Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

Endorsed by President Ronald Reagan as "A treasured edition to my library."
"The Shootist" by Glendon Swarthout won the Spur Award in 1975.

"J.B." Books has committed thirty-plus killings. Now an older man, Books arrives in Carson City, Nevada, in late January 1901. Soon, he is confronted by an armed robber, who he quickly disarms by wounding him. Needing a place to live during his failing health goes to a quiet boarding house and gives an alias.

"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."

A movie came out the following year staring John Wayne and Lauren Bacall. The Shootist was John Wayne's final cinematic role, concluding a 50-year career.

Swarthout, was affected by the Great Depression and World War II, which in turn influenced his 16 novels.

Another different type of western like when we read Shane. Anyone thinking about reading this one and maybe the movie too?

Thanks for creating the thread! I will read it when I have completed Fortunata and Jacinta. I like reading oone book at a time.

Me too Chrissie. I can look at a natural resource books like birds, wild animals and such but cannot read another without getting confused or start another, I might as well wait to read the first one!

I have thought about this a lot, Lesle. If the books are very different I do not confuse them. I still prefer to do ne at a time because this way one sinks into a different world more easily. Hopping around between different places, characters a nd subjects us not my thing. I like to immerse myself in another existence.

This novel feels like Western Noir to me. It’s got that pace and punchy dialogue and gritty feel of Dashiell Hammett. Swarthout’s execution of the climax is just consummate. I feel like he’s giving us a portrait of how selfish humans are. I go into this more in my review, but he seems to portray humans as basically vultures. Exaggerated, I think, but not totally wrong.

John Dishwasher wrote: "This novel feels like Western Noir to me. It’s got that pace and punchy dialogue and gritty feel of Dashiell Hammett. Swarthout’s execution of the climax is just consummate. I feel like he’s giving..."

Please post a link to your review here. Do you warn for spoilers? I haven't read it yet but will soon.

Chrissie

Just to let you know if you go to this line in his post:
message 5: by John Dishwasher - "rated it 4 stars" Jul 02, 2023 06:35PM

If you hover over "rated it 4 stars" a line will apear. If you click on it, that will take you to John's review. It's a short cut not well known.

Hope this helps.

Lesle, thank you. That is great to know. I had no idea!

Lesle wrote: "Chrissie

Just to let you know if you go to this line in his post:
message 5: by John Dishwasher - "rated it 4 stars" Jul 02, 2023 06:35PM

Cool!
If you hover over "rated it 4 stars" a line will apear. ..."

I'd forgotten that frontier western expeditions only have to be 30 years old. Not that I normally read these, but it's good to know in case I do. The friend that introduced me to Heinlein and adult scifi also introduced me to Zane Grey and westerns--only the scifi stuck, although once in a great while I read one. :)

Karin not all FWC reads are the Cowboy Westerns type.

It also covers stories of Frontier and Pioneers like O Pioneers! by Willa Cather she has a triology with this one included.

Chrissie and Blueberry glad you discovered something helpful!

Great to know! Thank you so very much.

Your more than welcome of course!

I watched the movie the other day. I really liked the storyline but the movie was just ok for me, even though it's on a list for the 10 best movies of that year. When it comes to Westerns, I prefer Clint Eastwood over John Wayne. And, Ron Howard will always be either Opie Taylor or Richie Cunningham for me. I guess I watched too many episodes of Happy Days as a teen. I put the book on hold from the library and will try to get to it. I hope everyone enjoys it!

Pam wrote: "I watched the movie the other day. I really liked the storyline but the movie was just ok for me, even though it's on a list for the 10 best movies of that year. When it comes to Westerns, I prefer..."

I found the movie interesting because of how Hollywood changed the story. Swarthout's judgment of human beings is very harsh in the book. Hollywood softens it up considerably. The film is still enjoyable to watch, tho.

John- I will be interested to see how the movie compares to the book. I figured that they lightened up the movie. What makes the movie memorable is knowing that John Wayne also was dying from cancer and this was his last movie. One scene I liked, for the setting, was the one with the horse drawn trolley. I’ve never seen that before.

Pam wrote: "John- I will be interested to see how the movie compares to the book. I figured that they lightened up the movie. What makes the movie memorable is knowing that John Wayne also was dying from cance..."

Yeah, that was definitely cool. There was a lot in that movie that made it compelling for me too. That it was John Wayne's last, and how that fact merged with the story line was one. And having Jimmy Stewart and Lauren Bacall and Ron Howard and John Carradine in it made it irresistible. Perfect last hurrah for his career.

Re: the movie, I liked the introductory montage of scenes from older John Wayne movies. I wasn’t even paying attention to it but later read about it in the book’s intro. My husband has seen all of his movies (but not this one recently) so he was interested in seeing it. He was able to identify each of the movies! That was pretty ingenious of the director/producer to include that montage!

A very fitting tribute from the begining of this movie to the end. It was crafted perfectly for John Wayne's final film.

I'm reading this now. It is not an easy read for me. That John Wayne played in the movie is so VERY appropriate! That it is hard to read proves that it is well written.

I just finished ch3. I think it’s really good. There’s some darker thoughts that are revealed in the book which are missing for the movie. I especially liked the last 3 pages of ch3 where Books is answering to himself the I Wish question and thinking about his options. I’ve noticed several times where Books is thinking about something (the narrative) but in the movie he actually makes the comment to someone in a different scene.

