Thoroughly engaging, at times even harrowing, adventure tale set in the San Francisco gold rush. Detailed depiction of its time and place, complete with everything from mining techniques to societal attitudes. You'll feel like you're in the diggings. (Summary by Lee Elliott)
29 episodes
Bret Harte (August 25, 1836 – May 6, 1902) was an American author and poet, best remembered for his accounts of pioneering life in California. (Summary from Wikipedia)
28 episodes
Cattle Brands is a collection of 14 entertaining short stories depicting not only the life of cowboys in the wild, wild West, but also the harrowing skirmishes with banditos, thrilling shoot-outs, attempt at and the recapture of stolen chattel from fierce desperados, and much, much more exciting accounts that make one think it all actually happened. (Summary by Kehinde)
14 episodes
“Max Brand", the most used pseudonym of Frederick Schiller Faust (1892-1944), is best known today for his western fiction. Faust began in the early twentieth century selling his stories to the pulp magazines, writing in many genres under numerous pseudonyms. He is probably best known as the creator of the character Destry. His novel Destry Rides Again has been filmed several times, most notably the 1939 version starring James Stewart and Marlene Dietrich. Also his character Dr. Kildare which was popularized in film and on television earned him a fortune. Faust’s novel The Untamed, the first of three novels featuring the classic western hero Dan Barry was filmed in 1920, starring Tom Mix. Faust became a front line war correspondent and died of wounds received while traveling with American soldiers in Italy, May 12, 1944.Trailin’ (1919) tells the story of Anthony Bard, a young aristocract from the east with a hunger for adventure, who sees his father murdered in the yard of their home. This starts young Anthony on a trail of vengeance that leads him to the far west. Here, Anthony, a tenderfoot with a knack for survival must track down a legendary outlaw who waits for him, not with a gun, but with a story. Along the way he braves the elements, resists a band of cold-blooded killers and finds love. A classic western revenge plot…..with a twist. (summary by Rowdy Delaney)
41 episodes
The year is 1871, and wealthy ranch owner Jane Withersteen is in trouble. She has incurred the displeasure of her Mormon church leaders by refusing to marry a church elder and by befriending Gentiles (non-Mormons). In rides Lassiter, the quintessential Western hero: mysterious, purposeful, a deadly gunslinger, but with an unexpected streak of gentleness. While Lassiter is assisting Jane at the ranch, her friend and rider Bern Venters is having an adventure of his own in the Utah canyonlands. Riders of the Purple Sage is a story of heroism, love, brave men and strong women, good dogs and fast horses. And who is that Masked Rider? (Summary by Laurie Anne Walden)
23 episodes
Buck Duane, son of a famous gunfighter, falls prey to the old problem - called out by a cowboy who wants to make trouble, Duane kills him and then must ride off to the lawless country near the Neuces River to escape being arrested and perhaps, hanged. His brief encounter with deadly gunplay has ignited a deep urging to repeat the adrenaline rush but is tempered by ghosts that haunt his sleep. He only dares to release his inner demon when he is taking down an outlaw who is particularly known for his brutality.He develops a reputation for killing the most notorious Texas outlaws, which draws an unexpected interest: a captain of the Texas Rangers offers him a pardon and a ranger's badge if he will infiltrate the gang of the shadowy figure known as "Cheseldine" who wields vast power in West Texas, and make it possible for the Rangers to break the gang's hold on the region's towns. Duane accepts, never guessing in his wildest nightmares that he would sniff out this Cheseldine, his hideouts, his lieutenants... and fall in love with his daughter! (Summary by Mark F. Smith)
26 episodes
