Westerns aren't my preferred genre, to say the least. However, I have to read Shane for school, and I'm enjoying it.

What do you think of the genre?

Westerns are also not my favorite genre as I find the story lines tend to be rather win-lose. I prefer win-win scenarios whenever possible: No matter which character(s) a reader most identifies with, their take-away can be something positive in terms of lessons learned, value from the struggle, some degree of triumph, positive self-concept, etc.

Oscar's Gift by Lisa Rivero is interesting historical fiction set in the old West.

love a lot of it, but mostly via film; there is an interesting thread winding through film making with 'magnificent 7' / 'Seven Samurai' roots that is a great place to start (start with 'Seven Samurai' and go anywhere from there -- even all the way to "A bugs life" -- NO JOKE.)

http://akirakurosawa.info/remakes-and-films-influenced-by-kurosawa/

One of the 2 or 3 plots that are the basis of all storytelling, "A stranger comes into town", makes up a lot of western story telling.

http://quoteinvestigator.com/2015/05/06/two-plots/

I'm going to ignore Indigo's Win-Lose westerns... Gun Smoke, TV Star Trek, everything John Wayne was in...


Right so that covers works like the Sergio Leone "reboots" of Kurisawa and Clint Eastwoods critically acclaimed "Unforgiven" which are more lose-lose works.

There are also the more ambiguous works. Another of the great recurring plots in literature... "The honorable man who lives by a code and the terrible consequences thereof". McMurty's Pulitzer Prize winning novel "Lonesome Dove" is full of appealing but flawed characters. It is down right Arthurian in the multitude of triangles that get set up between the characters. Should Gus and Cord hang their life long partner for "one" evil act... these are deep questions.

I don't particularly like westerns but I think they are a fine genre to explore big issues and worthwhile plot lines.