I finished the book in 1 day, very unusual for me. I really liked it (5 stars) despite the descriptive violent scenes. It felt authentic and not a glamorized gunfighter/shootist/ Wild West story. I was surprised at how well it was written. Even after watching the movie just a few days ago, the book totally captivated me! I can appreciate though why the movie was watered down.

In case anyone wants more, there is a sequel to the book titled The Last Shootist by Miles Hood Swarthout, the author’s son.

Pam, I read it in one day too. I am a person who tends to empathize TOO much. It ripped me apart. I like that he did not (view spoiler)[lower his moral principles (hide spoiler)].

I agree, the "wish" section was very good.

It is well done, no doubt about that. For me a three star book IS one that I like. I am not generous with my stars.

I am glad to have read it.

I am happy you both enjoyed this read. It is in my ever growing way behind pile for this year :(

Lesle, don't give yourself a hard time--you're busy!

Thank you Chrissie.

I really have to get my hands on a copy of this. I’ve been really into Westerns the past few years. I’ll be joining in soon!

Happy to have you join in Chad!

Chad - Look forward to hearing your thoughts on the book and how it compares to other Westerns you’ve read! This was my first classic Western.

I ordered a copy today. I’ve been reading a bunch of what you might call “Pulp Westerns”. The reviews of this one seem to put it in a different bracket. What got me started was Lonesome Dove which I absolutely loved. I should have The Shootist by next week and will dive in. I’ll share my thoughts.

Chad - I read Lonesome Dove a few years ago and watched the 1989 TV mini-series in tandem. I loved both!

Me too Pam!
Adore Gus and his thoughts and words made me snicker often!
TV Series was spot on to the book!

Some of the Classics that we have read are in a different class like Lonesome Dove. I have really enjoyed them. I am hoping to get to this one very soon too!

Chad, Lonesome Dove is great!!!!! I gave it five stars. When I got my last dog I was seriously thinking of calling him Gus! The only reason I didn't was because the pronunciation in Swedish would be weird. I had to pick a name that worked in English, Swedish and French--not an easy task! I settled on Oscar because t works in all three countries. Gus was a real hero for me.

Yes, Lonesome Dove was a great one.

Chrissie, as a dog lover, I think that Gus is an excellent name for a pup! In English lol. My wife is Irish so we have had a Dublin (Dub Dub), a Murphy (Moo Moo) and a Baily. All Boston Terriers. My copy of The Shootist arrived today. Much earlier than expected. I’ll start it in a few days.

Chad wrote: "Chrissie, as a dog lover, I think that Gus is an excellent name for a pup! In English lol. My wife is Irish so we have had a Dublin (Dub Dub), a Murphy (Moo Moo) and a Baily. All Boston Terriers. M..."

Nice that the book has arrived. e've had several breed of dogs in my family. Everything from Golden Retrievers, to Samojeds, to Irish Water Spaniels, Welsh Terriers, Flat coated retrievers, Newfoundlands, Leonberger, Cocker Spaniels and my latest and favorite breed Curly Coated Retrievers. Their personality fits me best Each dog is very different, but there are special things about each breed. I have listed so many since not just me but everyone in the family has ha their own dogs. I kid of got off the subject of bo oks. Sorry, I like the name Murphy!

I just started reading and it sure starts off with some shooting. About our characters stollen pillow, if I was to steal one I do think that the very last place I would steal a soft pillow from is a “whorehouse”, but that’s just me.

Chad wrote: "if I was to steal one I do think that the very last place I would steal a soft pillow from is ..."

Haha!! Chad do you not think it would be clean and fresh smelling?

I think not, Lesle! Lol. I got to about the halfway point in the book today and I really like it. I don’t think I ever saw the movie but the dialogue in this just sounds like it was written specifically for John Wayne.

Chad wrote: "I just started reading and it sure starts off with some shooting. About our characters stollen pillow, if I was to steal one I do think that the very last place I would steal a soft pillow from is ..."

You aren't the only one who'd steal a pillow from a whorehouse last. LOL I think I'd rather go without! LOL

I finished this one today. Excellent read! It has two or three pretty brutal scenes that almost read as coroner reports after a shooting but the writing is great, the story is great and it’s unlike any western (if it’s even a Western) that I’ve ever read. It’s fascinating to think of the last gunslinger walking into the twentieth century seeing his whole world and way of life vanishing. And that isn’t even what the story is really about. It’s a quick read and I do hope that more people here read it.

This is an interesting read. I read it in a day. The interaction between the characters help to understand Books better. With the ending it made it as if the end of the gunslinger era wasn’t over, or at least a new kind of killer arising. The technicality of how the gunslingers had died, refers back to how his cancer was described earlier in the book.

As an aside, I wish authors would stop using common nouns or words for characters’ names. It makes it confusing and harder to read, as in Books and New

I finished this a while back and it is a wonderful read about when life finally catches up with you and a reality check of cancer. Mr Books is a very fine respectable lead in this read. He wants to go with dignity and enjoy what little time he has left. I had wished he had gone to Ms Rogers and told her good-bye. It was the part I felt did not get completed in the novel.
The movie made me sadder if that is possible knowing it was John Wayne's last.
Not a normal western as westerns go. I think anyone would enjoy it.