Are Cowboys on Your Keeper List?
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| Photo courtesy Cor23 |
I'll readily admit that I used to worship at the Louis L'Amour altar a couple times a month (thanks in part to my older brother). I loved those alpha guys, standing up for the little guy...and their strong women backing them up and sometimes leading the way. In college I got hooked on Diana Palmer's Long Tall Texans (Calhoun, Justin and Tyler to be specific). Ahhhhhh...
Oh! Sorry, I was blogging wasn't I? Okay, refocusing. Those books were a nice comtemporary alternative to true Westerns, which I still love but don't read often. It's been fun to see the resurgence of historical romances set in the West. I love a good Regency Rake, but cowboys are just so... Ahhhh...
Like the image above - isn't is beautiful? And a little romantic...like you could reach out and touch the past. I love that.
Okay, refocused. Again. As I was avoiding research for the new wip cleaning the house, I saw my dog-eared copy of Long, Tall Texans, which made me think of those great L'Amour books and the new Westerns I've seen on bookshelves lately. I think I might pick one up.
What's on your keeper list? Are all of the books there sure to bring a smile to your face just by looking at the cover? There to take you to a simpler time, maybe when you were curled up in bed, too sick for school and too bored to stare at the ceiling for another minute?
I have a lot of books on my keeper list...love romance...but I also have a book on my keeper list from when I was about 4. When my sister would get home from school, she liked to play teacher and I was her only student. I learned to read pretty young. My first book, The Kitten Twins...is a well worn, tattered all time favorite read. Tucked away in my closet I still bring it out on occasion and leaf through the pages. I remember reading that book to everyone who stepped foot in our door, I was so excited. LOL
ReplyDeleteThanks for the memories Kristi! (sorry mine wasn't of a romantic nature...lol)
I *love* that memory, Christine, thanks for sharing!
DeleteKeeper shelf would have to be filled with Jude Devereux and Judith McNaught historicals. I love T.L. Schaefer's Summerland and a handful of my crit partners books.
ReplyDeleteJude Deveraux...sigh. I lub her writing!
DeleteLove Louis L'Amour. Not that fond of most modern westerns, though. One of the reasons I write my own!
ReplyDeleteYour westerns are on my keeper list, D'Ann. Such great stories!
DeleteI have a ton of novels on my keeper self. But one of my all time favorites--I've read this book at least 10 times over the years--is Jude Devereux's, A Knight In Shining Armor. One of the best time traveling novels I've read.
ReplyDeleteOMG! I love that book! I've read it so many times and cry every single time. Great choice!
DeleteLOVE that books, Brenda!!
DeleteYep, that's one of my keepers as well. I even bought the anniversary edition because it promised new scenes, although I've never gotten around to reading it since I got it. LOL.
DeleteI wonder if it's like the deleted scenes on DVD extras--you watch them and go, "Yeah, I see why that didn't make the cut."
I have a bookshelf of keeper books that are autographed. Sadly none from my childhood...
ReplyDeleteBut I remember Judy Blume was the very first pre-teen book that I read. Most of our books were golden books. Like "The Poky Little Puppy" ! Now there's a blast from the past. LOL
Neecy
Neecy - I follow Judy Blume on Twitter. She's really funny.
DeleteNeecy, did you see they're re-releasing a bunch of Judy's books in e-format? I'm so going to glom the backlist...even though I've read everything of hers already.
DeleteI still have books from my childhood ... strangely enough, they're mostly westerns - Annie Oakley, Roy Rogers, etc. Now my keeper books are mostly those my friends wrote, other than a few historical fiction novels I just love.
ReplyDeleteI have an old textbook from my grandmother, who was *my* first grade teacher, of Dick & Jane...bebe and I are making our way through it now.
DeleteI read so many nonfiction and fiction books about historical Old West characters it's not even funny.
I wish I had time to reread some of my older books. But I do have my keepers! Jude Devereux, The Black Lion is one of them. (I probably butchered her name) JR Wards books are another. I need an eReader to free up space on our bookshelf. Then I can have MORE favorites!
ReplyDeleteI've bought and downloaded a few books to my e-reader for exactly that reason, Sheri - they're my faves and I need to have a copy. Even if I haven't cracked those particular copies open. Yet.
DeleteCatherine Anderson writes the best historical westerns. Her characters are always so well drawn and I can never put her books down. Right now I'm reading Comanche Heart. Not exactly about cowboys (rather Indians) but still so, so good. She's ALWAYS on my keeper list.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to check her out, Sharon.
DeleteI absolutely LOVE Comanche Heart and Comanche Moon! They're both on my keeper list as well. Enjoy!
DeleteJohn Jakes has on my keeper shelf since I first devoured North and South when I was in 10th grade. I love the Kent Family Chronicles (The Bastard, The Rebel, The Seekers, etc) and the North and South trilogy. I've read and reread each so many times. Even the over 1000 page Love and War (book 2 of North and South).
ReplyDeleteMost of Linda Lael Miller's contemporary Westerns have found there way on my keeper shelf as has all of Rachel Gibson's books.
I also love Amanda Ashley's vampire books (aka Madeline Baker although I've never read any of Madeline's books).
I have books from my childhood that I've saved, The Outsiders, Where the Red Fern Grows, Rosemund Du Jardin's Marci books.
ReplyDeleteAs for my adult books, The DaVinci Code, Jurassic Park,anything and everything by Sarah Addison Allen. I could go on, but I'll spare you ;)
I have to say how much I love Little House in the Big Woods. Little House on the Prairie was good too, but that first one is especially close to my heart.
ReplyDeleteThe books from adulthood that I've reread the most are both by Anne Rice: The Witching Hour and The Mummy.