Wild West: Short Stories    by Elmer Kelton Order:  USA  Can Forge, 2017 (2017) Hardcover     Reviewed by Hilary Williamson I used to enjoy westerns by Luke Short and Louis L'Amour, but hadn't read any recently till I picked up Elmer Kelton's collection of eleven short stories (some modern, others historical), Wild West. Rodeo rider Chuck Sloan has fallen for the wrong kind of woman in A Heck of a Promise, but pretty Mary McIntyre soon sets him straight. Blind Canyon is about the struggle to form a cattlemen's association. Andy Webb resists temptation to make easy money in Bullets from the Past. Wade Massey leads a challenging cattle drive in Climb the Big Rim. Tom Binford rescues a boy from a cruel father in Colt Size. A sheriff, about to lose an election, tracks cattle thieves in Land With No Law. An outlaw has a change of heart in No Epitaph for Me. A prodigal son gets his act together in One Son. In Poison, it's used against more than prairie dogs. Against the odds, Toby Tippett tries hard to Ride a Straight Road after prison. Finally, Kyle Rayford seeks revenge against those who wronged him in Deadly Homecoming. This volume reminded me why I like the genre so much, though I do find the women idealized - most of them are rather too good to be true, while the remainder are at the other extreme. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Historical books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews