The Last Cowboys of San Geronimo by Ian Stansel

THE LAST COWBOYS OF SAN GERONIMO by Ian Stansel in some ways is a western and in some ways is a murder mystery, but mostly it is about the relationship between two brothers, Frank and Silas Van Loy.  They, along with Frank’s wife, Lena, are horse people so there are plenty of tales of training horses and riding, including competitions and a hunt. Perhaps different from your typical reading choices, but well worth checking out. 

When the story opens, Frank has been killed and Lena decides to track his murderer, brother Silas, who has fled on horseback. As they travel, Lena and Silas separately reflect on their lives and thus recount the story of events leading to such animosity between the brothers. With a contemporary setting in northern California's Marin County near Highway 101, the natural vistas described are beautiful and all of that contrasts even more with the ugly competitive rivalry, violence and ill feelings between the brothers. Since it is only 208 pages, I plan to suggest THE LAST COWBOYS OF SAN GERONIMO as a title for multiple levels of our Senior English seminar on Good and Evil.  Ian Stansel’s short story collection (Everyone’s Irish) was a finalist for the PEN/Bingham Prize and this debut novel received a starred review from Library Journal.

Spending time in another time ....

It feels as though I spent a good part of this holiday weekend in another century.  First, I read News of the World by Paulette Jiles which is set in 1870 Texas and I was absolutely immersed in the travels of Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd and Johanna Leonberger.  Captain Kidd, a veteran of three wars and an honorable and trustworthy man who took pride in entertaining and educating others, was asked to transport a young Kiowa captive back to her family. News of the World tells the story of their 400 mile sometimes harrowing adventure and of the growing affection between the Kep-dun and his 10 year-old charge. A former printer, Kidd supports himself as an itinerant reader of the news – a fascinating thought and profession in itself. Author Jiles clearly conveys the times through small details; referring briefly, for example, to the first professional baseball team (Cincinnati Red Stockings), the first female law college graduate and the construction of a new bridge between Manhattan and Brooklyn. She excels, however, in deftly describing life and characters on the trail. Add this title to your reading list: News of the World received starred reviews from Booklist and Kirkus and was nominated for the National Book Award for Fiction.

Turning to non-fiction and the 1899 kidnapping of two brothers, I began Truevine by Beth Macy, a true story of the Jim Crow South.  Truevine tells of the exploitation of two African American albinos, George and Willie Muse, in the “freak” show at Ringling Brothers Circus, offering a look at segregation and at circus life in the 1920’s. Similarly to The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Truevine also describes the author’s search for facts about the brothers and their mother’s attempts to find them. A non-fiction narrative, Truevine received starred reviews from Booklist and Kirkus, is appearing on several “best books” lists and may have appeal across the curriculum. Macy’s first full-length investigative work, Factory Man (2014), was a New York Times bestseller.     

Moving forward through the 20th century was a key theme in Fannie Flagg’s new feel good novel, The Whole Town’s Talking.  This story recounts the life of Elmwood Springs, Missouri from 1889 to present day through the many happenings involving several generations of its inhabitants.  First, there is Lordor Nordstrom who finds a mail order bride, Katrina. Later, his grandson, Gene, goes off to fight in WWII; there’s even a murder or two to investigate.  Award-winning author Fannie Flagg refers to numerous events and popular culture from 20th century America as she chronicles the ways in which many colorful characters impact the Sweet Clover Dairy, the town, and the cemetery called Still Meadows.  Here’s a favorite quote: “a cute, red-haired boy who looked just like someone had picked up a large bucket of freckles and thrown them at him.”  The Whole Town’s Talking, filled with Flagg’s vivid, homespun descriptions, will certainly make you smile.  Enjoy!

Fallen Land by Taylor Brown

There is something about the cover for Fallen Land by Taylor Brown that I truly love.  It reflects the story so well: the mix of dark and light, the hidden depths and the elegant, old-time (Civil War Georgia is the setting) wallpaper background with the silhouette of a young man, pregnant woman and Horse at the forefront.  That image alone evokes so much of the context for the harrowing adventures that Taylor Brown recounts in this debut novel.  

He tells the story of Callum, an orphaned Irish immigrant, and Ava, a young woman left alone after her father’s death in the American Civil War.  They are on the run from Clayburn, a truly despicable and vicious bounty hunter.  The book is packed with gunfights, killings and desperate acts to stay alive. Brown weaves in historical events like the burning of Atlanta and uses many smaller acts of violence to aptly illustrate the harshness of the times. As Callum and Ava begin their journey atop Reiver, a horse with remarkably steadfast character, I was intrigued and thought this might be a historical fiction work that would appeal to both our male and female students.  Sadly, the story slows in the middle and I found myself hoping that they would either be caught or finally escape – even the near misses were starting to seem a bit redundant.  Taylor Brown is an amazing writer who allows his reader to reflect (“You ever think how many songs will go unwritten because of this war, unsung? Paintings unpainted, discoveries unmade? You ever think of that?”). Overall, Brown’s descriptions are beautifully crafted and certainly transported me to a time and place when even young boys had to be self-reliant, depend on their knowledge of nature, and guard against the evil that was rampant.

If you like westerns (although this is obviously set in the South) or works of historical fiction with some violence, do read Fallen Land by Taylor Brown – your patience will be rewarded. Starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Kirkus where is was compared to Frazier’s Cold Mountain or McCarthy’s Border Trilogy.