Cowboy Kisses: Louis L’Amour Western Writer by Jan Scarbrough

Monday, November 14, 2022

Louis L’Amour Western Writer by Jan Scarbrough

When going through my father’s things after he died, I found three shoe boxes filled with sixty-six paperback books by Louis L’Amour. Can I say my dad was a fan?

I must admit, I haven’t read L’Amour’s books, so I looked him up.

From Wikipedia

Louis Dearborn L'Amour (March 22, 1908 – June 10, 1988) was an American novelist and short-story writer.

L'Amour's books, primarily Western fiction, remain enormously popular, and most have gone through multiple printings. At the time of his death all 101 of his works were in print (86 novels, 14 short-story collections and one full-length work of nonfiction) and he was considered "one of the world's most popular writers".

A list of his books in order says:

Publishing his first novel, ‘Westward the Tide’, in 1951, his fate as a western novelist was sealed finally getting him the recognition he was hoping for. This was setting aside the books he wrote in 1950 under the name ‘Tex Burns’ featuring Hopalong Cassidy, something which he denied doing despite evidence to the contrary, explaining them as ‘books for hire’ therefore not officially his.

He was soon to capture the attention of John Wayne as well, when a book of his titled ‘The Gift of Cochise’ was read and subsequently had the rights to it brought. This was quickly made into a film alongside Robert Fellows.

All this rapidly led to Louis L’Amour becoming one of the most highly regarded novelists within his field, with both commercial and critical success achieved during his time.

Did you know?

In 1983, he became the first novelist awarded with the Congressional Gold Medal by the United States Congress, earning the Presidential Medal of Freedom a year after.

I love some of his quotes that mean much to novelists and especially western romance authors.

One day I was speeding along at the typewriter, and my daughter - who was a child at the time - asked me, "Daddy, why are you writing so fast?" And I replied, "Because I want to see how the story turns out!" . . . Louis Lamour

“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” ― Louis L'Amour

“Once you have read a book you care about, some part of it is always with you.” ― Louis L'Amour, Matagorda/The First Fast Draw