Jack Schaefer (1907–1991)

I truly enjoyed this one. I generally like lone-wolf stories and Shane is just that, story of a mysterious rider that comes to the small town and finds himself helping them against the oppression. It is clear that this western [and others with similar story lines that followed] were an inspiration to the writers of modern day knights errant like Jack Reacher.

Told from the perspective of a young boy, Bob Starrett, in opening chapter we witness the arrival of a lone rider who identifies himself only as Shane. Recognized by Bob's father, Joe, as someone who can help on the Starrett farm, Shane decides to accept the offer and help the Starrett's. It is obvious that Shane has troubled past but he does not let anything slip so he remains an enigma to the family. But even that does not stop Starrett's from almost adopting Shane and Shane completely warming up to this hard working family. For Joe's son Bob, Shane's mystery proves to be the absolute magnet - he follows him around trying to learn as much as he can from him, from handling the horse, gun to other works he is involved on the farm.

Of course problem/conflict come in in form of powerful rancher who wants farmers to leave what he considers to be his land (ever present conflict on the great plains of America). And this is where Shane decides to stand up and protect family he became part of.

What I liked here is that Starrett family is grounded, practical and they are true family. Joe immediately recognizes that Shane would be a great asset to his farm and when Shane decides to help, it becomes obvious that harmonious family life is something that Shane is missing dearly. Slowly, as days pass by in interaction with Starrett's Shane's starts to go back to what can be considered normal life [from whatever he was trying to escape from].

As confrontation between ranchers and farmers starts to escalate we can see how Shane acknowledges that violence, no matter how he tries to run away from it, has its place in defense of good people. He can be deadly [bot unarmed and armed] when needed but he shows that he does not endorse the violence on itself. At the end his decision to ride away is driven by the fact that he is back where he was at the beginning of the story and can never go back to farming life. Violence follows him, such is the nature of the world, and he does not want people he likes to get hurt because of it.

Excellent western, got me glued from the first pages to the very end.

Highly recommended.… (meer)

Schaefer is most well known for [Shane], especially with the famous film version. This diminutive read tells the story of Little Bear, who is a bit of a willing outcast because of his unusual perspective on warring with other tribes. He lights out for a coming of age ritual and experiences a vision. in a starving and sleepless fog, he falls into an undiscovered canyon and breaks his leg. Over the next few months, he recuperates and proves himself to himself. Eventually, he makes his way back to his band where he carries a mystical quality and proves himself to the others. He returns to the canyon with his bride and starts a family there. Soon, he learns that the canyon was less important in his life than his own identity.

The book was enjoyable and well-written. But it gets the fourth star for the detailed understanding Schaefer of the culture Schaefer communicates. it's hard to say whether Schaefer's understanding is accurate, as I'm unfamiliar with the details of this tribe's culture at the time. And I suspect Schaefer would suffer in these modern times from cultural appropriation criticism. But he exhibits an uncommon empathy for the people and an easy demonstration of the shared human condition regardless of the specific ethnicity of the characters.

4 bones!!!!… (meer)

A lyrical view of the old west of the cattle drive days, and of the life of Monte Walsh, a good man on a horse. Monte is both a good man, and as good as anyone can be at breaking and riding horses and wants little more than to do whatever work can be done from horseback, preferably with his good friend Chet who enjoys the excitement Monte's streak of inventive mischief delivers to life and takes care of Monte through the consequences. But the west ages, as do Chet and Monte and Chet finds something more to life with which Monte can't find a fit. And though we only hear of it from his final neighbors he does eventually find a community where his qualities are appreciated. Episodically told, we are never really in Monte's head and sometime only know by it's inclusion at the end of a chapter that the tale of cowboy antics is about him.… (meer)