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Hard Country: A Novel of the Old West Audiobook
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(3.14) - 229 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
National best-selling author and New Mexico native Michael McGarrity takes listeners to the wild territory of the late 19th-century American Southwest for this epic tale. After the deaths of his wife and brother, John Kerney gives up his West Texas ranch and heads south in search of a new home. Soon Kerney is offered work trailing cattle to the New Mexico Territory-a job that will forever change his life.
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"Well told, it's an epic along the lines of Lonesome Dove and Centennial. When John Kearny's wife dies in childbirth and his brother and family are murdered he becomes a cowboy eventually starting his own spread. Excellent, manly, but women will like it too. (Just like Irish Spring.)"
— Shelley (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“As anyone familiar with his excellent crime novels knows, Michael McGarrity really gets—and loves—the Southwest: its colors, its rhythms, its blessings, its cussedness. Here McGarrity moves back in time to explore New Mexico’s frontier past and in the process gives us something most unusual these days: an expansive, lyrical period Western in the tradition of A. B. Guthrie, Jr., and Larry McMurtry. Savor this one—they don’t make cowboy epics like this anymore.”
— Hampton Sides, bestselling author of Ghost Soldiers and Blood and Thunder -
“Hard Country is aptly titled, and the reader will take a spectacular journey with real people settling the West. There is inescapable action of the gun, the earth, the sky, and the heart. This is a western that women will love.”
— Max Evans, author of The Rounders
Hard Country Listener Reviews
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" I enjoyed the book; but the complexity of the characters (and the number of characters) has left me feeling cheated. I think perhaps this would have been better as a two part series. "
— Judy, 2/19/2014 -
" This book goes on my all time favorites list! Did not want it to end! "
— Kristine, 1/28/2014 -
" One of the best books I have read in a while! "
— Brian, 1/20/2014 -
" Awesome read! Very authentic western/ historical book; enjoyed immensely "
— Kelly, 1/18/2014 -
" What a fun western saga about the Kerney family. It was a pretty easy read. "
— Jill, 1/2/2014 -
" Very good western historical fiction. "
— Kevin, 12/29/2013 -
" A worthwhile read. Adventure, cowboys, cattle drives and a lot of history of New Mexico from the 1880s through the first World War. "
— Pamela, 12/12/2013 -
" Good explanation of how the series began. Also wonderful descriptions of Tularosa, New Mexico and the West movement of settlers. "
— Connie, 12/8/2013 -
" Excellant Fast read. Finished in about 4 days "
— Annette, 12/3/2013 -
" Enjoying this Western, reminds me of "Lonesome Dove", superbly written story !!! "
— Peter, 11/28/2013 -
" Fantastic generational western historical novel. It made me want to visit New Mexico again ASAP. Highly recommended! "
— Cody, 10/3/2013 -
" If you like Westerns, this is worth your time. Pretty much covers the settling of the old west over three generations. "
— Joanne, 9/30/2013 -
" This is one of my favorite books for 2012. I am going to jump on the second in the series as soon as it comes out! "
— Gale, 8/2/2013 -
" Great writing - reminded me of Cormac McCarthy's "All the Pretty Horses". Captures the human character needed to match the harshness of an earlier time and a rough country. "
— Marcia, 6/8/2013 -
" I loved this book. Kind of like Lonesome Dove but better. Good ole cowboy yard. Three generations of the hard life in a hard country. "
— Carol, 3/31/2013 -
" Absolutely one of the best westerns I have ever read, although it is unfair to label "Hard Country" as only a western. Very enjoyable read, touched with sadness. Well-developed characters, good guys (and gals) and the not-so-good. I highly recommend it. "
— Howard, 3/10/2013 -
" loved it. . . wonderful ending. didn't think it would end the way it did. "
— Katie, 10/31/2012 -
" Fantastic. An understated epic documenting the death of the West. "
— Cheyne, 8/24/2012 -
" A solid, straight forward western. Readers with an interest in the history of New Mexico should find it especially interesting kind of like Michener's Centennial for Colorado history fans. "
— Marsha, 5/24/2012 -
" I really enjoyed this book - the writing and narration were way above average. I would have enjoyed it more if there had been an ending that matched the story. It just sort of stopped at the nearest scene even if the scene didn't make sense "
— Kathy, 4/21/2012
About Michael McGarrity
Michael McGarrity is the author of the nationally bes-selling Kevin Kerney crime novels and American West Trilogy historical novels. He is a former psychotherapist and deputy sheriff and lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
About George Guidall
George Guidall, winner of more than eighty AudioFile Earphones Awards, has won three of the prestigious Audie Award for Excellence in Audiobook Narration. In 2014 the Audio Publishers Association presented him with the Special Achievement Award for lifetime achievement/ During his thirty-year recording career he has recorded over 1,700 audiobooks, won multiple awards, been a mentor to many narrators, and shown by example the potential of fine storytelling. His forty-year acting career includes starring roles on Broadway, an Obie Award for best performance off Broadway, and frequent television appearances.