Other editions of book Riders of the Purple Sage

Riders of the Purple Sage is a Western novel by Zane Grey, first published by Harper & Brothers in 1912. Considered by many critics to have played a significant role in shaping the formula of the popular Western genre, the novel has been called "the most popular western novel of all time."Riders of the Purple Sage tells the story of Jane Withersteen and her battle to overcome persecution by members of her polygamous Mormon fundamentalist church. A leader of the church, Elder Tull, wants to marry her. Withersteen gets help from a number of friends, including Bern Venters and Lassiter, a famous gunman and killer of Mormons. Throughout most of the novel she struggles with her "blindness" to the evil nature of her church and its leaders, and tries to keep Venters and Lassiter from killing the adversaries who are slowly ruining her. When she adopts a child, Fay, she abandons her beliefs and discovers her true love. A second plot strand tells of Venters and his escape to the wilderness with a girl named Bess, "the rustler's girl," whom he has accidentally shot. Venters falls in love with the girl while caring for her. Together they escape to the East, while Lassiter, Fay, and Jane, pursued by both Mormons and rustlers, escape into a paradise-like valley and topple a giant rock to forever close off the only way in or out.

Initially published in 1912 and the first of Zane Grey's many bestsellers, this stirring tale of adventure in the high country established the prototype for western novels of the twentieth century. The plot's focus is a proud young heroine who's determined to defend her Utah ranch. She stands alone against the villains who rustle and stampede her cattle — until a stranger rides into the territory. Notorious as the scourge of Mormon transgressors, the stranger stays on to assist in the inevitable showdown, and romance blooms amid the canyons and cottonwoods. A classic of American frontier fiction, Riders of the Purple Sage teems with color, authenticity, and thrills.

This edition includes:The complete novel (Riders of the Purple Sage),Complete bibliography of Zane Grey,Over ten western illustrations,Biography of Zane Grey,A sharp clip-crop of iron-shod hoofs deadened and died away, and clouds of yellow dust drifted from under the cottonwoods out over the sage. Jane Withersteen gazed down the wide purple slope with dreamy and troubled eyes. A rider had just left her and it was his message that held her thoughtful and almost sad, awaiting the churchmen who were coming to resent and attack her right to befriend a Gentile. She wondered if the unrest and strife that had lately come to the little village of Cottonwoods was to involve her. And then she sighed, remembering that her father had founded this remotest border settlement of southern Utah and that he had left it to her. She owned all the ground and many of the cottages. Withersteen House was hers, and the great ranch, with its thousands of cattle, and the swiftest horses of the sage. To her belonged Amber Spring, the water which gave verdure and beauty to the village and made living possible on that wild purple upland waste. She could not escape being involved by whatever befell Cottonwoods. That year, 1871, had marked a change which had been gradually coming in the lives of the peace-loving Mormons of the border. Glaze—Stone Bridge—Sterling, villages to the north, had risen against the invasion of Gentile settlers and the forays of rustlers. There had been opposition to the one and fighting with the other. And now Cottonwoods had begun to wake and bestir itself and grown hard.

In the canyon country of southern Utah, Jane Withersteen, a Mormon-born spinster, has inherited a valuable ranch and spring which is coveted by other Mormons in the community. The Mormons begin to persecute her openly when Jane refuses to marry one of the Mormon elders and befriends Venters, a young Gentile rider, Meanwhile, Lassiter, a notorious gunman, arrives at the Withersteen ranch in search of the grave of his long-lost sister. Lassiter stays on as Jane's defender while Venters is on the trail of a gang of

Over 40 Million Copies Of Zane Grey's Novels SoldThe premier chronicler of the American West, legendary storyteller Zane Grey has captivated millions of readers with his timeless adventures of life, death, gunfire, and justice. This is the Old West in all its glory and grandeur. Forged in blood. Enflamed by passion. Emblazoned with bullets. . . Riders Of The Purple SageCottonwoods, Utah. 1871. A woman stands accused. A man, sentenced to whipping. Into this travesty of small-town justice rides the one man the town elders fear. His name is Lassiter, a notorious gunman who's come to avenge his sister's death. It doesn't take Lassiter long to see that this once-peaceful Mormon community is controlled by the corrupt Deacon Tull--a powerful elder who's trying to take the woman's land by forcing her to marry him, branding her foreman as a dangerous "outsider." Lassiter vows to help them. But when the ranch is attacked by horse thieves, cattle rustlers, and a mysterious Masked Rider, he realizes they're up against something bigger, and more brutal, than the land itself. . . In this battle, no man rides alone. "Zane Grey epitomized the mythical West that should have been. . . the standout among them is Riders of the Purple Sage." --True West"Grey was a champion of the American wilderness and the men and women who tamed the Old West." --Booklist

Read the novel that shaped the genre of Western novels in America. Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey stells the story of a woman's battle to overcome perseuction by members of her polygamous Mormon church. This complex novel is an classic tale of romance, adventure and the wild west. This Xist Classics edition has been professionally formatted for e-readers with a linked table of contents. This ebook also contains a bonus book club leadership guide and discussion questions. We hope you’ll share this book with your friends, neighbors and colleagues and can’t wait to hear what you have to say about it.Xist Publishing is a digital-first publisher. Xist Publishing creates books for the touchscreen generation and is dedicated to helping everyone develop a lifetime love of reading, no matter what form it takes Get your next Xist Classic title for Kindle here: http://amzn.to/1A7cKKl Find all our our books for Kindle here: http://amzn.to/1PooxLl Sign up for the Xist Publishing Newsletter here. Find more great titles on our website.

Initially published in 1912 and the first of Zane Grey's many bestsellers, this stirring tale of adventure in the high country established the prototype for western novels of the twentieth century. The plot's focus is a proud young heroine who's determined to defend her Utah ranch. She stands alone against the villains who rustle and stampede her cattle—until a stranger rides into the territory. Notorious as the scourge of Mormon transgressors, the stranger stays on to assist in the inevitable showdown, and romance blooms amid the canyons and cottonwoods. A classic of American frontier fiction, Riders of the Purple Sage teems with color, authenticity, and thrills.

"Riders of the Purple Sage" is the story of Jane Withersteen, set in the cañon country of southern Utah in 1871. Jane has inherited a valuable ranch from her father and because of this, one of the polygamous Mormon elders covets her as his wife. When she refuses, the Mormons in the community begin to persecute Jane. Rich with western detail, set against the backdrop of the Mormon influx into Utah, with a mysterious "Masked Rider" who rides with a gang of rustlers, "Riders of the Purple Sage" was one of the first novels of the Western genre and had a significant role in popularizing the genre.

A Mormon from birth, Jane Withersteen nevertheless resists marriage to one of the local church leaders, Elder Tull and, following her adoption of a Christian child, grows increasingly disillusioned with the strict dogma and rampant discrimination practised by her church. As attacks on Jane’s ranch and friends escalate, she enlists the help of Lassiter, a well-known gunslinger, and eventually escapes to a new life in which she is free to love whomever she chooses.Zane Grey’s Riders of the Purple Sage is widely recognized as one of the first Western novels, and is credited with shaping the genre.HarperPerennial Classics brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and celebrating reading in all its forms. Look for more titles in the HarperPerennial Classics collection to build your digital library.