Welcome to Hard Times

I recently finished Welcome to Hard Times by E.L. Doctorow after finding it recommended to people looking for a western with an epic feel. I was disappointed in the recommendation because this is a great book but it is absolutely not an epic. The novel is barely 200 pages and reads very quickly.

It is the story of Mayor in name only struggling to rebuild a town after it has basically been burned to the ground by “The Bad Man from Bodie,” which is a generic name given to the various evil men that roamed the west. Blue, the mayor decides that the town can be rebuilt and begins to recruit men and women to resettle the town. He and the only other two survivors struggle with their own demons while trying to figure out how to deal with all of the new comers and the possible of the return of “The Bad Man.”

I have to say that in all honesty, I did enjoy the book, but it was short and very tersely written. I was expecting more action from a western, but I have found that generally speaking the great westerns of our time are lacking is real action. Lonesome Dove is a perfect example. Many of the new westerns seem to be character driven as opposed to being driven by a plot. I think it is a welcome change. I had a difficult time not comparing the writing style to Hemingway. The sentences were short and the book was a very easy read. I have been a fan of Doctorow’s for many years and would definitely recommend this book to any one that enjoys westerns or liked The March. It is a very impressive first novel by a writer that has since proven himself to be one of the great American novelists of our time.