“The Americans are certainly great hero worshippers, and always take their heroes from the criminal classes.”
Whether it’s the expansive skies, wide-open spaces or the feeling of living off the land and fending for themselves, there’s something about the Western genre that really captures readers’ imaginations. From loveable rogue outlaws to veteran sheriffs, Western books have been one of the most popular subgenres in the Historical Fiction world for a number of years, bringing tales of adventure, love, loss, tragedy and heroism to the pages. Grab your stetson, revolver and bottle of whiskey and join us here at What We Reading as we run through the best Western books of all time!
Lonesome Dove – Larry McMurtry
Larry McMurtry tells the classic tale of two experienced Texan Rangers who embark on one final adventure together – a cattle drive from Texas to Montana in Lonesome Dove. Despite expecting it to be an easy payday, their task quickly devolves into dangerous adventures across the American West.
A Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Lonesome Dove is a slow-grinding Western book where Larry McMurtry’s superb writing skills succeed in painting the wild American Frontier.
The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford – Ron Hansen
The Assassination Of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is one of the most famous Western books ever written. This Historical Fiction book by Ron Hansen details the remarkable life and times of Jesse James.
His exploits are infamous across American history, however, what makes Hansen’s work stand out as one of the best in the business is his perspective from his assassinator, Robert Ford. Ford toes the line between friend and foe in a compelling and unique way, putting the character of James in an entirely new light.
True Grit – Charles Portis
In the 1870s, Charles Portis’ True Grit centres around teenager Mattie Ross and the murder of her father, telling an edgy tale of vengeance. In order to hunt down the individual responsible for the crime, nestled deep in the heart of the Indian territories, Mattie enlists the help of a Texas Ranger and the experienced Federal Marshal Rooster Cogburn.
For an action-packed tale that explores the harsh realities of law and order on the Frontier, True Grit remains an absolute classic.
To The River’s End – William W. Johnstone
A true Western classic from William Johnstone To The River’s End follows the story of eighteen-year-old Luke Ransom. After accepting an advertisement for a job opportunity in a St. Louis newspaper for a position with The American Fur Company, he maps out his treks up the Missouri River.
What follows is a sweeping, suspenseful, action-packed and captivating story that chronicles the obstacles and hardships of forging a life in the American West. One of the best Western books, To The River’s End is an adventurous saga based on actual events.
The Quick And The Dead – Louis L’Amour
Louis L’Amour’s The Quick and the Dead still stands as one of the best Western books ever written. The story follows Duncan McKaskel, a man who decides to take his family out West in search of a better life.
Initially, he believes he has come more than prepared for the dangers posed by everything from vicious bandits to the harsh weather patterns, the enigmatic and mysterious stranger in his camp soon poses an altogether different threat. Renowned for his storytelling abilities, Louis L’Amour’s Western books have become some of the most beloved in the genre, with The Quick and the Dead still ranking as one of his best works.
Blood Meridian – Cormac McCarthy
Blurring the lines between the violent expansion of the Frontier with the mythology of the Wild West, Blood Meridian is one of the best Western books from veteran novelist Cormac McCarthy. Based on real-world historical events that took place on the 1850s Mexican-American border, Blood Meridian follows fourteen-year-old Kid, a young Tennesseean who discovers a nightmarish world where Indians are being murdered for profit.
Doing away with the conventions and glamorising that usually come with Western novels, Blood Meridian is a compelling read that goes out of its way to paint a far more vivid picture of life out West.
Check Out The Best Books Like Blood Meridian
Open Season – C.J. Box
C.J. Box is well renowned for his Joe Pickett series, following the story of a game warden living in Wyoming. Open Season is the first book in the series and opens with Joe discovering a corpse in his own back garden.
The local authorities quickly rule that they have solved the case, but several motives soon lead Joe to question whether that is really true. Combining a contemporary Crime Thriller against a beautiful backdrop of the American West, Open Season serves as a stellar opener to the Joe Pickett series.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
