The log of a cowboy

'True Grit', 'Rio Bravo', 'Shane', 'High Noon'... If you love a classic Western movie, then raise your ten-gallon hat to Andy Adams, whose cowboy books helped to power the Wild West into people's minds. 'The Log of a Cowboy' is his classic novel - and it is based on his 12 years working as a cowboy. Protagonist Tommy Moore drives cattle, has run-ins with native American tribes, clashes with rustlers, has gunfights, and encounters "good whiskey and bad women". In other words, he ticks every cowboy adventure box with authenticity and a flourish. This is a must-read for fans of Western writers including Zane Gray and Louis L'Amour. Andy Adams (1859-1935) was an American writer of westerns, who grew up on his family's farm in Indiana. He worked as a cowboy and cattle driver, which later prompted him to start writing his cowboy stories. He started writing novels in his forties, and his work is characterised by its realistic descriptions of everyday life and the troubles ranchers and cowboys experienced. His best-known works include 'The Log of a Cowboy', 'Reed Anthony, Cowman', and 'Wells Brothers'.