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The Shootists

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The Shootists

By: Glendon Swarthout
Narrated by: J. P. O'Shaughnessy
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About this listen

The Shootist is John Bernard Books, a man of principle and the only surviving gunfighter in a vanishing American West. He rides into El Paso in the year 1901, on the day of Queen Victoria's demise, there to be told by a doctor that he must soon confront the greatest Shootist of all: Death himself.

In such a showdown against such an antagonist, J. B. Books cannot win. Most men may end their days in bed or take their own lives, but a mankiller has a third option, one which Books decides to exercise. He may choose his own executioner. As the word spreads that the famous assassin has reached the end of his rope, an assortment of vultures gathers to feast upon the corpse - among them a gambler, a rustler, a clergyman, an undertaker, an old love, a reporter, even a teenager. Books outwits them, however, by selecting the where, when, who, and why of his death and writing in fire from a pair of matched Remingtons the last courageous act of his own legend. The climatic gunfight itself is an incredible performance by an incredible man, and by his creator, Glendon Swarthout.

©2010 Glendon Fred Swarthout (P)2010 Books In Motion Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Romance
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the film I know well, this is a better read.
unfortunately the edit of this performance could do with longer pauses between chapters

if you're expecting the film, you are mistaken

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I read this after watching the John Wayne film yet again and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. Just as with true grit once you've enjoyed either the book film completely complement each other.

Fantastic favourite

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A superb rendering of the end of the wild west. A 'shootist' who calls the sheriff on the phone and has his suit dry cleaned... conventional western this is not. If you’ve seen the film with John Wayne still read this- it is grittier, grimmer and more authentic. I can't wait for a Cohen Brothers remake (please!)...

Bloody, brilliant.

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