Dime novels had featured some rather scrawny horse-bound tenders of cattle, but not until 1902 did the cowboy become a fully realized article of American culture. That year Owen Wister, a native of Philadelphia, published the novel that established the conventions of the western. An immediate best seller, it has never faded from public consciousness. Suddenly there was the natural aristocrat, the Virginian, who faced down the archetypal villain. Trampas, flinging at him the unforgettable words "When you call me that, smile! ...
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Dime novels had featured some rather scrawny horse-bound tenders of cattle, but not until 1902 did the cowboy become a fully realized article of American culture. That year Owen Wister, a native of Philadelphia, published the novel that established the conventions of the western. An immediate best seller, it has never faded from public consciousness. Suddenly there was the natural aristocrat, the Virginian, who faced down the archetypal villain. Trampas, flinging at him the unforgettable words "When you call me that, smile!" There was the eastern schoolteacher, Molly, far from being a wilted flower. They moved in the raw, bracing atmosphere that generations of readers and moviegoers would come to expect from westerns. To read The Virginian, again or for the first time, is to enter a cultural phenomenon. This Bison Book makes available once more the memorable 1929 edition that brought together the art of Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell. It adds an introduction by one of today's most brilliant creators of rugged individualists, Thomas McGuane. The author of Nobody's Angel (1982) and Keep the Change (1989), McGuane shows how The Virginian "bears all the advantages and disadvantages of being a precursor."
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Add this copy of The Virginian: a Horseman of the Plains to cart. $10.47, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Austell, GA, UNITED STATES, published 1992 by University of Nebraska Press.
Add this copy of The Virginian: a Horseman of the Plains to cart. $10.47, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Dallas rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1992 by University of Nebraska Press.
Add this copy of The Virginian: a Horseman of the Plains to cart. $10.47, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 1992 by University of Nebraska Press.
Add this copy of The Virginian: a Horseman of the Plains to cart. $10.47, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Austell, GA, UNITED STATES, published 1992 by University of Nebraska Press.
Add this copy of The Virginian: a Horseman of the Plains to cart. $10.47, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published 1992 by University of Nebraska Press.
Add this copy of The Virginian: a Horseman of the Plains to cart. $10.47, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Dallas rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1992 by University of Nebraska Press.
Add this copy of The Virginian: a Horseman of the Plains to cart. $11.99, good condition, Sold by Days of Old Books and More rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Wadesville, IN, UNITED STATES, published 1992 by University of Nebraska Press.
Add this copy of The Virginian: a Horse of the Plains to cart. $12.68, good condition, Sold by Wonder Book - Member ABAA/ILAB rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Frederick, MD, UNITED STATES, published 1992 by University of Nebraska Press.
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Seller's Description:
Good. Good condition. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains.
Add this copy of The Virginian: A Horseman of the Plains to cart. $12.99, fair condition, Sold by Wagon Wheel Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from DFW, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1992 by University of Nebraska Press.
Add this copy of The Virginian: a Horseman of the Plains to cart. $13.45, very good condition, Sold by Taos Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Santa Fe, NM, UNITED STATES, published 1992 by Lincoln, NE, U.S.A. : University of Nebraska Press, 1992.
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Seller's Description:
Used: Very Good. Trade Paperback. Very Good. First Thus. Precursor of the genre published in 1902; this reprint edition follows the 1929 edition that brought together the art of Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell and includes an intro. by Thomas McGuane, 434 pages.
I read somewhere that this book has sold record numbers of copies. It should. There was never written a better Western romance or any other kind of romance.Fooey on Camelot and those posturing Round Table guys with their plumes and flashy scabbords. The Virginian makes them look like woosies.
I fell in love with the Virginian and Molly, the New England school ma'arm whom he courts for three years before she will marry him because she does not want to disgrace her old-line family. Molly is adorable despite her family pride.l
Everything is in here: the cowboys, the roundups, the barbeques with whole steers roasted, the hanging, the shoot-out, the judge and his wonderfyully aristocratic wife, both of whom see how terrific a man the Virginaian is. Mrs. Judges says, "He's too good for her, but he doesn't know it." The judge's wife is right. No woman is good enough for the Virginian. I
read that this book is the model for all Western romances that came afterward. As far as I can tell, this is Owen Wister's only book, cobbled from a series of short cowboy tales that he had written and then patched together to make this one wonderful story.
I have read it twice, and I am going to read it
again.
umwiltoh
Feb 26, 2009
Excellent Read
The story of a remarkable cowboy, told with humour, mischief, serious, and beauty. Plenty of beautiful vistas, colourful characters, strong friendships, desperate criminals, and even a bit of romance. It is hard to describe the plot since it is told in a series of episodes that gives you time to get to know the characters, but it still is cohesive and a highly recommended read!
