A review by rachel_abby_reads
Bendigo Shafter by Louis L'Amour
4.0
Rounded up from 3 1/2 stars. I enjoyed it, as I have most of the Louis L'Amour books I've ready (3 now - not a statistically significant sampling), but I'm not likely to reread it. L'Amour clearly loves the time, places and types of people he chronicled - and he absolutely loves classic literature.
His writing respects women, even though they aren't usually the central character. They are strong, smart, hardy, wise, well-read, and occasionally flirtatious, fearful and resentful. In other words, sparsely sketched but real people.
His writing respects minorities and cultural differences. Even though Bendigo Shafter is hunted by a Shoshone brave, Bendigo is able to articulate and understand the Native American view, without anything like an arrogant "I know them so well" attitude, and certainly without contempt or resentment.
His writing commonly praises hard work, self-sufficiency, openness of mind and the desire to learn and read, and respect (if not outright worship) for land and environment,
And I can usually find a quote that resonates deeply. In this case, while hiding in a slight cave on a snowy night, being hunted by baddies (whites, not natives): "Snug in my shelter, I enjoyed my fire, sipped hot tea, and considered how quickly a reasonably civilized man can become primitive. And how fortunate he is if he knows how primitive man survived."
Preach, brother.
I've pretty much resigned myself: If some apocalyptic societal collapse happens and we're dependent on what survival skills we have, I will not be one of the last people standing. If I can't look it up on the internet, I'm going to have some trouble.
His writing respects women, even though they aren't usually the central character. They are strong, smart, hardy, wise, well-read, and occasionally flirtatious, fearful and resentful. In other words, sparsely sketched but real people.
His writing respects minorities and cultural differences. Even though Bendigo Shafter is hunted by a Shoshone brave, Bendigo is able to articulate and understand the Native American view, without anything like an arrogant "I know them so well" attitude, and certainly without contempt or resentment.
His writing commonly praises hard work, self-sufficiency, openness of mind and the desire to learn and read, and respect (if not outright worship) for land and environment,
And I can usually find a quote that resonates deeply. In this case, while hiding in a slight cave on a snowy night, being hunted by baddies (whites, not natives): "Snug in my shelter, I enjoyed my fire, sipped hot tea, and considered how quickly a reasonably civilized man can become primitive. And how fortunate he is if he knows how primitive man survived."
Preach, brother.
I've pretty much resigned myself: If some apocalyptic societal collapse happens and we're dependent on what survival skills we have, I will not be one of the last people standing. If I can't look it up on the internet, I'm going to have some trouble.