Barbed Wire

Barbed Wire is a tale of range war between some farmers and one rancher, Captain Andrew Rinehart whose ranch encompassed nearly the entire county. And this challenge to his domain was not going to be easy to overcome by Doug Monahan who was broke and took the farmer's money, and who was not about to let the likes of Rinehart or his guns scare him before he finished the job....A Traditional Western at its best by one of the best, Elmer Kelton.

BARBED WIRE is a Texas range war story that is told, essentially, from the perspective of a fence builder--although it is told from several view points. The land is split between ranchers and dirt farmers; it is open range country, and the largest rancher--Captain Rinehart--wants it to stay that way. The story unfolds as the Captain battles against the coming fences that will lock away the water, and cut the land into tiny rectangles of farms and ranches. It is the future; this separation of land that will allow herds to be bred exclusively, crops to be secured against the roaming cattle, and the protection and hoarding of water in a dry country. It is a future that terrifies the Captain enough that he is willing to let himself be mislead into action by his foreman. BARBED WIRE is an excellent western. It is only my second experience with the work of Elmer Kelton, the first was his novel BADGER BOY, and I wasn't disappointed. The plot is fairly generic, but its execution, characters and authenticity, mark it a few notches better than the norm. The prose is gritty and matches the western plot like a glove-- "It was a sorry way for a cowboy to make a living, Doug Monahan thought disgustedly. Bending his back over a rocky posthole, he plunged the heavy iron crowbar downward, hearing its angry ring and feeling the violent jar of it bruising the stubborn rock bottom. He rubbed sweat from his forehead into his sleeve and straightened his sore back, pausing to rest a moment and look around." The plot is executed with a tight linear momentum that takes the expected and makes it fresh and somehow new. The characters are tough and realistic, the action is paced with an equitable easiness--a pace that is far from melodramatic, but is exciting and seemingly authentic. -Gravetapping

Elmer Kelton is one of the best writers I have ever read.Pick it up you won't lay it down

Have read several books by Elmer Kelton and have enjoyed them all. This one is no exception. It is about Doug Monahan and the stringing of barbed wire in Texas when it was not popular. He is fought by Andrew Rinehart who has been there a long time and has always done everything like he wanted. It is time for change and Monahan is determined to make it happen. There are the usual fights, and action along the way. I am guessing that things like this actually happen at that time. The book will keep you interested. Monahan does not run when threatened and he will stand on his own. Heis joined by others in his fight.