The Big Dry: A Novel
In this standalone sequel to The Big Drift—winner of five awards including the Spur Award of Western Writers of America—Patrick Dearen explores race relations against the backdrop of the Big Dry, a devastating drought in the 1880s in Texas. Zeke Boles, a black cowhand, awaits hanging in North Texas for a murder he didn’t commit. His white friend Will Brite, with whom he rode in the Big Drift blizzard, has exhausted virtually all avenues to get Zeke exonerated. Will’s only hope is to set out for the faraway Devils River to find the actual culprit, a man with a missing finger.

But Will has his own legal issues. He has married Jessie, a young woman of mixed race who often passes for white, and a grand jury is sure to return an indictment of miscegenation that could land Will in prison. Follow the exploits of Will and his friend Arch Brannon as they join a cattle drive through a searing land between the Devils and Pecos rivers.  This hellish trail is destined to be marked with carcasses and a lonely grave, and the elusive possibility of finding hope at the end.

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The Big Dry: A Novel
In this standalone sequel to The Big Drift—winner of five awards including the Spur Award of Western Writers of America—Patrick Dearen explores race relations against the backdrop of the Big Dry, a devastating drought in the 1880s in Texas. Zeke Boles, a black cowhand, awaits hanging in North Texas for a murder he didn’t commit. His white friend Will Brite, with whom he rode in the Big Drift blizzard, has exhausted virtually all avenues to get Zeke exonerated. Will’s only hope is to set out for the faraway Devils River to find the actual culprit, a man with a missing finger.

But Will has his own legal issues. He has married Jessie, a young woman of mixed race who often passes for white, and a grand jury is sure to return an indictment of miscegenation that could land Will in prison. Follow the exploits of Will and his friend Arch Brannon as they join a cattle drive through a searing land between the Devils and Pecos rivers.  This hellish trail is destined to be marked with carcasses and a lonely grave, and the elusive possibility of finding hope at the end.

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The Big Dry: A Novel

The Big Dry: A Novel

by Patrick Dearen
The Big Dry: A Novel
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The Big Dry: A Novel

The Big Dry: A Novel

by Patrick Dearen

Overview

In this standalone sequel to The Big Drift—winner of five awards including the Spur Award of Western Writers of America—Patrick Dearen explores race relations against the backdrop of the Big Dry, a devastating drought in the 1880s in Texas. Zeke Boles, a black cowhand, awaits hanging in North Texas for a murder he didn’t commit. His white friend Will Brite, with whom he rode in the Big Drift blizzard, has exhausted virtually all avenues to get Zeke exonerated. Will’s only hope is to set out for the faraway Devils River to find the actual culprit, a man with a missing finger.

But Will has his own legal issues. He has married Jessie, a young woman of mixed race who often passes for white, and a grand jury is sure to return an indictment of miscegenation that could land Will in prison. Follow the exploits of Will and his friend Arch Brannon as they join a cattle drive through a searing land between the Devils and Pecos rivers.  This hellish trail is destined to be marked with carcasses and a lonely grave, and the elusive possibility of finding hope at the end.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781420520873
Publisher: Gale, A Cengage Group
Publication date: 02/12/2025
Edition description: Large Print
Product dimensions: 5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

Inducted into the Texas Literary Hall of Fame, Patrick Dearen is author of eighteen novels and ten nonfiction books. His writing has been honored by Western Writers of America and several other organizations. A ragtime pianist and backpacking enthusiast, he makes his home in Midland, Texas.

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