Frederick Schiller Faust (1892-1944), is best known today for his western fiction. Faust was born in Seattle, Washington and at an early age moved with his parents to the San Joaquin Valley in California where he worked as a ranchhand. After a failed attempt to enlist in the Great War in 1917 and with the help of Mark Twain's sister he met Robert Hobart Davis, editor of All-Story Weekly and became a regular contributor writting under his most used pseudonym “Max Brand”. He wrote in many genres during his career and produced more than 300 western novels and stories. His most famous characters were Destry and Dr. Kildare, both of which were produced in film. Faust was killed in Italy in 1944 as a front line war correspondent at the age of 51. He is buried in the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery in Nettuno, Italy.Ronicky Doone (1926) is a hero of the west, respected by the law-abiding citizen and hated by bushwhacking bandits. Bill Gregg is a man in love, not about to be deflected from meeting his lady love for the first time, and willing to stand up to the living legend to reach her. This initial meeting leads to a friendship between the two and they travel east to New York City on the trail of the girl. When they find the girl, Caroline Smith, and she refuses to leave, Ronicky must discover the secret that holds her. They encounter the sinister John Mark and the beautiful Ruth Tolliver and are exposed to the horrors and vices of big city life as they attempt to rescue Caroline and find their way back to the mountain-desert of the west. (Summary by Rowdy Delaney)
28 episodes
Breckinridge Elkins is the roughest, toughest, fastest-shootin', hardest-fightin' feller in the Bear Creek settlement, and probably in the entire Humbolt Mountains. As he travels further from home, he single-handedly takes on outlaws, settles (and starts) feuds and tries his hand at romancing the girls. He also discovers a lot of strange customs among other folks, such as building houses out of boards and wearing clothes that ain't buckskins. Set in Arizona during the late 1800's, this collection of stories is a great rollicking romp through the American frontier as seen through the eyes of one of the most enjoyable characters created in the history of tall tales. (Summary by RK Wilcox)
9 episodes
Ostensibly a love story, the novel really revolves around a highly mythologized version of the Johnson County War in 1890's Wyoming ... The novel takes the side of the large ranchers, and depicts the lynchings as frontier justice, meted out by the protagonist, who is a member of a natural aristocracy among men.
(from Wikipedia)
27 episodes
Rod Norton is a lawman in a land where bandits and criminals make their own rules. Risking his life for justice and a future with the woman he loves, mortal danger awaits. For Norton and those in peril, the Bells of San Juan will chime. (Summary by Betty M.)
27 episodes
A man, a dog, and a horse. The call of the wild geese. A very smart doctor from the east who finds there is a lot to learn from these desert people. A woman loved by three men. A gunslinger who has a debt to settle. Max Brand brings them all together in another one of his over three hundred exciting western tales. Brand is not your typical western writer.(Summary by rkilmer)
42 episodes
The Seventh Man by Max Brand, tells part of the story of the larger-than-life western character, Dan Barry, known as “Whistling Dan,” and his alter-ego companions, Black Bart, the wolf-dog, and Satan, the indomitable black stallion. It’s also the story of Kate Cumberland and the incredible five-year-old daughter of Kate and Dan, Joan. We first see Dan as a gentle, caring man with a deep sense of fairness. But then, after six years of a peaceful life in their mountain cabin Dan, more feral than human, sets out to revenge an injustice by killing seven men. Ultimately, it is his devotion to his daughter and Kate’s love for the child that brings about the climax of the tale.Warning: don’t look for a typical cowboy story here – it’s far deeper and stronger than that. (Summary by Robert Keiper)
41 episodes
The Log of a Cowboy is an account of a five-month drive of 3,000 cattle from Brownsville, Texas, to Montana in 1882 along the Great Western Cattle Trail. Although the book is fiction, it is firmly based on Adams's own experiences on the trail, and it is considered by many to be the best account of cowboy life in literature. Adams was disgusted by the unrealistic cowboy fiction being published in his day; The Log of a Cowboy was his response. It is still in print, and even modern reviewers consider it a compelling classic. The Chicago Herald said: "As a narrative of cowboy life, Andy Adams' book is clearly the real thing. It carries its own certificate of authentic first-hand experience on every page." (Introduction by wikipedia)
