Shane

Rating:
Summary: A Well Founded Conquest
Review: If you pressed me I could probably go on and on about Shane; in fact I'm sure that my remarks would end up longer than the book itself. But going along with Schaefer's advice that short is much better... I'll just say that Shane immediately became my favorite book when I read it in 6th grade. The copy that I read was my teacher's and I have been searching for one of my own for years... now a freshman in college, I finally have my personal edition of Shane as of a week ago. When I opened the cover, the story completely absorbed me just like in 6th grade and I couldn't put it down until I had finished reading the entire book. It was every bit as good as it was over six years ago. Thankyou Jack Schaefer for writting such an extraordinary book and for those of you who havn't read Shane, I strongly urge you to get out there and search for it. I am certain that it will not be in vain

Rating:
Summary: That's why they call them kids
Review: "I had to read it for school. and I hated it!" seems to be the common theme, here. As a middle school teacher, I can vouch for the observable fact that many many children 1. hate to read (sad) and 2. hate to read - even more - what they are told to read. Shane, while now somewhat dated, was a classic in it's time, and often imitated. One direct imitation is the Clint Eastwood movie, "Pale Rider", which serves as a wonderful comparison piece. As far as the young reviewers not being able to "understand" the novel "Shane", one can only ask if TV has destroyed their brain cells, or if they can't understand how Shane and Marion resisted their temptation to be with each other at the expense of friend and husband Joe Starret. In today's age, such restraint must surely seem confusing. A fine, easy- to- read book.

Rating:
Summary: Just buy it!
Review: Considering that you'll reread this book countless times, it's a great investment which will amortize over the years. "Shane" is a great western, and beyond that, great literature, in the vein of "The Virginian". Schaefer has the truly great writers' gift of painting vivid pictures with simple writing. He tells this story through the eyes of a youth, living in the west during the time that open-range ranchers were contending with homesteaders for grazing land. The enigmatic Shane rides into the boy's life one afternoon and becomes part of the life of his frontier family. He shoots, rides, does anything with effortless perfection, yet he is not at peace with himself. When an ugly land war invades the community, Shane's presence in the valley helps level the playing field. As he becomes personally involved in the disturbances, even those whose interests he sustains are sharply divided over the desirability of his presence in the region. Is he their savior, or a villain with trouble on his coattails? This is a great story that belongs in every home library.