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The Rhodes reader: Stories of virgins, villains, and varmints
Selected by W. H. Hutchinson. One of 500 copies with Bourn misspelled in dedication.
355 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1975
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 28, 2017
I'd read and enjoyed a few of Eugene Manlove Rhodes' books before, but this collection really increased my appreciation for him as a writer and a chronicler of the West. The stories and essays in The Rhodes Reader showcase all the best hallmarks of Rhodes' writing: his command of the English language pure and simple, his gift for delightful and often hilarious dialogue and wordplay (akin to my old favorite O. Henry), and his thorough personal knowledge of the New Mexico landscape and of cowboy and ranch life. I almost feel like I could head for New Mexico with this book under my arm and be able to find my way around.
Of the short stories, "Loved I Not Honor More," "The Numismatist," "A Number of Things," and "The Bird in the Bush," are classic Rhodes, built around everyday but distinctly Western incidents and sparkling with wry comedy. "The Long Shift" and "The Fool's Heart," on the other hand, are straight drama, the latter a suspenseful will-they-get-away-with-it tale of murder and frame-up that would have worked well as an episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. "The Trouble Man," which falls somewhere between these in mood with a blend of suspense and wit, features Jeff Bransford, John Wesley Pringle (who also stars in "A Number of Things"), and other familiar Rainbow Range characters that appear in many of Rhodes' novels and stories. So many of his stories, in fact, feature recurring characters and take place in the same locations that it's basically like a story universe in which he set a lot of short fiction as well as full-length novels (both fictional characters and historical figures, whether lightly disguised or appearing under their own names—Pat Garrett, for example, appears in this volume, as he did in Rhodes' famous Paso Por Aqi; and the enigmatic gambler character Monte from that story makes a cameo here in "Cheerful Land").
"The Enchanted Valley" and "Cheerful Land" are more vignettes than stories, with the focus strongly on New Mexican life and landscape. "No Mean City" is a bit unusual, a longer story based on a rumored incident of planned sabotage that never materialized during World War I; but even here, it's the extensive backstory involving New Mexican history that makes it interesting. (And here again a key character from another story reappears, as the protagonist this time.)
What surprised me was how much I enjoyed the three nonfiction essays, dealing with New Mexico's quest for statehood, the writing of Western fiction, and defense of Pat Garrett against critics partial to Billy the Kid, respectively. Rhodes' literate, witty writing style and no-nonsense way of expressing his opinions make even politics interesting; plus I found myself agreeing with a lot of what he has to say about Western fiction and Americans' neglect of their own history in "The West That Was."
In short, this volume leaves Eugene Rhodes high on my list of favorite Western writers, both for writing skill and the wonderfully authentic feel of the settings and incidents. If you're an enthusiast for Western fiction, and particularly if you enjoy a Southwestern setting, you won't want to miss his work.
Of the short stories, "Loved I Not Honor More," "The Numismatist," "A Number of Things," and "The Bird in the Bush," are classic Rhodes, built around everyday but distinctly Western incidents and sparkling with wry comedy. "The Long Shift" and "The Fool's Heart," on the other hand, are straight drama, the latter a suspenseful will-they-get-away-with-it tale of murder and frame-up that would have worked well as an episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. "The Trouble Man," which falls somewhere between these in mood with a blend of suspense and wit, features Jeff Bransford, John Wesley Pringle (who also stars in "A Number of Things"), and other familiar Rainbow Range characters that appear in many of Rhodes' novels and stories. So many of his stories, in fact, feature recurring characters and take place in the same locations that it's basically like a story universe in which he set a lot of short fiction as well as full-length novels (both fictional characters and historical figures, whether lightly disguised or appearing under their own names—Pat Garrett, for example, appears in this volume, as he did in Rhodes' famous Paso Por Aqi; and the enigmatic gambler character Monte from that story makes a cameo here in "Cheerful Land").
"The Enchanted Valley" and "Cheerful Land" are more vignettes than stories, with the focus strongly on New Mexican life and landscape. "No Mean City" is a bit unusual, a longer story based on a rumored incident of planned sabotage that never materialized during World War I; but even here, it's the extensive backstory involving New Mexican history that makes it interesting. (And here again a key character from another story reappears, as the protagonist this time.)
