Book Review: Gene Autry and the Ghost Riders

Book Review: Gene Autry and the Ghost Riders by Lewis B. Patten Gene Autry (1907-1998) was one of the world’s great cowboy singers, who did well in live performances, record sales, radio, movies and television. You may remember him from such classic songs as “Back in the Saddle Again” or “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Like… Continue reading Book Review: Gene Autry and the Ghost Riders

Book Review: The Big Book of Victorian Mysteries

Book Review: The Big Book of Victorian Mysteries edited by Otto Penzler While stories that could be considered “mysteries” in some sense have existed as long as writing, and perhaps a bit before, the short story mystery came into its own during the lifetime of Queen Victoria (1837-1901). This volume collects forty-nine notable stories from… Continue reading Book Review: The Big Book of Victorian Mysteries

Magazine Review: Oriental Stories Winter 1932

Magazine Review: Oriental Stories Winter 1932 edited by Farnsworth Wright Oriental Stories was a mostly-quarterly pulp magazine published from 1930-1933, with a name change to The Treasure Chest Magazine for an additional year. Its remit, as you might have guessed from the title, was tales of the exotic, mysterious East, from Islamic North Africa through… Continue reading Magazine Review: Oriental Stories Winter 1932

Comic Book Review: Golden Age Marvel Comics 2

Comic Book Review: Golden Age Marvel Comics 2 by Various This volume reprints the contents of Marvel Mystery Comics #5-8 from 1940. The introduction by Roy Thomas points up the contrast with the publisher’s other anthology title of the time, Daring Mystery Comics. This one had star characters like the Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner,… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Golden Age Marvel Comics 2

Movie Review: Hang ‘Em High

Marshal Cooper contemplates the morality of state executions.

Movie Review: Hang ‘Em High (1968) directed by Ted Post Jed Cooper (Clint Eastwood) used to be a lawman in Saint Louis, Missouri, but got tired of that job. So in 1889 he moved to the Oklahoma and Indian Territory. He used money he’d saved up to purchase cattle from a Mr. Johansen. Unfortunately, that man… Continue reading Movie Review: Hang ‘Em High

Book Review: Catlow

Book Review: Catlow by Louis L’Amour (A)bijah Catlow and Ben Cowan grew up together, fighting together and against each other. As so often happens, their lives have taken different paths since. Ben is now a deputy U.S. Marshal, and Bijah is an outlaw rustler. Now, admittedly, Bijah was initially framed for rustling by a crooked… Continue reading Book Review: Catlow

Movie Review: Vengeance Valley

Owen and Lee consult the bartender for local news.

Movie Review: Vengeance Valley (1951) directed by Richard Thorpe Owen Daybright (Burt Lancaster) is the foster son of rancher Arch Strobie (Ray Collins), and foreman of the ranch. Along with his foster brother Lee Strobie (Robert Walker), he’s been out riding the winter range for several months. They stop in to the saloon to get their… Continue reading Movie Review: Vengeance Valley

Book Review: Hopalong Cassidy

Book Review: Hopalong Cassidy by Clarence E. Mulford There’s trouble brewing in Texas between the cowboys of the Bar-20 Ranch, and those of the H2. Meeker, owner of the H2, is down from Montana, where the rule was open range, and he’s not used to the strict water rights situation in his new territory. (It… Continue reading Book Review: Hopalong Cassidy

Book Review: The Heritage of the Desert

Book Review: The Heritage of the Desert by Zane Grey John “Jack” Hare may be dying, but he can’t stop noticing how beautiful the sky is here in the Utah Territory desert. Jack’s a “lunger,” sent out West for his health. It helped a bit, but his money ran out and he needed a job.… Continue reading Book Review: The Heritage of the Desert

Book Review: Popular Book of Western Stories

Book Review: Popular Book of Western Stories edited by Leo Margulies The title of this 1948 paperback may seem a trifle misleading (“if it’s so popular, why have I never heard of it?”) but makes more sense when you learn that it came out from the publishing company Popular Library. Leo Margulies, a long-time pulp… Continue reading Book Review: Popular Book of Western Stories