Barbed Wire

by Elmer Kelton

Irishman Doug Monahan runs a fencing crew outside the south Texas town of Twin Wells, digging post-holes and stringing red painted barbed wire for ranchers as protection against wandering stock, rustlers, and land hungry thugs.

Monahan's fencing operation is opposed by Captain Andrew Rinehart, a former Confederate officer and an old-school open range baron of the huge R Cross spread.

With his brutal foreman, Archer Spann, assigned to the violent work, Rinehart wages a barbed wire war against Doug Monahan. And neither side takes prisoners!

Genres: Westerns, Fiction

215 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 1, 1980

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

[sarg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelton is one of my favorite authors. His westerns are more realistic westerns. His charactors are more believable. His stories are in the style of Zane Gray, and Max Brand. This is the story about the fencing of the open range and the problems it caused to the old ranchers gave it 5 stars

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

audio and ebook solid 4 stars My only criticism is the find voice of Ken Marks was devoid of what of the regional dialect of West texas c. 1880's, However, the book was published i 1957 and norm was to cater to the bulk of Americans who resided east of the Missouri River. Maybe that is why Marks was chosen instead of say Mark Bramhall. Anyway, the plot, setting and descriptions I found accurate and not misleading, exaggerated, or verbose. I will surely seek more of Kelton's work.

from my personal experience barbed wire rips as it cuts because the barb are not perfectly sharp. A cut stings a lot and takes more area to suture than a knife cut. 3" on my bicep, 4" on my thumb and palm, and 4" on the side of my head all from a bike accident which tossed me thru a bw fence when I was 13. The cuts hurt worse than bangs from rolling 100' down the side of the hill.

I recommend this book for truism of the Wester genre. Having read what I have just written I will change my rating to 5.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

GREAT BOOK! Maybe I was just in the mood for a good western or maybe Elmer Kelton really knows how to tell a great story. Regardless, while reading this book I thought to myself, "This is what I should be reading all the time," not something I say often since I like variety.

It's a classic western....good, honest, hardworking cowboy has to stand up and fight against the bad guy, in this case a powerful retired army man who feels he "owns this country". Kelton is great at inspiring loyalty for the main character, despite his flaws, and putting him in a situation that seems hopeless only to see him prevail by sheer strength and determination, and a few good friends.

If you like westerns, or even just want to read a great story of human character, this is it. I can't wait to read more of Kelton's works.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story. Feels epic even though it's a fast 215 pages.

[Nece · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great story about the arrival of barbed wire on the Texas plains. Kelton does a great job with both the history and the story! I definitely recommend this book! Even non-Texans will enjoy it I think.

[Violet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Next to Zane Grey, Elmer Kelton may be my second favorite author of westerns. Mr. Kelton writes in the same style; always a bit of romance thrown in with a rip roaring cowboy story. Thoroughly enjoyable.

[Coyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something of a reboot of "Shane," with a more sympathetic villain and a slightly less sympathetic hero--and no annoying child.

[Elise Larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbed Wire is a gripping, realistic portrayal of the fence cutting wars of the Old West in the 1880s. Patented in 1874, barbed wire enabled farmers to protect their land, crops and livestock from damage caused by large herds belonging to the "cattle kings," who let their Longhorns graze freely on the open range.

In this story, after Doug Monahan loses his South Texas ranch due to a drought, he decides to make a living by installing barbed wire for farmers in West Texas. Naturally, the local cattle king--Captain Andrew Rinehart--has no intention of allowing barbed wire to fence off "his" rangeland, so he orders Monahan and his crew to leave. When Monahan refuses, Rinehart orders his men--led by foreman Archer Spann--to cut the new fencing and burn the chuckwagon and entire camp. Spann even kills the old cook (Paco) when he tries to stop the burning. Nothing remains but a fire-blackened piece of the chuckbox lid, which serves as a headboard for Paco's grave.

Does Monahan give up and leave? Not a chance. He and his crew are befriended by Noah Wheeler, a farmer with fields of oats and hay, and a herd of Durhams. Needing a proper fence to keep Rinehart's Longhorns away from his crops and Durhams, Wheeler hires Monahan to install a barbed wire fence. Monahan purchases posts from a cedar-cutter's camp, and he hires big Foley Blessingame--along with Foley's four equally huge sons--to install the posts and barbed wire. (The Blessingames add a welcome touch of humor to the story.)

Captain Rinehart is hesitant to attack Monahan or his crew, since Noah Wheeler had saved Rinehart's life during the Civil War battle of Antietam. But Archer Spann--who plans to take ownership of Rinehart's ranch when the old captain dies--has no qualms about burning Wheeler's farm and killing Wheeler, Monahan, and anyone else who stands in his way. Will Spann accomplish his evil goals? I'm not saying.

No one writes authentic western novels like Elmer Kelton, and this exciting tale gripped me from start to finish. Filled with memorable characters, tense confrontations, nail-biting danger, and a touch of romance, Barbed Wire easily earns five glowing stars from me!

[M. O'Gannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barbed Wire – Brush Country Novel – Published 1957 - **** - Doug Monahan went broke ranching. To make money he has started a business installing barbed wire fence, the first in the Texas area. The old patriarch of the area wants open range to live forever. Monahan has his camp destroyed and a friend killed because of the wire. He is out for revenge. Kelton brings to life the everyday struggles and work of the cowboy. He brings emotion to the scene that drives many of the decisions. Great cowboy novel.

[Jeff Dickison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would give this book 4.5 stars if I could. Kelton is one our greatest western writers and this book is no exception. The story concerns the introduction and use of "bobwire" in Texas and how one man has to stand up against a powerful rancher. Not all bad guys are totally bad and the hero is not totally good. Highly recommended.

[Dale Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's my 17th Kelton western...becoming one of my favorite writers. Barbed Wire tells the story of change, like Tevya in Fiddler on the Roof--a central character used to getting his way, used to free range; he fights the fencing, the barbed wire invasion of his life. Kelton paints the story of this range war but colors it with the emotion, the pains of real humans. I'll read more!

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typical quick western. First Elmer Kelton I've ever read and it kept my interest for a couple days. The bad toughs try to intimidate the good guy when he brings his barb wire fence building business to their open range county. If you're looking for a short entertaining western, give it a go.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly typical western, this focusing on the open range believers vs those who want to gmfence their land

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

1957 stand-alone Western.

[WayBackWhen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short, solid book with a fun premise and good characters.

[John Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelton Simply the Best

Obviously a ton of research along with Kelton’s depth of knowledge and uncomprable writing skills makes this a great read.

[D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book was Texas true... great depiction of the personalities and the land. About a guy who works putting up a barbed wire fence and has a run-in with another landowner.

“Go then, if you have to,” she whispered. “Only be careful, and come back to me.”

[M. W. · Rating 2 out of 5]

meh, a western...

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasant western, good reader (Ken Marks). I'll look for more by this author.

I must have read this in 2023.