When I was a kid in Phoenix circa 1972, I used to love Saturdays because I would always watch "John Wayne Theater" at 2:00 P.M. I've seen dozens of his movies over the years, spanning "'Neath Arizona Skies" from 1934 to "The Shootist" in 1976. I used to love the simplicity of those westerns; you always knew who the good guys were and who the bad guys were and you could always count on some good fights and lots of action. One of his movies that I managed to miss was "Hondo", a western from 1953 starring John Wayne and Geraldine Page. I've since placed a hold on that one but in the meantime I've done something even better: I just finished the book upon which it's based, Hondo by Louis L'Amour.

Hondo Lane is an army dispatch rider during an Apache uprising in southeastern Arizona. Riding alone except for his trusty canine companion, he comes across an isolated ranch owned by a beautiful woman, Angie Lowe, and her young son, Johnny, both of whom were long ago abandoned by her husband, who's presumed to be dead. Hondo and the woman share a kiss but he leaves without her in order to deliver his dispatch to the army commander. This mission accomplished, he decides to return to the ranch to protect Angie and Johnny from harm. But things start to go awry: a cavalry column from the fort is massacred; Hondo himself is captured and tortured by the Apache; Angie is pressured by the stern but noble chief Vittoro to take an Indian brave as her husband in return for her safety; and, worst of all, Angie's no-good husband Ed Lowe turns up alive and well and full of ill-intent for Hondo Lane.

All the archetypal pieces are present in this quintessential western tale: a tough but honest hero; a beautiful but chaste heroine; a cowardly and despicable villain; brutal but honorable Indians; brave but naive cavalry officers; lots of fights and battles; lots of austerely beautiful landscape; even a wild but loyal dog. Yet as formulaic as all of that sounds, I found Hondo to be a throughly enjoyable read, due chiefly to the well-constructed story, well-delineated characters, and L'Amour's fluid writing style. Of course, little in the book strikes me as terribly realistic. From what I've read, life on the frontier was a whole lot more complicated than a battle between hero and villain, cavalry and Indians, right and wrong...though, to his credit, the author added touches of depth to a number of characters in this book. Still, it's a fairly idealized account that perpetuates the myth, rather than the truth, of the Old West. 

Yet myths have a habit of being comforting and Hondo is definitely a feel-good read, just as most of the old John Wayne westerns were feel-good movies. So if you're looking for an action-packed excursion into the heart of American Mythology written by a master of the idiom, then you better listen and I mean listen good, pilgrim: check out Louis L'Amour's Hondo!

Appaloosa isn't a typical western although it does have a couple of pretty good shoot-'em-ups.  It talks of relationships with friends, the opposite sex, laws and even talks about the life of an Appaloosa stallion and his harem of mares.   A mighty fine read, pardner.

His Western Crossroads is all about that; the American Southwest is harsh and beautiful, the hero is larger than life, with a hunger for adventure and the women are mysterious and idealized. Dix Van Dyck is a hell raiser, he enjoys fights and he has killed a man in self defense.  After earning the hatred of the new sheriff, Dix decides to head out for adventure and new worlds to conquer.  The title of chapter one is Destination - The World.  However Dix doesn't get very far; he stopped for a meal in the town of Double Bend and saw a beautiful young woman whom the other men in the saloon were avoiding.  She piqued his interest and asking questions, he discovered that she was bad luck.  She had all the good luck and the people who got close to her lost money, horses and sometimes their lives.  Dix decided she was just the adventure he was looking for. Jacqueline "Jack" Boone was intrigued that Dix wasn't afraid of her reputation and saw her as an opportunity for action and adventure.  As they ride off together into the sunset, actually, the adventures begin..there are villains in Jack's past out to get her and that new sheriff that Dix insulted is out for blood.

I must make this disclaimer. Crossroads was written in 1919 and has all the prejudices and beliefs of the times.  The women are either good or bad.  The villains are completely villainous. The Latinos and Native Americans are either noble or foolishly wrong.  But if you can live with this Crossroads is an exciting adventure story and yes even a sweet romance