• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
  • Nav Social Menu

Nicki Truesdell

Homeschooling and Christian Parenting

  • Homepage
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • Homeschool 101
  • Anyone Can Homeschool by Nicki Truesdell
  • Mystery of History (How we use it)
  • Subscribe by Text or Email
  • Contact Nicki
  • Homeschooling in Texas
  • Events
  • Book Lists
Home | Books | Using Louis L’amour to Teach History

Using Louis L’amour to Teach History

Books, history, homeschool, Homeschool Curriculum, Lists for Homeschooling, Louis L'amour

This post contains affiliate links.

If you’ve been following my blog for any length of time (or know me in person) you know I’m a big fan of Louis L’amour. I’ve already blogged about it here and here. So, naturally, I’ll find a way to use  my favorite author in our homeschool!

You may think of westerns when you hear his name, and while that is mostly what he wrote (and what I love most), he also wrote several great books from other time periods. They make great historical fiction to go along with any study of history!

Here are some of my favorites. The links to each title (or series) go to LouisLamour.com, which include a map of each story location, and a sneak peek at the first chapter.

The Walking Drum – Europe: 12th Century.

“At the center of The Walking Drum is Kerbouchard, one of L’Amour’s greatest heroes. Warrior, lover, scholar, Kerbouchard is a daring seeker of knowledge and fortune bound on a journey of enormous challenge, danger and revenge. Across the Europe, the Russian steppes and through the Byzantine wonder of Constantinople, gateway to Asia, Kerbouchard is thrust into the heart of the treacheries, passions, violence and dazzling wonders of a magnificent time. From castle to slave gallery, from sword-racked battlefields to a princess’s secret chamber, and ultimately, to the impregnable fortress of the Valley of Assassins, The Walking Drum is a powerful adventure of an ancient world you will find every bit as riveting as Louis L’Amour’s stories of the American West.” 

Map from The Walking Drum

Click here to hear a sample from the audiobook.

Fair Blows the Wind –  Europe: 1589. “Shipwrecked on the coast of North Carolina, his companions killed, Tatton Chantry is alone–and ready for action. In the old world he fought wars, skirmishes, duels. Now, in the wilderness of America, this swashbuckling hero takes up against pirates, Spanish fortune seekers, savage Indians. Aided by a beautiful Peruvian woman, he braves the fierce challenges of the New World–always, like a true Chantry, with his expert hand on the hilt on his faithful silver sword.” The story includes flashbacks to Chantry’s earlier years in England, Ireland, and Scotland. I read this aloud to my kids as part of our study of the 16th Century. 

The Ferguson Rifle – America: 1803. “Stripped of all he values in life, Ronan Chantry takes up his prized Ferguson rifle and heads west — into an unknown land and an uncertain future. For an educated man, Chantry is surprisingly tough. For a civilized man, he is unexpectedly dangerous. But even he can’t know the true extent of his courage until he draws the fire of a man who will do anything — kill anyone — for the glitter of gold.”

The Sackett Novels – England/America: 1600s. “While continuing to write Sackett stories set in the old west, Louis L’Amour also went back to establish the family’s roots in Elizabethan England. “Sackett’s Land” and “To the Far Blue Mountains” have much of their action set in the British Isles. “The Warrior’s Path” splits it’s local between the Spartan conditions of the early Pilgrim colonies and the tropical chaos of Port Royal, Jamaica, headquarters to the pirates plying the Spanish Main. “Jubal Sackett” travels west to what would become Colorado in the time of the Conquistadors.”

The first four Sackett novels take place in the 1600s. The 5th one takes place in the 1830’s, in and around Philadelphia. It’s the only one that is told by a female (and a teenage female at that!). It’s called Ride the River. The rest of the Sackett novels are westerns, and they are awesome.

The Sackett Companion is a non-fiction guide to the historic settings of the Sackett Novels. The books are listed in chronological order. Each book includes a map of story locations, and includes details about each character as well as the real places and historic figures that appear in the story. It’s an excellent reference.

Down the Long Hills Wyoming Territory: 1848. This is a story about kids, trying to cross the Wyoming Territory on their own. The beginning could be a little scary (there is a murder) but Louis L’amour never deals in gore. Read the first chapter sneak peek to see if it’s suitable for your family. I read it aloud to all of my children (ages 5-15). 

Comstock Lode America: 1860. A great story about mining during the gold and silver boom of the west. 

There are many Short Story collections, for those who prefer something besides a novel. 

After many years of borrowing these books from my grandfather, I have recently inherited his entire Leatherette Collection. Any books listed in my history curriculum are read aloud by me, but occasionally I’ll assign books to my older students to listen to on Audible. We have every single Louis L’amour book that Audible offers. If you haven’t tried Audible yet, click on the link at the top of my blog. You’ll get 2 free books to start! And when you sign up, comment below and I will give you a third book free!

Click here to see the entire collection of Louis L’amour audiobooks at Audible.com.

Before you go, check out the long list of movies adapted from Louis L’amour’s books! Hondo is my favorite. It’s almost word-for-word exact to the book, and it stars John Wayne.

Purchase the DVD on Amazon:

 

Several of his movies star some great actors, including Jimmy Stewart, Sam Elliott, and Tom Selleck. 

I hope you and your family enjoy Louis L’amour as much as we do!


 





 

Share this:

  • Share
  • Print
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

Related

April 15, 2016 · 3 Comments

Get my book!

Anyone Can Homeschool by Nicki Truesdell

Shop my history series

Knowledge Keepers Bookstore
Previous Post: « Teaching Shakespeare in Your Homeschool
Next Post: Happy Graduation, Homeschool Mama! »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trackbacks

  1. Louis L’amour was an Unschooler says:
    June 11, 2016 at 9:18 pm

    […] you know we use Louis L’amour in our history curriculum? Click HERE to see how we do […]

    Reply
  2. My heroes have always been cowboys… says:
    June 11, 2016 at 10:14 pm

    […] HERE to see how we use Louis L’amour in our […]

    Reply
  3. Designing Your Own History Curriculum - NickiTruesdell.com says:
    August 1, 2017 at 8:00 am

    […] Teaching History with Louis L’amour […]

    Reply

Footer

Nicki on Instagram

I have two very different sons. One has been an extrovert since he could talk. The other has been an introvert for just as long. The thing about home education is that it doesn’t have to happen at home. What it really means is “not public school.” Not stuck in a classroom all day. Not confined to a government calendar. Not a slave to the system. 23 years ago I helped my aunt Kari start a homeschool co-op. At that time, I had one child and she was three years old. If you have a child that struggles to read, read to them. Read aloud every day. That’s the best advice I can give. New year. New house. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION: How do I homeschool with babies and toddlers in the mix?? Don’t let people tell you that “you can’t shelter your children.” Yes, you can. And you absolutely should. Mothers have a crucial role to play in society, although their job doesn’t always feel very “crucial.” Wiping baby faces, repeating instructions, settling squabbles, and making food is repetitive and doesn’t always seem important. For 2023, I’ll be preaching the same ol’ message that I can’t stop saying: “education is discipleship,” and “you can do it” homeschooling encouragement. Not gonna make the message easier to swallow when the world is attacking children on a grander scale every day. I’m also not going to tell you that homeschooling is a breeze, but I will keep saying that it’s worth every minute.

Nicki on Pinterest

Nicki on Facebook

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure
  • Terms and Conditions

Copyright 2009-2021 Nicki Truesdell