25 Western Books Everyone Needs to Read

When it comes to book genres, Westerns are one of the most perpetually ignored, but make no mistake, Wild West tales are just as compelling as literary fiction or fantasy. Cowboys with codes of honor, blood-soaked revenge quests, and romances that play out against a prairie backdrop are just some of the tropes you'll find between the pages of an epic set out West. The best Western books have all of those things and so much more, because there's nothing quite like delving into complex characters living in a world where nature and outlaws reign supreme. Whether you're a longtime fan of the genre or a total newcomer — or you need a Western for our reading challenge — the 25 books on this list are an example of the best that Westerns have to offer.