The Best Western Stories of Lewis B. Patten is a collection of Patten’s short stories edited by Bill Prozini and Martin Greenberg. It is part of a set of “Best Western Stories” they did in the 1980s. I have also owned and read their The Best Western Stories of Frank Bonham. I know they did at least five total:

• The Best Western Stories of Steve Frazee
• The Best Western Stories of Loren Estleman
• The Best Western Stories of Wayne D. Overholser
• The Best Western Stories of Frank Bonham
• The Best Western Stories of Lewis B. Patten

All these writers featured are favorites of mine. There are few better Western writers than these five. The Michiganders H.A. DeRosso and Elmore Leonard come to mind. Coincidentally (or not so maybe) I think Estleman may also be from Michigan.

I purchased the Bonham and Patten volumes at my favorite bookstore in Butte, Montana, Second Edition Books years ago. Second Edition Books has, as you would expect, a great Western section and an even better Montana one.

Lewis B. Patten wrote over 100 novels. I have read a fair number of them. Traditionally they are easy to find in more rural bookstores and thrift shops (places where people still read Westerns). I will no doubt review a few of his novels here sometime down the line.

As I have said here before, I am partial to short stories. I know that not all readers share that partiality. In fact, looking at Nancy Pearl’s Book Lust recently, I noticed that even though she is a voracious reader she is not a huge fan of the short-story form. I remain convinced, however, that it is the best form for judging how good a fiction writer– of any genre– really is.

Patten is a good writer. Not great, but good enough. And this is a fine sample of his writing. You could probably find an inexpensive used copy of The Best Western Stories of Lewis B. Patten on ABE Books. I think if you give it a try, you will be pleasantly surprised.