More about today’s linkfest below.
Yesterday, I had occassion to drop by my Wonder Woman’s library. She was at a meeting, so I twiddled my thumbs at her desk for a while, noodling around doing random searches of the card catalog. [Telescoping the story… ] I ended up quickly reading a Louis L’Amour book–something I’d not done in many, many years. It reminded me why I read all his books, despite the fact that the plots are predictabe to the point of being hackneyed, all his characters are complete sterotypes, dialog is frequently didactic to the point of being “preachifying” on traditional American virtues, etc. So why did I read darned near everything the guy wrote, lo those many years ago?
The guy could write descriptive narrative. I’ve been many of the places he describes, and some of them I recognized on my first visit from descriptions in his books, others I knew well I knew better after reading his descriptions. That’s something.
But more than that–and the reason one of the most learned men I know once told me he read L’Amour and considered him his favorite “theologian” *heh*–the “preachifying” on traditional American virtues are a welcome anodyne to the pain of viewing the steady erosion of those virtues in contemoprary culture.
So, I may dig out those old paperbacks and skim ’em for some of that preachifying didactic dialog from time to time whenever I begin to be nauseated by contemporary culture. Because some “light reading” just shines more light than some more “substantive’ reading.
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Isn’t it odd that someone who so extempifies traditional American virtues has a French name.
Thomas–L’Amour was born, as I recall, of French-Canadian descent. North Dakota? Seems about right (of course, I could Google to find out, eh?)
But regardless, a French name though thoroughly American doesn’t make him all that uncommon. Until recently, no matter where a man (or his family) came from, becoming an American was common. Heck, my wife’s grandparents (both sides) emmigrated from Norway in the early 20th Century and became AMERICANS, not hyphenated Americans. Her mom’s parents were typical midwestern AMERICAN farmers and her dad’s parents were typical Midwestern AMERICAN bluecollar folk. Her parents met at St. Olaf’s and were typical midwestern AMERICAN white collar workers.
NONE of them were Norwegian-Americans. They were AMERICANS. Oh, they maintained contact with relatives who’d stayed behind, but THOSE relatives were the Norwegians.
And so it has been through much of our short history. The melting pot that was once America once offered all the strengths (and virtues) of a mongrel dog, which any honest vet will tell you is much likelier to be genetically stronger than purebreds. What we have more and more today is a “multi-culti” atmosphere that seeks to separate our society into “breeds” that fracture and weaken the “genetic” structure of our once strong melting pot society.
Dumbass multi-cultis.
Oh, hell! wish I’d been here a day or 2 ago.
If anyone has paid any attention, whatsoever, Louis L’Amour is of Frog-Irish extraction.
My preference is to think of the Irish part. Born in Jamestown, ND, grew up in OK.
Davido, some of your commentary is TOTALLY appropriate!
I don’t agree with some of L’Amours’s comments, i.e., Union vs. Confederacy.
I do have a friend (from CMD) who’s grandfather was a “president” of one of the SBC cemeteries. [David, you know him from CMD.}
Anyway, he referred to L’Amour as the “Great American Phlosopher.”
Plot: Very predictable!
I’m still re-reading! AND, looking for those I don’t have in “my” personal library!
One of the main focus points of L’Amour novels & short stories: “WONDER WOMAN!!!”
He addressed all kinds of women, BUT the real focus was to celebrate the woman who would “walk beside her man” — neither in front, nor behind! AND, the “man” who would accept that kind of love!
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From my brief study of history, he did pretty good research. Sackett series “setting” took place just a few miles north of me. Certain other local history pubs seem to confirm the overall.
“The Fergusion Rifle” (early chapters) match what I know from history. [Did a major research paper in grad school on Pat Ferguson.*]
* I have a lot of “military” respect for Patrick Ferguson — he who be burried under a big pile of rocks at the “King’s Mountain Battle Field.”
Heck, tis is gettin’ too long for a “comment” …
Later,
hth
same