24 episodes
Whistlin' Dan Berry is one of the most interesting characters in Western fiction. With uncanny abilities he controls a wild stallion, appropriately named Satan, and a ferocious wolf dog, Black Bart. Easy going, Berry proves absolutely unforgiving when physically assaulted by a feared, vicious outlaw, Jim Silent. Seemingly without any emotions, Whistlin' Dan is relentless in his vengeful search for Silent and his outlaw gang. The is the first book in the "Whistlin Dan" series. (Introduction by rkilmer)
38 episodes
He made one mistake in the beginning. He pushed the chestnut too hard the first and second days, so that on the third day he was forced to give the gelding his head and go at a jarring trot most of the day. On the fourth and fifth days, however, he had the reward for his caution. The chestnut's ribs were beginning to show painfully, but he kept doggedly at his work with no sign of faltering. The sixth day brought Andrew Lanning in close view of the lower hills. And on the seventh day he put his fortune boldly to the touch and jogged into the first little town before him.. (Introduction by Publisher)
41 episodes
Yee-hawww! The Pony Rider Boys are on the trail again! In the second book of this series, Professor Zepplin has taken the young men to San Diego, Texas, to experience the life of a cowboy. The cattle drive will take them across the great state of Texas, where they will meet many dangers and adventures. (Summary by Ann Boulais)
Previous book in the series: The Pony Rider Boys in the Rockies
Next book in the series: The Pony Rider Boys in Montana
24 episodes
Cattleman J.G. Whittemore, owner of the Flying U ranch in Montana, trusts the task of meeting his sister at the train to only one man, Chip. Chip’s not too keen on women. In his experience they come in only a few types: prissy “sweet young thing”, annoying cowgirl, or old maid that wants to drag him to church. He isn’t prepared for Miss Della Whittemore, the “Little Doctor.” She turns the ranch upside down, but can she turn Chip head over heels? (Summary by A. Gramour)
19 episodes
The son of a notorious outlaw is adopted into a wealthy, law-abiding family as an infant after his father is killed in an attempted robbery. Will he follow in the footsteps of his outlaw father or will his life be guided by the respectable woman who nurtured him to manhood? Another exciting tale by the master of the pulp western, Max Brand. (Summary by Richard Kilmer)
38 episodes
Dave ran a lumber mill in western Canada. There are some workers within his organization who he trusts implicitly, some who he doesn't trust at all, and some who he is unsure about. But Dave is basically a trusting soul. Most of the folks in Malkern liked him, as he had been a major factor in shaping the village and in providing employment for a lot of the folks who lived in the area. Dave was not a pleasant site to look at; ungainly, not very attractive, yet he had a heart that was the antithesis of his lack of physical attractiveness.
Dave was a good friend to Betty, who had promised her hand in marriage to Jim Truscott, who was on leave from Malkern searching for gold in the Yukon territory to secure a future for himself and his bride-to-be. Truscott had asked Dave to watch over Betty during his absence, but when he returned from his fortune seeking expedition in the Yukon, Truscott was a changed man. He didn't seem the same personable Jim Truscott that Betty had promised herself to, and Dave was a bit suspicious of his personality alterations as well. Now, Betty had to decide whether to hold herself to her promise, and Dave had to determine whether or not he should also keep himself to the promise he had made to his friend.
There is plenty of action, suspense, and personal introspection combined with a love story in The Trail of the Axe, and many a surprise awaits every turn. (Summary by Roger Melin).