What surprised me was how much I enjoyed the three nonfiction essays, dealing with New Mexico's quest for statehood, the writing of Western fiction, and defense of Pat Garrett against critics partial to Billy the Kid, respectively. Rhodes' literate, witty writing style and no-nonsense way of expressing his opinions make even politics interesting; plus I found myself agreeing with a lot of what he has to say about Western fiction and Americans' neglect of their own history in "The West That Was."
In short, this volume leaves Eugene Rhodes high on my list of favorite Western writers, both for writing skill and the wonderfully authentic feel of the settings and incidents. If you're an enthusiast for Western fiction, and particularly if you enjoy a Southwestern setting, you won't want to miss his work.
February 5, 2018
The essays on "The West That Was" and "In Defense of Pat Garret" earn this book 5 stars easily. Both were enjoyable--I so wish he could have finished his non-fiction history book on New Mexico before his death! Judging from these samples it would have been a valuable contribution to true American history, and we're a poorer nation because of it's absence.
The fiction fluctuated in quality from OK to good to excellent, but for anyone who enjoys Rhodes it's well worth a read.
I'm a bit surprised that it is not more widely read. This volume earns a place among the fiction, or equally among the primary-source history, of any western aficionado's shelf.
The fiction fluctuated in quality from OK to good to excellent, but for anyone who enjoys Rhodes it's well worth a read.
I'm a bit surprised that it is not more widely read. This volume earns a place among the fiction, or equally among the primary-source history, of any western aficionado's shelf.
June 15, 2020
Bernard DeVoto, widely regarded as the authority on all things west of the Mississippi, described Eugene Rhodes as being the most authentic chronicler of the Cowboy -a bold claim to be sure, in light of the decades of history, literature and film on the subject that pre-dated Rhodes’ death. This volume of short stories proves that DeVoto’s characterization of Rhodes is not just fantastic, but true; as true today as when written in the early 1950s.
No chronicler of the Cowboy myth has ever knocked Rhodes off the pedestal. Those who posit someone higher, have simply not yet stumbled into Rhodes. His prose and poetry authentically capture an epoch in American history as rich in myth as the time of King Arthur.
Many of Rhodes’ short stories rival his novels for wit, charm and intelligence. This collection features his best stories, some of which may be found in other earlier bound volumes; many are bound here for the first time. “No Mean City” and “The Trouble Man” could be stand-alone Novellas. In so few words they reveal a love of time and place almost without parallel in Western fiction. “Aforesaid Bates”, which can also be found in the limited print, “Little World Waddies”, blows Elmer Kelton’s “The Time it Never Rained” out of the water. Rhodes’ essay, “The West that Was” is one of the best summaries of the Old West I’ve ever come across. “Fool’s Heart” rivals the best suspense of Hitchcock, and “A Number of Things” is a flat-out hilarious cat and mouse story with a well-known Rhodes protagonist.
Of all of Rhodes’ works, this collection may be the easiest to come across, and is usually well-priced. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.
No chronicler of the Cowboy myth has ever knocked Rhodes off the pedestal. Those who posit someone higher, have simply not yet stumbled into Rhodes. His prose and poetry authentically capture an epoch in American history as rich in myth as the time of King Arthur.
Many of Rhodes’ short stories rival his novels for wit, charm and intelligence. This collection features his best stories, some of which may be found in other earlier bound volumes; many are bound here for the first time. “No Mean City” and “The Trouble Man” could be stand-alone Novellas. In so few words they reveal a love of time and place almost without parallel in Western fiction. “Aforesaid Bates”, which can also be found in the limited print, “Little World Waddies”, blows Elmer Kelton’s “The Time it Never Rained” out of the water. Rhodes’ essay, “The West that Was” is one of the best summaries of the Old West I’ve ever come across. “Fool’s Heart” rivals the best suspense of Hitchcock, and “A Number of Things” is a flat-out hilarious cat and mouse story with a well-known Rhodes protagonist.
Of all of Rhodes’ works, this collection may be the easiest to come across, and is usually well-priced. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews