DeWitt’s approach in “ The Sisters Brothers” is less corrective. Russell’s “Doc” is an intricately researched and deeply sympathetic portrayal that mocks the dime novels that immortalized the shootout at the OK Corral. We can’t fit all this in a Corrections box, but let me summarize it here: I may have exaggerated the death of the western. And already I’m back, shooting my mouth off about Patrick deWitt’s tale of two hired guns during the Gold Rush. Two weeks ago, I jumped on my horse and rode off in all directions to sing the praises of Mary Doria Russell’s “ Doc,” a fantastic novel about Doc Holiday and Wyatt Earp.

The brilliance of that cultural insight was somewhat undercut by the fact that my review ran in The Post beneath a huge story about a movie called “ True Grit.” Maybe you’ve heard of it. . . . Wanting to join a book club? Calliope Library has its own book club! Join like-minded locals to discuss books and who is reading what this month! Held on the last Thursday of each month Calliope Library.A few months ago, in a review of Susan Froderberg’s “ Old Border Road,” I lamented that the once mighty western had faded away from American consciousness. A movie based on the book was recently released also so, whichever you choose first, I recommend you experience both. The author cleverly captures the underworld of the 1850s frontier, painting the west with humour, melancholy and grit.Īlthough I read this book a few years ago, the characters and setting have stuck in my head. But this western is quirky and oddly captivating. The brothers are dark characters, which at times make the story the difficult to read. Charlie is not so keen to retire as he enjoys the chase and the killing. The Sisters Brothers are gunman and assassins working for the Commodore, who has ordered them to kill Hermann Kermit Warm.Įli, the more likeable of the brothers does not have the same appetite for killing as his brother Charlie. Eli is hoping that this will be their last contract killing as he hopes to settle down with a nice girl-or failing that, a trollop will do. This Western-inspired story takes place in Oregon and California in 1851. In Art & Culture, Community, Entertainment, Lifestyle

The sisters brothers book review