32 episodes
Arizona Nights is a collection of tales from the American West as told by those who took part in them. (Summary by Adam E. Maroney)
34 episodes
Phil Thurston was born on the range where the trails are dim and silent under the big sky. It was the place his father loved, the place he had to be. After the death of his father when he was five, his mother brought him back to the city, where he grew up and became a writer. To revive his stale writing, he returns to the West, and may just find what he is really missing. (Summary by A. Gramour)
13 episodes
Yee-Haaw! The Pony Rider Boys are on the move again! In this book, the 3rd of the series, the boys have decided that they want to explore the north country. They also want to make their own arrangements for the adventure, with the approval of Professor Zepplin, of course! So they have arrived in Forsythe, Montana, to try their luck in the mountains. (Summary by Ann Boulais)
Previous book in the series: The Pony Rider Boys Texas
Next book in the series: The Pony Rider Boys in the Ozarks
24 episodes
Fans of the old radio shows and the TV series The Lone Ranger will recognize the characters in this book - the Lone Ranger, his faithful Indian sidekick Tonto and his trusty horse, Silver. The Lone Ranger Rides, a wonderful western story in itself, also details the origins of why a Texas Ranger would strike out on his own, wearing a mask at all times, and how he met his companions Tonto and his ever dependable equine friend Silver. (Summary by Roger Melin)
30 episodes
Canadian novelist Guy Morton's Rangy Pete is one of a trio of westerns he wrote in the 1920s (the other two being Black Gold and Wards of the Azure Hills). In this one, the Gary Cooper-esque title character, Rangy Pete, goes up against the Dervishers, and outlaw clan that's been stirring up trouble for the peaceable folks of Triple Butte. In so doing, he encounters a beautiful blue-eyed girl-bandit who promptly throws a lasso around his heart. As the action heats up, the grandeur of magnificent western landscape does battle with the picturesqueness of Rangy's colorful cowboy argot, and the reader comes out the winner.
Guy Morton wrote a score of novels in the 1920s and 1930s that found popularity especially in Britain and Australia. Besides westerns, he wrote spy-thrillers, such as The Black Robe (filmed in Canada as Secrets of Chinatown in 1935), featuring secret agent Donegal Dawn, as well as a dozen or so murder mysteries, often told with a comic touch. He was a Toronto-based journalist and worked as an editor of The Globe and Mail. (Summary by Grant Hurlock)
16 episodes
Yee-Haww! The Pony Rider Boys are on the move again! This time the boys are in the desert of Nevada, discovering the beauty and perils in 100 degree heat. It should be another thrilling ride that Professor Zepplin has taken them on! (Summary by Ann Boulais )
Previous book in the series: The Pony Rider Boys in the Ozarks
Next book in the series: The Pony Rider Boys in New Mexico
24 episodes
Yee-Haw!! The Pony Rider Boys are on the move again! This time they are on their way to Bluewater, New Mexico, ready for whatever adventure they can find. But this time, trouble spots them on the train. Will the Pony Rider Boys be able to handle whatever comes their way? (Summary by Ann Boulais)
Previous book in the series: The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali
Next book in the series: The Pony Rider Boys in the Grand Canyon
24 episodes
A collection of short stories by the legendary O. Henry. (Summary by sidhu177)
19 episodes
Yee-Haw!! The Pony Rider Boys are on the move again. This time the boys at Delaware Creek, dead in their saddles. They had been riding long and hard into Texas, looking forward to their next adventure. But, trouble finds them once again, this time Stacy Brown may have been shot! What will happen next is anyone's guess. (Summary by Ann Boulais)
Previous book in the series: The Pony Rider Boys in Grand Canyon
Next book in the series: The Pony Rider Boys on the Blue Ridge
24 episodes
James Willard Schultz, or Apikuni, (1859 – 1947) was a noted author, explorer, Glacier National Park guide, fur trader and historian of the Blackfoot Indians. Schultz is most noted for his prolific stories about Blackfoot life and his contributions to the naming of prominent features in Glacier National Park. (Summary by Wikipedia)
20 episodes
Bull Hunter was a man who could rip a tree trunk from the ground with his bare hands or tame the wildest stallion with his kind manner. But Pete Reeve didn't have the reputation of a dead shot because he relied on his common sense. Then Bull and Pete crossed paths, and townsfolk braced for the battle. (Summary by Richard Kilmer)
20 episodes
Babies, new life, a bitter winter blizzard, death circling. How will it all end? (David Wales )
6 episodes
