Brother Dear, Louis Lamour, and Me
Woman in the Middle | March 14, 2016I remember back in the day, Brother Dear making some comment about not liking to read like Mom and I did. Maybe it was his addictions talking because, when he got sober 10 years before he passed away, he discovered a love of reading. We didn’t have a lot in common, but a love of reading was something we both could relate to during that time.
Brother Dear’s all time favorite author was Louis L’amour. He found a list online of all the books and story collections ever published by Louis L’amour. Brother Dear printed it off and marked off everything he had and/or had read. I just found the list the other week when I was going through some stuff in the garage. Brother Dear had his own code for whether he had the book in paper back or hard back, as well as some other marks I couldn’t interpret. If I was at the library used book store and someone had donated a bunch of L’amour books, I would call Bother Dear and he would pull out his list and tell me which ones he had and which ones he needed to fill out his collection. At his birthday and Christmas, I would ask for the name of a few titles he didn’t have yet and we would get one for him. Towards the end it got had, he had so many!
I brought home all of Brother Dear’s hardback L’amour books. I kept thinking I wanted to save one representative book, to keep on my shelf and remind me of Brother Dear’s love of Louis L’amour. The problem was, when faced with 15 or 20, which one should I save? I have been dilly dallying with that question for over two years now.
Finally, last night, I had an epiphany. I don’t have to keep any of Brother Dear’s westerns to remember he loved them so. Any time in the future when I happen upon a Louis L’amour book I will remember Brother Dear. But I don’t have to keep a book on my shelf to do that.
It is time to release the Louis L’amour books into the universe. Instead of them (or one of them) languishing on my shelf, never read, they will go to the people who really what them. Ahhh….that feels so much better!
My dad really likes Louis Lamore books too.
Lamour was a favorite around here too. My husband and his best friend both read everything they could get their hands on. I even read a few and enjoyed them. Your idea about giving them to people who will really enjoy them is a good one and you will never forget anyway.
I have heard of Louis Lamour but have never read anything by him
He specialized in books with a western theme.