Shane

Rating:
Summary: The wild, wild west--through a child's eyes.
Review: I understand completely why kids assigned this reading for school did not enjoy it. Though told through a young boy's eyes, the writing style is mature and uses many descriptive paragraphs. Though sometimes impatient with description, I loved the story all the more for the details; but some pre-high-school kids will become bored.

It's true that Bob's introspection is unusually discerning for his age. However, some remarks indicate that he could be writing this at a later time in his life, looking back on what happened with a wiser perspective. Either way, the author's depth of observation from an unlikely character can be forgiven as he elicits reader sympathy and understanding. Bob's view of his world may not always be reliable (especially when referring to his hero as "invincible"), but he is always endearing. Reading about Bob's naïve, honest idolization of the mysterious gunman, I wanted Shane to stay, too. And looking beyond Bob's innocent perspective, the mature reader sees things that Bob does not, understanding his parents as well as Shane even better than he does himself.

This work of art manages to stay short (120 pp.) without losing the substance and quality of much longer novels. Any shorter, and something would be missing. Any longer, and the added words or events would be unnecessary, lessening the "punch" that perfect length gives this tale. If all Westerns are as captivating as this jewel, maybe I'll try another one sometime!

Rating:
Summary: One of the best five
Review: Howdy everyone, this is James Drury. I used to play The Virginian on NBC television, for those of you who can't remember that far back. It's that time again, time to read Shane. I'm only into it up to chapter six, and already those old memories have flooded back, and I recall why I love this book so much. It is timeless, to use a perhaps overused word. It is nearly a flawless book, although for the first time I've noticed that a few of his time elements are incredible, such as, for example, the time it takes Marion to bake a pie in the book. But this is such a good book that things like this don't matter. The only Western author I can truly say I enjoy as much as Jack Shaefer is Kirby Jonas, a young author whose books I read on audio for Books In Motion, who can be located at Booksinmotion.com . But in my opinion Shane can never be topped nor matched by anyone. If you are a young person and feel forced into reading this book, I wish I could tell your teachers, "Don't force Shane on anyone!" This book should be read in your leisure time, when YOU want to, to be truly enjoyed. I hope you will give it an honest chance.

Rating:
Summary: 4 star book!
Review: The book shane was about a man, that was trying to get away from his past and by doing this was wondering throughout the country and he stumbled into a family, the starrett's the took him in Shane helped them on there farm. The Wealthy land owner Fletcher wanted to buy the land of the Starrett's and Joe Starrett didnt want to sell his land, so Fletcher made it a war between the two and hired a hit man to kill Shane and Joe. His name was Wilson, Wilson a well known gunfighter came in and picked a fight with Shane and Joe.... and im not going to give away the whole book espicially the ending.

I really enjoyed this book, i thought Shane was a good mystery character, the book, was well written by jack Schaefer. I thought it was hard to put down the book and when i did it wasnt for that long. The ending I would of never expected and for that i recommend this book to everyone, that enjoys the twists and turns in a book.

Rating:
Summary: Perhaps the most eloquent Western ever written.
Review: Did you like the movie "The Man From Snowy River?" If so, you owe it to yourself to buy and read SHANE, Jack Schaefer's first novel. As is so often the case, Hollywood's version of this beautifully written classic does not begin to capture the integrity of the characters in this book, nor the relationships which develop, nor the love and respect an "ex-gunman-on-the-run" engenders in a Wyoming sodbuster's family, and in any reader with a soul. This book is short, because it contains not one extra or unnecessary word. Every description -- from Shane's posture and dusty clothes as he rides up to a log farmhouse, in the shadow of the Grand Tetons, to the looks of unstated understanding which pass between a boy's father and a stranger who stays for supper, and then stays even longer to help a valley of farmers in trouble -- is poignantly clear and crisp, yet almost understated. Few Westerns have ever gained the degree of admiration that's been s! ! howered on SHANE, and justifiably so. After reading the paperback edition you may even be moved to buy, as I did more than 10 years ago, the "collector's edition," also available through Amazon.com. And once you've read it, you may also find it makes a great gift ... for children of all ages!

Rating:
Summary: Classic Western Motifs
Review: Unlike the reviewer "Barb from Oregon," I believe everything she found detestable in Shane is what makes it a great western. Her firts complaint was to the shallow development of the Shane character. I believe the author intentionally left his past dim, his motivations unkown, as part of the "hero" motif. As to violence--it's a western story depicting a range war, not a court proceeding. The author shows Joe's muscles ripping his shirt in the bar fight for a reason. From the perspective of his son, it was vitally important that he see his father as strong, otherwise his admiration of Shane may have overshadowed his father.

Wild Bill recommends this book for any reader interested in a portrayal of the wild west in its legendary form.

