To create the right ambiance for this review, please give a listen to my favorite Gene Autry recording, followed by a tribute to old Gene by a feller named Marty Robbins:
"I've Got Spurs that Jingle Jangle Jingle" by Gene Autry
"Gene Autry, My Hero" by Marty Robbins
Most Whitman westerns were written by guys who specialized in children's books. But a select few were penned by real western authors, guys like Walter A. Tompkins, Steve Frazee, and the author of this one, Lewis B. Patten.
Gene Autry and the Ghost Riders was published in 1955, near the beginning of Patten's long career - a career in which he turned out over a hundred novels. As a western novel, it's pretty standard fare. Gene is summoned by an old friend, a rancher who's receiving threats on his life. Once on the scene, Gene finds the countryside up in arms against his friend, convinced he's behind a gang of "Ghost Riders" who are rustling everyone's cattle. Gene is asked to come incognito, and because he wears his six-gun low on his hip, the good folks assume he's a gunslick and the bad folks assume he's a threat. So naturally both sides want him out of the picture.
Despite the kids-book status, this is a full-length novel, and the writing is only slightly dumbed-down for young readers. Definite plusses are the pulp paper used for this line of books and the illustrations appearing every twenty or so pages. While some books feature art by familiar names such as Alex Toth, those in this book are credited to guys named Bob Bartram & James Eggers.
There are only a few direct references to the Gene we know. He does not pack a guitar on his saddle, and never breaks into song. He does not serenade a senorita. What he does do is pack a collection of credentials for such part-time lawdog jobs as ex-officio Texas Ranger and deputy U.S. Marshal. And of course he rides Champion, the "World's Wonder Horse," who is almost as famous as Gene himself.
A few of the book's many interior illos:
Links to more cool Forgotten Books, as usual, at Patti Abbott's pattinase.
11 comments:
Patten's vision of the West is so grim and bleak it's hard to imagine him writing a juvenile novel. I may have to search this one out.
He also wrote Gene Autry and the Arapaho War Drums and the latter-day Big Little Book The Adventures of Jim Bowie. I know I have them both stashed somewhere.
I bet I would have loved this one, and might still love it now
The Gene Autry stories are musicals?
I'm pretty sure I read GENE AUTRY AND THE GHOST RIDERS way back when. I know I watched a lot of Gene Autry on our old B&W TV.
The Autry movies weren't full-fledged musicals, Deka, but Gene was always looking for an excuse to sing a song... around a campfire...on a radio show...in a nightclub or cantina...anytime he met a lady...to calm the cattle...or just riding down the trail. His sidekick Smiley Burnette always managed to slide in a ditty or two as well. This was the same formula used for the Roy Rogers movies, except Gabby rarely sang.
The question came because, well, i don't like musicals. Malke me nervous
You never fail to amaze me, Evan. This looks like a real treat, though a easily read-and-done one. Thanks especially for the scans of the illos.
I really need to read more Westerns. There's a big gap there in my genre education.
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Hi, my name is Elaine,I recently picked up the " Gene Autry and the Ghost Ridder " books does anyone have an idea what they might be worth? I love old westerns and my mom loved Gene Autry.
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