Certain of the newspapers, when this book was first announced, made a mistake most natural upon seeing the sub-title as it then stood, A TALE OF SUNDRY ADVENTURES. "This sounds like a historical novel," said one of them, meaning (I take it) a colonial romance. As it now stands, the title will scarce lead to such interpretation; yet none the less is this book historical-quite as much so as any colonial romance. Indeed, when you look at the root of the matter, it is a colonial romance. For Wyoming between 1874 and 1890 was a ...
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Certain of the newspapers, when this book was first announced, made a mistake most natural upon seeing the sub-title as it then stood, A TALE OF SUNDRY ADVENTURES. "This sounds like a historical novel," said one of them, meaning (I take it) a colonial romance. As it now stands, the title will scarce lead to such interpretation; yet none the less is this book historical-quite as much so as any colonial romance. Indeed, when you look at the root of the matter, it is a colonial romance. For Wyoming between 1874 and 1890 was a colony as wild as was Virginia one hundred years earlier. As wild, with a scantier population, and the same primitive joys and dangers. There were, to be sure, not so many Chippendale settees.
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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!
