Jan Hintze

Hillbilly Elegy is a passionate and personal analysis of a culture in crisis - that of white working-class Americans. The decline of this group, a demographic of our country that has been slowly disintegrating over 40 years, has been reported on with growing frequency and alarm but has never before been written about as searingly from the inside. J. D. Vance tells the true story of what a social, regional, and class decline feels like when you were born with it hung around your neck.

Clay Rose, the deputy of Tucson noticed unfamiliar horses in front of the bank. It dawned on him, something was wrong. Suddenly his boss, Sheriff Biggs was stepping fast across the street just as Frankie Giles gang burst from the bank, shooting in all directions. They gunned the sheriff down along with the Marie Ramos, the lady Clay Rose intended to marry. He had been holding her behind him trying to shield her, but in his process to shoot back, a bullet took her....

“I am Johannes Verne, and I am not afraid.” This was the boy’s mantra as he plodded through the desert alone, left to die by his vengeful grandfather. Johannes Verne was soon to be rescued by outlaws, but no one could save him from the lasting memory of his grandfather’s eyes, full of impenetrable hatred. Raised in part by Indians, then befriended by a mysterious woman, Johannes grew up to become a rugged adventurer and an educated man. But even now, strengthened by the love of a golden-haired girl and well on his way to making a fortune in bustling early-day Los Angeles.

Here is the kind of authentically detailed epic novel that has become Louis L’Amour’s hallmark. It is the compelling story of US Air Force major Joe Mack, a man born out of time. When his experimental aircraft is forced down in Russia and he escapes a Soviet prison camp, he must call upon the ancient skills of his Indian forebears to survive the vast Siberian wilderness.

Boston Jacks arrived in Hardship, Arizona on the evening stage just in time to witness an angry mob of people in front of the jail calling for the release of Cain Spooner, who just happened to be an old friend. Boston intervened and won his release from jail with nothing but a deck of cards.

The people of San Angela had no idea Mill Roth left his cattle empire to a woman by the name of Hattie Stamps, the widow of Beaver Stamps, who was Mill's oldest and best friend. Until she showed up claiming the Roth Empire, everything was fine. Some of the citizens, other cattle operators, and people of high standing were filing section claims and branding cattle as fast as they could be caught. Plat Hargis and Floyd Sutter, both wealthy cattle and land owners, were claiming the largest chunks of the properties.

Hawk Haynes was proud of Porterville, Texas, a town he had founded. He had left it to go on a long honeymoon with Elizabeth Trudy, his new bride. When he returned a black cloud had ascended upon the town. The peace and harmony was gone, and so was his best friend. Hawk was sure Lank Lankford didn’t leave of his own accord. Luke Tanner, an old army buddy had left with Lank, and that told Hawk things weren’t right. Lank would never partner up with the likes of Luke Tanner, a born killer.

During the Civil War, five Union soldiers and a dog quietly escape from the clutches of the Confederate Army at Richmond, Virginia by hot air balloon. Their intention was to simply drift safely over to the Union lines and rejoin their own troops. Instead, while aloft, they were caught in a high wind and whisked hundreds of miles out to sea. The men carried no provisions for survival and had no idea where they were. Under those circumstances their future was bleak. Worse yet, the balloon was leaking air and slowly deflating.