.png)
Every Friday, I have the pleasure of sharing a snippet or two from my reading adventures—whether it’s from a book I’m currently diving into, a future pick waiting on my shelf, or a delightful surprise from my library. I’ll link this post to The Friday 56 meme, hosted by My Head Full of Books.
I'm excited to share a future read with you: The Man Who Killed the Marshal by Ray Hogan (1908-1998). This novel was first published in 1969 by Signet Books. Ray Hogan was born in Willow Springs, Missouri, and as a fellow Missourian, I find his background fascinating. However, he spent most of his life in New Mexico. His father was a marshal and lawman. Although the internet states that Ray was born in 1908, the back cover of this book mistakenly lists his birth year as 1918.
At her question, he held out his cup. Shofner reached for the whiskey bottle, which unlike the previous day, he evidently was of a mind to share. Dan shook his head. He was not particularly fond of liquor in his coffee but simply found it a good idea when cold bit deep in his bones. Coffee was coffee, whiskey was something else; he preferred to take them separately.
╌page 56, The Man Who Killed the Marshal
⁓B.J. Burgess
Okay. Talk to me about your process for finding these old Westerns. Do you spend a lot of time scouring used books stores? Have an old uncle who collected them? Search online? I've never even heard of this author, how did you find him? Details, please!
ReplyDeleteI've come across some old Western paperbacks at thrift stores and antique flea markets. Just this year, I scored a few books at a garage sale as well! Additionally, I inherited some Louis L’Amour books that are now part of my collection. Over time, I've managed to gather several first hardcover editions of Zane Grey novels from library sales and flea markets.
DeleteI also make a few trips each year to Half-Price Books, as they sometimes have older titles, although it's a bit out of my way. One of my favorite spots is a local Salvation Army thrift store where a connection of mine sets aside Westerns for me to check out before they hit the shelves. While I've picked up a couple of Longarm paperbacks, I haven't tried eBay for Westerns yet. I've noticed that anything labeled "vintage" tends to get marked up quite a bit!
I found The Man Who Killed the Marshal wrapped up with three other Westerns at an antique flea market. I think I only paid about $2 or $3 for the whole bundle! I’ve heard of the author, but I don’t think I’ve read anything by him yet.
If you're looking for older Westerns, I highly recommend checking out thrift stores, antique shops, and flea markets. I don’t actively search for them; I tend to find them by chance!