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Read great western short stories online. Choose from the largest online collection of 560+ western stories on Reedsy Prompts, and read for free!
- 17 Western Stories
- "The Outcasts of Poker Flat" | Brett Harte
- "The Gift of Cochise" | Louis L'amour
- "Gun Job" | Thomas Thompson
- "The Man to Send Rain Clouds" | Leslie Marmon Silko
- "A Man called Horse" | Dorothy M. Johnson
- "The Colt" | Wallace Stegner
- "The Defense of Sentinel" | Louis L'amour
- "On The Divide" | Willa Cather
- "The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky" | Stephen Crane
Here are some famous Western short stories, most of which can be read online. I hope you find a new favorite Western here. Enjoy your reading!
John Oakhurst, a gambler, notices a change in the moral atmosphere of Poker Flat. It turns out he's right; a town committee has decided to oust the most undesirable citizens. A small group, including Mr. Oakhurst, are escorted to the edge of town and told not to return. They set out for Sandy Bar. This story can be read in the Amazon preview of The...
Angie Lowe is holed up in her cabin with a shotgun in her hands. Outside is Cochise, leader of the warriors who have attacked her. Seven of his men lie dead and three more are wounded. Cochise asks her about her husband. He's been gone for months. They both know he's dead. They talk about who has the right to use the land. This story can be read in...
When Jeff Anderson got married, he quit his job as town marshal and moved with his wife to a small ranch. One Sunday morning he visits the new marshal, Billy, whom he recommended for the job. Jeff has been getting some pressure from the mayor and council to resume his duties. Billy is aware of the complaints against him. He's been having problems w...
Leon and Ken find an old man, Teofilo, under a cottonwood tree. He's been dead at least a day. They get his body ready for burial according to their custom. When the Catholic priest, Father Paul, asks about Teofilo they don't let on that he has died. 1. Read "The Man to Send Rain Clouds"
A young New England aristocrat goes West. He hires a few men to cook, hunt and guide him. One day his group is attacked by a raiding party of Crow Indians. He's taken captive.
It's a busy spring on the farm. The son, Bruce, went to bed exhausted. The next morning the dogs are yapping and excited. When his mother tells him to check on Daisy, the mare, Bruce realizes he left her out all night. If she had her colt, there could be a problem.
Finn McGraw, the town drunk, wakes up one morning to silence. The street is empty and there's no sign of any activity. He thinks it must be an elaborate practical joke. An inspection of the town reveals what might have happened.
Canute lives in a Nebraska shanty near Rattlesnake Creek. He's a huge man who keeps to himself and drinks heavily. When the Yensen's move into the area, Canute starts drinking with Ole Yensen. Word gets around that he's going to marry Ole's daughter, Lena. She likes to tease Canute and flirt with other men. 1. Read "On the Divide"
Jack Potter is riding the train with his new bride back to his hometown of Yellow Sky. She's never been there before, and he's explaining some of the sights along the way. Jack is the sheriff. He's concerned over the effect of bringing an outsider into the town. There's nothing wrong with it, but his sense of duty brings it to mind. Meanwhile, Scra...
A collection of stories by and about cowboys, from freighters to mustangers, from humor to tragedy. Read tales of the old west, the ranching traditions, the fire-proofing the range, and more.
Here are some western short stories. They’re about cowboys, the wild west and the frontier. There are some very famous stories here as well as some lesser-known ones, many of which can be read free at the links below.
- Jeremy Anderberg
- The Log of a Cowboy by Andy Adams (1903) Among the short list of very early Westerns (pre-1910 or so), you’ll often see Owen Wister’s The Virginian (1902) at the top.
- Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey (1912) Grey was the early king of the Western dime novel. His output was prolific, but the more he wrote, the more negative reviews he received from critics.
- The Ox-Bow Incident by Walter Van Tilburg Clark (1940) Cowboys Art Croft and Gil Carter have ridden into Bridger’s Wells, Nevada to find a charged atmosphere.
- Shane by Jack Schaefer (1949) Shane is considered by many the best Western novel of all-time. It’s compact, but that just means every page is stocked with virile energy — much like Shane himself, the book’s main character.
Find the best short stories in the Western category. Read online through our 100% Free library, Western ebooks and more.
Jul 1, 2012 · Showing 1-39 of 39 (39 new) 1,338 books based on 1471 votes: Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry, True Grit by Charles Portis, Blood Meridian, or, the Evening Redness in the West by Cor...
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