Many a River

Elmer Kelton

Forge Books

Download Image Elmer Kelton Many a River
Buy it now

Available Formats

BookeBook

The Barfield family, Arkansas sharecroppers, are heading west with their sons Jeffrey and Todd. In far West Texas their camp is attacked by Comanche raiders and the elder Barfields are killed and scalped. The younger boy, Todd, is taken captive by the Indians. The older son, Jeffrey, manages to hide and is rescued by the militia men.  Jeffrey is taken in by a home-steading family, while Todd is sold, for a rifle and gunpowder, to a Comanchero trader named January.

Both become caught up in the turbulence of the Civil War, which even in remote West Texas, the border country with New Mexico, pits Confederate sympathizers against Unionists. The brothers, separated by violence, are destined to be rejoined by violence.  Will they meet as friends or deadly enemies?

Connect with the Author

Elmer Kelton

Official Sites

Related Links

Sign Up for
Author Updates

Macmillan Newsletter

Sign up to receive information about new books, author events, and special offers.

Sign up now

Book Excerpts

Read an Excerpt

Chapter One

 

North Texas, 1855

 

Jeffrey Barfield wondered how much farther Papa would continue to travel before he found a settle-down place that suited him. The family had left Arkansas by wagon two months ago and slowly picked their way across the eastern part of Texas, looking for land Papa would consider to be just right. Mama had seen a dozen sites she would be happy with, but Papa invariably said, "There's bound to be better a little farther west.

Read the full excerpt

Back

Reviews

Praise for Many a River

"Kelton’s writing is absolutely authentic, and he is a master at spinning that wildly expressive species of dusty idiom that makes good western writing so gratifying.  Add to that some stern, if flexible morality and tight plotting full of tense, finger-twitching action, and you have some outstanding western fare."  --Booklist on Texas Showdown   

"The author, a seven-time Spur Award winner, has created a story rich in historical context, character development and action."  --Tulsa World on Sons of Texas

Reviews from Goodreads

Back

About the Author

Elmer Kelton

Elmer Kelton (1926-2009) was the award-winning author of more than forty novels, including The Time It Never Rained, Other Men’s Horses, Texas Standoff and Hard Trail to Follow. He grew up on a ranch near Crane, Texas, and earned a journalism degree from the University of Texas. His first novel, Hot Iron, was published in 1956. Among his awards have been seven Spurs from Western Writers of America and four Western Heritage awards from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. His novel The Good Old Boys was made into a television film starring Tommy Lee Jones. In addition to his novels, Kelton worked as an agricultural journalist for 42 years, and served in the infantry in World War II. He died in 2009.

Elmer Kelton

Jim Bean Professional Photography
Elmer Kelton

Official Sites

Related Links

Back

Buy the Book

Available Formats and Book Details

Many a River
Elmer Kelton

Mass Market Paperbound

Mass Market Paperbound
Tom Doherty Associates
Forge Books
March 2009
Mass Market Paperbound
ISBN: 9780765360298
ISBN10: 0765360292
4 3/16 x 6 3/4 inches, 336 pages
$6.99
Buy

Hardcover

Learn more about this edition
Hardcover
Tom Doherty Associates
Forge Books
May 2008
Hardcover
ISBN: 9780765320506
ISBN10: 0765320509
5 1/2 x 8 1/4 inches, 336 pages
$24.95

e-Book Agency

Learn more about this edition
e-Book Agency
Tom Doherty Associates
Forge Books
May 2008
e-Book Agency
ISBN: 9781429949545
ISBN10: 1429949546
5 1/2 x 8 1/4 inches, 336 pages
$6.99
Back

From The Publisher

Forge Books

Latest on Facebook

Latest on Twitter

Back

{ About }

{ Services }

{ Store }

{ Publishers }

Education

Children's

© 2011 Macmillan