When a Man's a Man

A stranger has come to Arizona. A stranger who will call himself Honorable Patches. He has come to this frontier land in search of manliness.Helping him to find his manhood is the godlike cowboy, Phil Acton (as portrayed by Gene Autry).Phil is wanting to win the hand of the only eligible bachelorette in the entire state: Kitty.But Kitty wants to leave Arizona behind and live in the Big City.Will Phil be able to talk Miss Kitty into giving up all her hopes and dreams and stay here in Podunk, Ariz [...]

This book was published in 1916, so the language is a little different than if it had been written today. This book belonged to my husband's grandmother and he received it when his Mom passed away. The copy that he received was in disrepair, so I ordered on from to read. The story is set in Arizona. I wanted more when the book was finished. I did have a little bit of a hard time with all the flowery discriptive words in parts of the book. There is a love interest, a mystery element, and some co [...]

Ranching and cowboying are good lifestyles to create and develop "real men. " I loved this book! A good old western.

A bit old fashioned for me, sort of like watching a film from the 1930s. But despite that, the characters ring true and the 'surprise' ending was worth waiting for.

This is one of my Dad's favorite books and I love it too. An old western story with love, adventure and hard work.

I am still trying to decide whether I liked this book or not. A few things bothered me.First, it was too message-driven. From the beginning the reader knows the premise: A man can only be a true man when he struggles against nature and wins. And I don’t mean human nature. In this story a wimpy, wealthy young man is rejected by the woman he loves because he has no character traits she can admire. So he goes out west to Arizona and becomes a cowboy. The great outdoors, the big-hearted ranch owne [...]

It is similar to The Virginian in many ways, it doesn't have the humor that The Virginian offers but it is a REALLY Good book! Similar and yet so different. It left me pondering, and it could be an interesting one to discuss. Some parts of the book left me a little confused, but it is such a good book. I think some of the things that are written in this small book are so profound. The last paragraph of chapter 13 really stood out to me. I'm going to quote it because I don't feel like it gives an [...]

A quick, fiction read, this story is set in the Old West and extols the virtue of true manhood and womanhood. The context is a mysterious stranger who shows up to work at an Arizona ranch and continually leaves the more experienced hands astounded at his willingness to take on the most difficult exploits for the sake of proving his own character. The truth about his past and his real identity is gradually exposed, but not before he is forced to endure the hardest test of all – sacrificing his [...]

That's the kind of hero I like: not afraid to try, not afraid of taking risks or looking bad. True to himself. Honourable.One of my friends didn't like that he didn't get married in the end. But I say, how could it have been otherwise? He couldn't have married Kitty, not unless Phil died, and even then, it would have seemed corny and calloused. But I like it much better that Patches in the end is single, but content to see his friends happy, and he's skilled and living the life and making a diff [...]

One of my favorite fictional books of all the ones I read growing up. I enjoy Harold Bell Wright's style of writing and that his books are simply written from a Christian world view. Christianity is included in the background of the story, not artificially inserted like a lot of more modern Christian novels. Like most of his books, it challenges one to pursue virtue and making the right decisions wether they are what you want or not.

This is a book I have read many times over the years. Harold Bell Wright is a fantastic writer! This book takes place right here in the Prescott, AZ, area on a ranch up in Williamson Valley. It is a story of a man who comes west to find himself, and finally learns what it is that really makes a man a man. One of my favorite books.

I found this antique-looking book at an arts market. It looked like it had a lot of character--worn yellowed pages and such, and so I tried it out. It's a bit quaint, but nonetheless enjoyable story of cowboys and character and rodeos and love. =)

I love these old books! I have a bunch from my great-grandparents and they are like wise, comfortable, old friends.

awesome western, i want to be like the this guy.

Probably the last time I take a book recommendation from an 89 year old patient.

very good