In his novels, best-selling author Cormac McCarthy creates a western landscape filled with characters that are both myhic and authentic. Cities of the Plain, the stunning conclusion of his award-winning Border trilogy, brings together John Grady Cole and Billy Parham-the two lifelong friends who began their adventures in All the Pretty Horses. It is 1952. As Grady and Billy work a remote New Mexico ranch, Grady falls in love with a young Mexican prostitute....

It begins with a simple act of kindness--and ends in a shocking night of violence. A homeless family shows up on Kate Kerrigan's doorstep seeking refuge from a vengeful rancher. Seeing their desperation, the West Texas matriarch welcomes the family into her home. But her charity turns out to be an invitation to disaster. First, the rancher and his henchmen come gunning for her houseguests. They break into Kate's mansion. They shoot her butler,...

"Meet Will Claxton, the loner, as he works his way across the West looking for long-term work, preferably north in the summer and farther south in the winter, where it's warmer. Along the way, he runs into trouble and could end up with the nickname "jailbird." In his own words, "I didn't know where I was going, but had begun to think that working on the dude ranch in the winter, branding calves in the spring, and packing salt during the summer might...

"Winter storms blast across the Whispering Pines Guest Ranch, and a cold wind blows through Kate Neilson's soul. Despite her pain, Kate's well-being takes a backseat to the needs of loved ones: her best friend, who's been ensnared by evil; her failing great-aunt, whose dementia care keeps Kate guessing; and Laura and Mike Duncan, whose ranch and livelihood are threatened by a land-grabbing neighbor. "Hooray! Another chance to join Kate Nielson as...

Although the American cowboy has long been a favorite subject for novelists, filmmakers, and illustrators, too often the picture they paint bears little relation to reality. Philip Ashton Rollins, who lived in the West on and off between 1892 and 1924, set out to create a more accurate portrait of this enduring icon. Based on what he himself witnessed, this fascinating study discusses what exactly makes a cowboy, as well as cowboy weaponry, clothing,...

Jane Middlebourne needs a way out. In 1891, life in New York is unforgiving for a young woman with no prospects, especially when her family wants nothing to do with her. So when Jane discovers an ad for a mail-order bride needed in Bitter Springs, Wyoming, she responds with a hopeful heart. Rancher Morgan Longstreet is in want of a wife who will be his partner at Morning Star, someone who will work beside him and stand by him. His first impression...