Thirteen short stories by a popular writer of the early 20th century (not to be confused with an earlier book Blazed Trail). White's books were popular at a time when America was losing its vanishing wilderness. He was a keen observer of the beauties of nature and human nature, yet could render them in a plain-spoken style. Based on his own experience, whether writing camping journals or Westerns, he included pithy and fun details about cabin-building, canoeing, logging, gold-hunting, and guns and fishing and hunting. He also interviewed people who had been involved in the fur trade, the California gold rush and other pioneers which provided him with details that give his novels verisimilitude. He salted in humor and sympathy for colorful characters such as canny Indian guides and "greenhorn" campers who carried too much gear. - Summary by Wikipedia and david wales
13 episodes
Charlie Brooke is always rescuing others, and sometimes even himself! His latest rescue, though, could turn out to be fatal...- Summary by Adele de Pignerolles
34 episodes
This is another collection of O. Henry short stories. - Summary by Sid
23 episodes
A young Easterner, Hollis, a newspaper reporter, arrives in a small western town, to inherit his father’s ranch and his newspaper. He discovers that the town and the entire county are controlled by an unscrupulous cattleman, Dunlavey. This guy is a law unto himself, stealing cattle from his neighbors, who are powerless to defend themselves because he also owns the local sheriff. Can Hollis overcome these obstacles and insure that the county is run by the rule of law? (Summary by Richard Kilmer)
31 episodes
The heart of a stallion; the heart of a man; the heart of a woman. Three valiant, authentic, and determined souls cross each others' paths, and the sparks fly. We'll leave it to you to find out what kind of sparks. (Summary by Tony Oliva)
22 episodes
A hotel is robbed one night, and a cowboy makes his getaway with but few witnesses. When a young woman is also robbed, suspicion falls on one particular man who matches the description of the former thief. The robber is without a doubt a tall man; six feet four inches tall. Buck Thornton, at six feet four, in the area, and acting a bit peculiarly, becomes the suspect and sets about to uncover the true culprit. However, what he discovers during his detective work shocks him. Surely it couldn't be? He sets out to capture the thief and clear his name and just maybe prove to the girl who had been robbed that he was innocent of the crime. - Summary by Roger Melin
28 episodes
The stranger rode up in the pouring rain to the lonely ranch house. Before dawn he was riding quickly away. Who had killed old Mr. Benton? The stranger, or Gus, or Mrs. Zellar? And why was Jack Montagne’s behavior so gentlemanly? Read this 1921 pulp western to find out. Max Brand was one of many pseudonyms used by Frederick Schiller Faust (1892 – 1944), an American author known primarily for his thoughtful and literary Westerns. - Summary by david wales
6 episodes
The story of a cold hearted man named Jack Kells who falls in love with Miss Joan Randle, a girl his legion has taken captive near the Idaho border. (Summary by Wikipedia)
20 episodes
Jack Bristol shot the sheriff and stole his horse. He rode off, not into the sunset, but into the mountains. The mountain man held him captive for months and then released him. Why? And why did the girl scream with terror when she saw his face? Read this 1922 pulp Western to find the answers. Max Brand was one of many pseudonyms used by Frederick Schiller Faust (1892 – 1944), an American author known primarily for his thoughtful and literary Westerns. - Summary by david wales
10 episodes
Billy Boyle, tough, honest, plain dealing, is at home on the range. He knows cattle and horses better than most. Alexander P. Dill, the merchant from Michigan, knows little of livestock and needs Billy’s help to make it in the business. Billy is eager to oblige, but can he beat the weather, the barbed wire, and the mysterious maneuvers of old man Brown? And what is the Pilgrim up to? Surely no good when it comes to Flora Bridger, who Billy wants to make his own. - Summary by Tom Penn
23 episodes
A willful flirtatious girl; a morose family; a dark, mysterious, and (to some) alluring man; lots of horses, guns, honor, love, courage, and treachery in this 1921 pulp western. Max Brand was known for going well beyond the formulaic western. The Long Long Trail is an excellent example of his craft.- Summary by david wales
22 episodes
This Arizona-set western at the turn of the 20th century features an Irish lord named Balshannon, his American helper Chalkeye, and a cattle-rustler's son named Curly. (Summary by Matt Pierard)
27 episodes
As a boy Andy Adams helped with the cattle and horses on the family farm. During the early 1880s he went to Texas, where he stayed for 10 years, spending much of that time driving cattle on the western trails.
