A.B. Guthrie, Jr. Books in Order

Introduction to A.B. Guthrie, Jr.

Few authors have captured the raw, unvarnished reality of the American West quite like Alfred Bertram “Bud” Guthrie, Jr. (1901–1991). Rejecting the romanticized, action-heavy clichés of pulp Westerns, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist focused on historical accuracy, environmental preservation, and complex, flawed characters. Whether you want to follow the sweep of American expansion across the Great Plains or dig into small-town Montana detective work, Guthrie’s catalog offers a rich, rewarding journey.

The Core Masterpiece: The Western Sequence

Guthrie’s most significant achievement is his six-novel historical saga, often referred to as the Western Sequence or the Big Sky Series. While local library catalogs sometimes separate these into a core trilogy and standalone novels, they are deeply connected. Together, they trace the transformation of the Western frontier and the state of Montana from the era of the fur-trapping mountain men in the 1830s through the end of World War II in 1946.

Readers generally choose between two pathways to tackle this epic sequence: the chronological story timeline or the original publication order.

1. Chronological Story Order (Recommended)

Reading the series chronologically allows you to experience the seamless evolution of the Montana landscape and its communities. In this path, the later-written Fair Land, Fair Land is read third, as it was specifically crafted to bridge the narrative gap between the Oregon Trail migration and the cattle-ranching boom.

• The Big Sky (1947): Set between 1830 and 1843. This is where the saga begins, introducing mountain man Boone Caudill and his companion Dick Summers as they navigate the pristine, untamed wilderness of the Upper Missouri River.
• The Way West (1949): Set in 1845. This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel follows a wagon train journey from Missouri to Oregon, guided by an older Dick Summers, capturing the hopes and hazards of early pioneer families.
• Fair Land, Fair Land (1982): Set from 1845 to 1870. Written decades later to fill a chronological gap, this book returns to Dick Summers as he witnesses the tragic decline of the free mountain man lifestyle and the onset of permanent settlement.
• These Thousand Hills (1956): Set in the 1880s. The story shifts to the cattle-ranching boom of Montana, focusing on Lat Evans (the grandson of characters from The Way West) as he tries to build a ranching empire.
• Arfive (1970): Set from roughly 1900 to 1916. This book chronicles the turn of the century in a small, developing Montana town, dealing with the arrival of modern amenities like railroads and the changing social morals of the frontier.
• The Last Valley (1975): Set from 1916 to 1946. The final book in the sequence follows the town and its inhabitants through the trials of two World Wars, industrial growth, and the modern transition of the Great Plains.

2. Original Publication Order

If you prefer to watch Guthrie’s writing style mature over time, reading in publication order is an excellent alternative. You will witness his early mid-century masterpieces, followed by his transition to late-career reflections when he returned to wrap up his favorite characters in 1982.

1. The Big Sky (1947)
2. The Way West (1949)
3. These Thousand Hills (1956)
4. Arfive (1970)
5. The Last Valley (1975)
6. Fair Land, Fair Land (1982)

The Sheriff Chick Charleston Mystery Series

Later in life, Guthrie branched into the mystery genre, creating a series of small-town police procedurals set in modern Montana. The books feature the dry-witted Sheriff Chick Charleston and his young deputy, Jason Beard. These novels are lighter than his historical epics but retain Guthrie’s trademark ear for Western dialogue and local color. They should be read in order of publication:

1. Wild Pitch (1973): The series opener introduces Sheriff Charleston investigating a shooting at a local town celebration.
2. The Genuine Article (1977): Charleston and Beard navigate racial tensions and cattle rustling while solving the murder of a prominent rancher.
3. No Second Wind (1980): Set during a bitter Montana winter, the duo handles conflict between local ranchers and strip miners that escalates to murder.
4. Playing Catch-Up (1985): The investigation of a young woman’s murder takes Charleston and his deputy into the hidden underbelly of their quiet county.
5. Murder in the Cotswolds (1989): A change of scenery for the final installment, as a retired Sheriff Charleston travels to England and helps solve a murder at a quaint village inn.

Standalone Novels, Speeches, and Children’s Books

Guthrie also produced several standalone works, though some catalog entries can be misleading due to historical tracking errors:

• Murders at Moon Dance (1943): Guthrie’s very first novel. It is a classic, fast-paced Western mystery set in a declining gold-mining town.
• Once Upon a Pond (1973): A charming departure from his adult fiction, this children’s book features animal characters like Maggie Magpie and Busy Beaver living near Pond Placid in Montana.
• Four Miles From Ear Mountain (1987): A limited-edition collection of poetry reflecting Guthrie’s deep connection to the Montana landscape.

Common Bibliography Errors to Avoid

Several pieces of writing in standard Guthrie bibliographies are not actually standalone novels:

• “Twenty-Six Years After” (1949): Often miscategorized as a novel, this is actually a convocation address that Guthrie delivered at the University of Montana when receiving his honorary doctorate.
• “Kentucky” (1951): This is a descriptive travel article written for Holiday magazine during Guthrie’s residency in Lexington.
• “The West Is Our Great Adventure of the Spirit” (1959): A long-form essay written for Life magazine as part of its historical series on the American West.

Non-Fiction and Shorter Work

For readers who want to explore the real-life inspiration behind Guthrie’s fiction, these non-fiction titles are highly recommended:

• The Blue Hen’s Chick (1965): Guthrie’s autobiography, detailing his childhood in Montana, his years as a Kentucky journalist, and his time at Harvard as a Nieman Fellow.
• The Big It and Other Stories (1972): A collection of short stories capturing the humor, irony, and occasional tragedy of life in the early West.
• Big Sky, Fair Land (1974): A compilation of Guthrie’s shorter writings and environmental essays edited by William E. Farr.
• A Field Guide to Writing Fiction (1991): Published in the year of his death, this short handbook offers practical advice for aspiring writers based on his decades of experience.

Practical Reader Advice

If you are new to A.B. Guthrie, Jr., the absolute best place to start is The Big Sky. It introduces the key thematic questions of the saga: how the very pioneers who loved the wilderness ended up destroying its wild nature. If you prefer mysteries, begin with Wild Pitch. Because the Western Sequence spans over a century, individual books can stand alone, but reading them in sequence rewards you with subtle character lineage and a powerful sense of passing time.