The Quick and the Dead by Louis L'Amour

Since I read Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry I have looked for old westerns that I may like. I found The Quick and the Dead and thoroughly enjoyed it. The romantic image of the lone gunslinger has always been a favorite of mine. This is a short (154 page) story about the McKaskel family of three moving out west. They chance upon Con Vallian who is a lone cowboy that, for reasons he is not sure of, decides to help them cross through the plains. Vallian becomes a mentor to the son and a friend in general to the family. The plot doesn't have twists and turns but that is what makes this book a good read. It is simple and shows the difficulties a family faced when going east to west. L'Amour also has the wife/mother have backbone which I admire. She is a strong female who doesn't shy away from the surprises along the way but instead faces them head on.