The Virginian

A Horseman of the Plains

By: Owen Wister

Narrated by: C. James Moore

Written first as a series of stories in the late 19th century and published later as the quintessential Western novel in the early years of the 20th century, The Virginian: A Horseman of the Plains by Owen Wister contains elements of breathtaking adventure, courage, grit, conflict, humor, and heartfelt emotions that continue to resonate in the 21st century.

In The Virginian, Wister crafted the matrix for hundreds of Western-themed books (Riders of the Purple Sage, Shane), radio (Gunsmoke), movies (Red River, High Noon), television series (Rawhide, Hell on Wheels), and even musicals (think Oklahoma) to follow. At its heart, The Virginian, set in 1880s Wyoming, is a sagebrush love story between a tall, dashing young cowboy from the Old Dominion and Molly Wood, a Vermont-born schoolteacher. Their relationship is pulled to a frightening tension by the bitter rivalry between the Virginian and the black-hearted Trampas. Hard-ridden cowhands, ornery rustlers, gold seekers from back East, kindly ranchers, a barroom temptress, a demented hen, beloved horses, dastardly villains, and love-smitten sweethearts all blend to make The Virginian a must-listen-to audiobook of the West as it once was.

Public Domain (P)2015 C. James Moore

Great story; faulty text

The narrator was fantastic. The sound and cadence of each character’s voice was consistent throughout the book. His choice of which words to emphasize was spot on.

The story was charming.

The book was wonderful.

Great Story

This is a great story,especially considering how old it is. The narrator, C. James Moore does a great job and is a pleasure to listen to. To me a narrator is a huge part of the experience.

My first western “cowboy” story

I listened to this because of a podcasts recommendation, I was very surprised at how great of a story this is! I usually stick to thrillers and sci-fi but this may have opened up a whole new genre for me to explore!
I am not sure how to describe except by remembering FDR’s comment about how a man must be a man before he can be a gentleman. It reminds me of when I tried to read Pride and Predigest or something like that, but WAY more interesting for me. From a time when people spoke a certain way and presented themselves with a hard or harsh dignity. Good read, great story!