How the West Was Won

As with many other aspects of history, the Gay milieu of cowboy life has been completely overlooked. Until recently, most historians have ignored or actively suppressed the very strong homosexual component present in frontier life, especially among cowboys whose social structures very closely resemble those of European sea pirates of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. As the following representative sample shows, this lack of scholarly research has not prevented various writers, both good and bad, from both exploring and exploiting cowboy mentality and society.

Ahern, John. Brandy Wine A Gay Western Stamford, CT, Knights Press, 1988. First American edition. Paperback original. Fine in fine paper wraps, 236 p. "The first thing Brand knows after he has been brutally raped and thrown off the end of the covered wagon....is a large, very strong Indian standing over him." $25

Bond, Harlon. Ranch House Stud (Gay pulp fiction) 1976 Greenleaf Adonis series Fine in fine paper wraps, 158 p. Norman listing 1294. $20

Caldwell, Clay. Horny Stud's Ranch (Gay pulp fiction) 1979 Surree 69 HIS series. Fine in fine paper wraps, 186 p. Norman listing 1386. $15

Carson, David. (pseudo.) Lament A Novel About How the West Was Blown. NY, Grove Press, 1973. First American edition. Fine in fine DJ, 214 p. Young 606*. Plus a copy of the April 1974 issue of QQ (Queen's Quarterly) magazine containing a review of this book by Orlando Paris (pseudo. of Paul Welles). Welles calls Lament beautifully written -the Sleeper Novel of the Year but "who the hell has heard of it? Certainly not the Times, Time, or the Review of Books For to have heard of it is to acknowledge it and to do so that honestly is to praise it." OCLC listing. (both items) $125

Cooper, Raymond. Bunk House Hunks (Gay pulp fiction) 1973 Surrey Manhard. Fine in fine paper wraps, 186 p. Norman listing 1548. $15

Cruze, Abel. Ride A Long Horn (Gay pulp fiction) 1973 Surrey 69 HIS. Fine in fine paper wraps, 186 p. Norman listing 1624. $15

David, Richard. (pseudo.) Ride The Whirlwind. NY, Vantage Press, 1973. First American edition Fine in fine DJ, 352 p. The novel "follows one eventful year in the life (of) an attractive 23 year old homosexual cowboy from Amarillo who searches determinedly for a permanent and meaningful relationship amidst the instability and superficiality of modern gay life." Author was an avid fan of Zane Grey and probable just got carried away. Book dedicated to Wild Bill. Young 911*. No OCLC listing. $150

Delacourt, George. Frontier Boys (Gay pulp fiction) 1971 Greenleaf A Pleasure Reader. Fine in fine paper wraps, 159 p. Norman listing 1736. $15

Fritcher, Jack. Leather Blues. SF, Gay Sunshine, 1984. Signed by Fritcher. 91 p. One of a limited edition of 10 special copies hand bound in 1/4 cloth covered boards that comprised the entire hard bound issue. A paperback edition was also issued

While not strictly a cowboy fantasy, one of the chief mise-en-scenes involves two cowpokes playing around with barbed wire, bridle bits, branding irons, corral slop, and a noose. Definitely not for the faint of heart. $350

Gronowski, Paul. Rough-Ridin' Studs (Gay pulp fiction) 1978 Surree 69 HIS. Fine in fine paper wraps, 186 p. Norman listing 2208. $15

Hall, Mannie.Hot Cock Cowboy (Gay pulp fiction) 1979 Rough Trade illus. Fine in fine paper wraps, 180 p. Norman listing 2228. $20

Herlihy, James Leo. Midnight Cowboy. NY, Simon & Schuster, 1965. First American edition. Main homosexual character was not included in the movie. Very nice, fresh copy in fine DJ, 253 p. Young 1770. Austin $200

Herlihy, James Leo. Midnight Cowboy. London, Jonathan Cape, 1966. First British edition. Very nice fresh copy in fine DJ, 253 p. $175

Kovar, Dallas. They blazed a trail through lands of awesome beauty, of absolute savagery. The trek brought out the best, the worse in every man and the fellowship they forged was One to share (Gay pulp fiction) 1968 Greenleaf. Fine in fine paper wraps, 160 p. Young listing 2183* and Norman listing 2695. $75

Love, F.W. Roped Whipped Wranglers (Gay pulp fiction) 1982 Greenleaf Adonis. Fine in fine paper wraps, 149 p. Norman listing 2891. $25

Maggie, John. Go Down In The Valley It was often said that the valley made men..more often the men made each other (Gay pulp fiction) 1968 Brandon. Fine in fine paper wraps, 158 p. Norman listing 2991. $45

McClain, Burt. Cal Jardine Outlaw Ex-marshal and gunfighter extraordinaire; with a ready wit, a fast gun, and love for the blond greenhorn who has become his shadow (Gay pulp fiction) 1977 Blueboy. Fine in fine paper wraps, 184 p. Norman listing 2963. $20

Meyer, Thomas. The Bang Book. Highland NC, Jargon, number 69, 1971. Fine in fine DJ, almost as new, 49 p. One of 49 hard bound copies. Drawings by John Furnival. Sponsored by an NEA grant, this work is "An erotic cowboy short story in verse with old Egyptian gods dressed in Western garb." (whew!) Meyers's first book. Meyers is also a publisher of Jargon Press along with lover Jonathan Williams. Young 2684*. OCLC listing. $275

Wilhelm, Lambert. Tied Up Ranch Hands (Gay pulp fiction) 1981 Greenleaf Adonis. Fine in fine paper wraps, 153 p. Norman listing 4363. $15