Shane: A Novel by Jack Schaefer; Unabridged MP3 Audio Book; Narrator Stephen Sartarelli

This unforgettable story of the friendship between a farm boy and a gunman struggling to escape his dark past was made into a critically acclaimed movie in 1953 that became a classic standard for Westerns. Shane, a mysterious traveller and ex-gunfighter, enters into the life of Joe Starrett and his family and carves a place for himself in their hearts. Although he tries to leave his gunslinging past behind, revealing little about himself and refusing to even carry a gun, the family senses a quiet tension about him like a slow burning fuse. In the end, he decides to fight Fletcher and Wilson, the town enemies, in order to break the power of the cattlemen over the homesteaders and save Joe Starrett's farm. The story is told through the eyes of young Bob Starett, who regards Shane with an awe and reverence tempered by the boyishness of the Old West.

"The author has created a tale which captivates the reader's attention from beginning to end. His skill in depicting a character, a situation, or a mood, with a minimum of words, gives the story a tightly-woven quality often lacking in present-day novels. The book almost demands completion in one sitting."—Library Journal

"The stranger, Shane, dresses in brown, black, and leather and is so tough he carries no gun. He drinks from the trough after his horse finishes. A biblical silence follows him, and people lose their senses when he looks their way. He’s a man no bullet can kill. He’s part attack Doberman, part heroic champion. Shane is a work of literature first and a western second."—St. George Daily Spectrum

“This gripping story is narrated by Grover Gardner…With his easy-to-listen-to deep voice, he gets the personalities of the characters and flavor of what life must have been like in the Old West.”—SoundCommentary.com

Jack Warner Schaefer (1907-1991) was born in Cleveland, Ohio, studied at Oberlin College and Columbia University, and was a career journalist and editor. He is best known for his Western novels. In 1975 he received the Western Literature Association's Distinguished Achievement award. Shane, his most famous work, was published in 1949, and was made into a critically acclaimed movie in 1953. It became a standard by which later Westerns were judged.

Stephen Sartarelli is an award-winning translator and poet. He lives in France.