An inventive, ranging debut story collection from a writer hailed by Charles Yu as "a stunningly original voice—warm, bleak, dark, ecstatic, full of silences and power and life" Reinventing a great American tradition through an absurdist, discerning eye, Joseph Scapellato uses these twenty-five stories to conjure worlds, themes, and characters who are at once unquestionably familiar and undeniably strange. Big Lonesome navigates through the American West—from the Old West to the modern-day West to the Midwest, from cowboys to mythical creatures to everything in between—exploring place, myth, masculinity, and what it means to be whole or to be broken. Though he works in the tradition of George Saunders and Patrick deWitt—writing subversive, surreal, and affecting stories that unveil the surprising inner lives of ordinary people and the mythic dimensions of our everyday lives—"Scapellato’s Big Lonesome is unlike anything else you’ve ever read" (Robert Boswell).

The story of Tobin Shattuck and his life in the post- Civil War Mountain West, and of his father, who taught him the ways of the wilderness.

A New York Times Notable Book: A woman’s suicide leads a man to a Nevada mining town—and a nest of poisonous secrets—in this “top-notch thriller” (Publishers Weekly). There is something about the sad woman eating alone night after night at the Harmony Café that intrigues San Francisco CPA Jim Messenger. Unfulfilled himself, Jim feels a kinship with her—and later, when she commits suicide, he resolves to find out why. His search leads him to Beulah, a middle-of-nowhere mining town in the Nevada desert, where hatreds run deep, where secrets are as venomous as a rattlesnake bite, and where a stranger asking too many questions might inexplicably disappear. Still, in this dusty, barren landscape, Jim feels completely alive. And he’s not going anywhere until he uncovers the truth, even if it rips the whole town apart. Richly atmospheric and peopled with achingly human characters, Blue Lonesome is a crime novel as tense and coiled as a rattler ready to strike and as dark and hypnotic as the lonesome desert night.

Embark on a captivating journey with John Fox Jr.'s The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, a timeless tale set in the rugged and scenic Appalachian Mountains. Experience a story rich in adventure, romance, and the enduring spirit of the frontier. As Fox’s narrative unfolds, follow the intriguing journey of characters whose lives are intertwined with the wild beauty and harsh realities of their mountain home. The novel vividly captures the essence of a bygone era, full of struggle and triumph against the backdrop of a breathtaking landscape.But here’s a thought to ponder: How does the untamed beauty of the land shape the lives and destinies of those who call it home? Can love and resilience truly flourish amidst the challenges of the wild frontier? Dive into the mesmerizing world of The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, where every page brings to life the spirit of the mountains and the lives of those who are shaped by them. This is more than just a story; it’s an evocative exploration of love, loyalty, and the enduring bond between people and their land. Are you ready to experience the powerful journey through The Trail of the Lonesome Pine? Embrace the adventure and discover how the heart of the frontier beats within the pages of this classic novel.Don’t miss the chance to explore this enchanting tale. Purchase The Trail of the Lonesome Pine today and immerse yourself in a story of love and endurance set against the stunning backdrop of the Appalachian Mountains.

A journey through the history of country music.

The Big Bend, the Big Country, the Big Empty. The High Plains, the Permian and the Panhandle. Cowboys, Cowtown and the curl of a killer tornado. A place where “you can stretch your eyeballs.” Where the Hale-Bopp comet, “hardly visible above some smoggy, light-polluted cities, looked like it could drop into the Pecos River at any moment.” West Texas, home to the state’s biggest legends, is chronicled by two authors who have spent most of their careers crisscrossing it. Mike Cochran and John Lumpkin, Associated Press journalists, bring their experiences to the pages of this handsome volume, accompanied by fifty photographs of the West Texas landscape, its people and its history. Converse with West Texas characters like Stanley Marsh 3, conman Billy Sol Estes, and Big Spring’s merry messiah, Marj Carpenter. Meet Gordon Wood, Friday night football’s winningest coach, and Groner Pitts, Brownwood’s liveliest undertaker. Remember ranching icon Watt Matthews, the founders of Santa Rita No. 1, and Lubbock’s C. W. Stubblefield, magnet to blues and country music stars. Honor Hallie Stillwell, Frenchy McCormick, and even modern art’s Georgia O’Keeffe, who put their stamp on Texas’s most fascinating region. A West Texan once said, “They show no pictures of my province or even neighboring provinces. They leave a big hole in Texas.” No more is that the case, thanks to Mike Cochran and John Lumpkin.

Big Lonesome is a collection of wildly imaginative tales of America's past and present full of hardboiled history and tender-hearted hooligans. Whether he's spinning a lurid yarn about the previous adventures of Popeye, imagining Dick Tracy as a San Fernando Valley police detective, or retelling the story of Little Red Riding Hood in Nazi Germany, Ruland's stories resonate with the truth of lessons learned the hard way.