Rating:
Summary: 1 star? More like no stars...
Review: Hello everybody out there. I'm one of those "pre-high-school kids" who read Shane in class. And, though I don't like to be cliche, I hated it.
Somebody said before that this novel had little character development. I have to agree. Jack Schaefer is excellent at fight and appearance description, but our characters are left as empty clothes waiting to be filled. We know Shane is a tall, dark, and handsome gunslinger trying to escape his past, but we don't know what he's escaping from or anything else about him. And his character seems to change dramatically throughout the text. When he first arrives in the valley, Shane is hesitant to involve himself with anything, wanting only to stay at the Starrett's for a night. Joe persuades him to stay and work on his farm, and as time passes Shane gradually becomes more involved in the valley's affairs. I can see this happening. But Shane seems always quiet and, yes, still hesitant. I can't see Shane losing his cool in everyday life. This is supported by his actions throughout the book, especially by his tenderly wiping the blood from Chris's face after breaking his arm. But after Johnson's bringing the news of Wilson's arrival, Shane pushes past him saying roughly, "You'll only ever be a farmer." I can't see Shane doing this.

Another point my friends and I poke fun at is all the violence. Schaefer describes, in detail, each punch landed and each bone splintered. I can see how this adds to Shane's prowess in fights, but I find it overly descriptive. There is no point in, for example, telling us how Joe's shirt rips off his back and reveals bulging, rippling muscles. I find this unbelievable, unnecessary, and revolting.

So to anyone out there, be you English teacher, avid book reader, or a Western fanatic, I advise you to stay away from Shane.

Second thought--you Western fanatics might like it. *shrug*

Rating:
Summary: Not All It's Cracked Up To Be
Review: After finishing this book, I was totally surprised. This is the "classic western novel" that everyone has been raving about? "Shane" lacks the elements of a good story almost completely. There is frighteningly little character development, and I find it a little strange that the reader knows next to nothing about the title character. Since other reviwers have already mentioned that pretty much nothing happens in this book, I will focus on the lack of information about Shane. The only concrete fact about Shane is that he has a mysterious past. Anything else that might be said about him is inferred,(as are most traits attributed to members of the Starrett family). Also, I believe that Schaefer pushed the whole "Shane's past haunts him" thing a little too far. The reader is constantly reminded of how "poor Shane had something bad happen to him". This started to get old about 30 pgs in, and to add insult to injury, we are never told exactly what this "bad thing" was. Within literature it is sometimes for the best to leave things ambiguous, but usually, the piece of information that is never going to be told to the reader is not hinted at and/or alluded to every other page. It seemed to me that Shane's past was a vital part... scratch that, one of the only parts of his overall character. Ultimately, reading this book felt like watching the sequal to a movie I'd never seen, mostly because of the huge gaps in information about the characters. Without interesting characters, even a story with excellent prose and plot can fall flat. Shane, which had neither of these to begin with, was utterly dissapointing.

Rating:
Summary: Better then i expected.
Review: When my teacher first told us that we were going to be reading the book Shane i had never heard of it. Then when she said that it was a western it made me want to read it less. But once i started reading in i started to enjoy it. The further in the book the more I liked it. I think it is a very good book and that it should be read by all.

Rating:
Summary: Shane
Review: Shane by Jack Schaefer is a well-written classic that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This story takes place in the West during the 1800's.
Shane, a man of a mysterious unknown past, rides into the Starrett's farm while farmers turn to examine him intently. He is a man of medium build, dark skin, and a thin, tight face with a body as hard as steel. But the thing that catches the eye the most is his clothes. He has a nice shirt, jeans, a handkerchief around his neck, and a big, black hat. Definitely, his nice clothes are uncommon in such a plain farm community as this. He is a gunslinger, but something in his past keeps him from wearing a gun.
The whole town wonders about him, and even more so when he ends up working as a farmhand for the Starretts. However, they do not know how deeply involved he would become when Fletcher, a cattle rancher who lived across the river from the farmers, tries to take the farmer's land for his cattle to graze. When Fletcher hires an expert gunslinger to "convince" the farmers to back down, only Shane can stop him, but will he?
Shane is a wonderfully written story that depicts the conflict that farmers and ranchers faced in fighting for land in the West. This Western novel will not disappoint you with its interesting characters and nail-biting plot. I recommend this book to any one 10 or older that likes Westerns and classic novels.

Rating:
Summary: An American Classic
Review: From The Scarlet Letter to Wise Blood, American literature is known for its short novels, and this is a great one. Schaefer took the simple, direct prose style of Twain and Hemingway and used it perfectly, carefully weighing every single word for emotional effect.
The book is usually kept in the children's section of bookstores because the vocabulary is basic. It was the first I ever read, when I was seven or eight. But it is a great book for anyone, crackling with tension. The first page alone is worth the price.
If you like Shane, you might try The Oxbow Incident by Walter Van Tilburg Clark.