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Ike · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Jeff Tankersley · Rating 3 out of 5]

"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

[Micheal Jimerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Denice Langley · Rating 5 out of 5]

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?

[Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Michele Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Rebecca Burmesch · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Wendopolis · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a similar vein as the Louis L’amour books in that they all have happy and tidy endings.

[Joe Farley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent anthology of old time western stories where honor is prominent.

[Marseydoats · Rating 5 out of 5]

All of these were great, but my favorite was the one where the cowboy helps the sick sheepherders.