Louis L'Amour: Education of a Wandering Man

Status
Not open for further replies.
I read L'amour fairly voraciously as a youngster, and for some reason still have in mind the order of skill in quick-drawing of the Sackett clan: Tyrel, Tell, Logan....

I have read about his life, which is pretty remarkable, though not this book. In some ways I preferred his non-westerns. But a few years ago when recovering from surgery I picked up The Walking Drum and found nothing to draw me back in again. I think I lost patience with writing that was not intrinsically excellent, at least when it comes to reading stories for pleasure.
 
I read all of his books as a young 'un. Granted, I also noted that they weren't literary masterpieces when I reread them. This looks different, though.
 
No doubt it will be interesting, even if it likewise is not a literary masterpiece. As you recall, many of his characters traveled with books in their saddlebags.
 
Fascinating project Jacob. I would suggest Stephen King as another case study. I devoured King as a youth and remember reading "Danse Macbre." He wrote a more directly "how-to" and overall less horror-centric book entitled "On Writing" that's on my list to read.
 
My favorite King books are The Stand..which I have read many times, and his one about the Kennedy assassination. His politics and ideals are nothing I want part of, but those re good books.
 
Fascinating project Jacob. I would suggest Stephen King as another case study. I devoured King as a youth and remember reading "Danse Macbre." He wrote a more directly "how-to" and overall less horror-centric book entitled "On Writing" that's on my list to read.

I've read On Writing several times. It's hilarious, especially his comments on Lovecraft. I like King's Dark Tower series.
 
I have a letter from Stephen King before he got super famous....I wrote to him when I was 9-10 (after finishing the Stand in 4th grade...my teacher was amazed but not entirely happy I was reading King and Lovecraft in 4th grade).

...but Stephen king wrote a personal letter to me and signed it, plus he sent his old back-copies of the Writer's Digest issues he owned (I am guessing they were his, he circled things and wrote in the margins), and also added a photocopied article on the "mind's eye" (about using the imagination, maybe the best article I've ever read about getting quiet and focusing on imagining visually with one's mind prior to writing)....all of this was sent by mail at his expense. I also asked to be his pen-pal and he apologized he was too busy, but told me to read the articles and keep writing for practice.

Not sure otherwise of his character, but that sure got my respect. Later, I learned that he gave MUCH of his money away anonymously to various charities. His mother taught Sunday School, I believe, at the Methodist church, and I have prayed for his salvation (along with Ozzy Osbourne's and Mike Tyson's salvation....ha ha, don't laugh at me for wanting to see my idols of childhood redeemed).
 
So I'm not sure if you're asking if anyone has read "Education of a Wandering Man", if you're asking for suggestions, saying you want to read it, or just letting people know you've read it. Presumably one or more of those!

I read it a while back, and though I don't recall him talking too much about his writing habits, it was an excellent book, and he was a very interesting man. His walking through the desert with a can of peaches is burned into my mind. I like his stories not so much for their literary qualities, but because they typically fit the hero archetype. His heroes knew they weren't perfect, but they tried to be. They respected the ladies, and tried to protect the weak. They were well-read (Black's Law!) and humble, never bragging about their abilities. I actually liked the "Walking Drum", but it's been a while since I've read it. Definitely his longest one. I also liked "Fair Blows the Wind" and "Last of the Breed" was superb. I was named after Logan Sackett :)

I wish I could give recommendations of authors doing autobiographies, but I don't know of many.
 
I am hoping this comes out on audiobook since that is often my chief way of "reading" non-theology. Thanks for the recommendation.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top