A Texas Matchmaker is a narrative that describes the work of a cowboy on a large southTexas ranch during the late 1800’s. Adams is considered to be one of foremost writers of the life of the real American cowboy. (Summary by Richard Kilmer)
22 episodes
Ford Campbell is a hard-working, honest, decent cowboy—when he’s sober. But give him a bottle of whiskey and all bets are off. Usually it just makes him rowdy, but this time…well, this time he thinks there might just have been a wedding. Was he the groom? Who was the bride? And where is she? ( Tom Penn)
17 episodes
Val had come to Montana to marry a cowboy named Manley, envisioning a life of wedded bliss, freedom, and was anticipating happiness in her adopted part of the country. She would soon learn that the winters could be cruel and lonesome for a woman living on a ranch which was situated miles from the nearest neighbor. She would learn that her husband spent most of his time drinking. And she would learn that everybody has their own methods of dealing with the harshness and loneliness of the land she has come to call home. Val is determined to re-invent her notions about men and women, her new duties in life, and life as it existed in the relatively new West. At every turn, her will and her strength are tested. Would she find the strength within herself to overcome the hardships, or would she succumb to the reality of her surroundings? - Summary by Roger Melin
24 episodes
There's bad blood between Rowland ''Rowdy'' Vaughan and Harry Conroy. Really bad blood. But Rowdy is crazy about Harry's sister, Jessie. Really crazy. And Jessie thinks the world of Harry and doesn't believe he would ever do anything bad, but... - Summary by Tom Penn
13 episodes
Indian Boyhood is a lively and appealing first-person recounting of the life of a Sioux child in the last days of the tribe's "wild" life in the 19th century, before they succumbed to fences, boundaries, and other constrictions of civilization. Charles Eastman, born in 1858 in Minnesota, spent his childhood first in the forests of the land of lakes and later in the wide-open prairies of the Dakota territory. He describes his comprehensive training in woodcraft, horsemanship, and hunting, and retells many stories from his elders that were so important in conveying his tribe's oral traditions. Eastman does not minimize the ever-present danger that children experienced in such an upbringing, but he also does not lose his sense of the fun and excitement of it all. Listeners will probably wish they could similarly jump on their pony and gallop across the wild and free prairie like the young Ohiyesa.
24 episodes
This is a sequel to Texan Star and continues the adventures of young Ned Fulton as he finds himself a part of the struggle for Texans to defend against the Mexican army and reach independence. In his travels across the state he meets historical figures involved in the struggles on both sides. It has the hallmarks of a good Western novel set in an historical background. The trilogy is finished with The Texan Triumph. (Summary by aniroo)
20 episodes
A fast-paced old time western. Squint Taylor, a rancher and long time resident of Dawes, is challenged by a crooked newcomer for the position of mayor. Through unscrupulous dealings carried on by a crooked Carrington, Squint lis cheated out of winning the mayoral election. Taylor, and some honest citizens fight to retake the town from the Carrington crowd. Of course, it wouldn’t be a true western without one of the main characters being a beautiful young woman. (Summary by Richard Kilmer)
35 episodes
