When I was a kid, I remember reading a series of books about three teenaged boys who were amateur detectives. They lived in Southern California and set up headquarters in a trailer hidden under piles of junk in a salvage yard. For security, they had a number of cleverly disguised secret entrances.

The series was called The Three Investigators and Robert Arthur, Jr. created it in 1964. He wrote the first twelve books and a cadre of other authors continued the series after his death. I should track down a copy and read one for fun. According to IMDB, a movie based on the first book is set to be released in December.

I mention all of this because I was wracking my brain trying to remember the name of the series this morning. It took forever to pop into my head and now that it's here, this seemed as good a place as any to keep it from getting lost.

Anyway, before July ended, I read four more books. I wrote about Book 29 already, so let's talk about the others. All three were westerns and that wasn't by coincidence. I've been riding what I like to call a Western Wave¹ for a little while now.

It all began with the first viewing of The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (you could say that's when I caught the wave).

Then, upon Elkit's excellent recommendation, I read Holmes on the Range by Steve Hockensmith. That took me right into the tube.

The book is a hilarious caper featuring the Otto and Gustav Amlingmeyer (or Big Red and Old Red), two cowboys inspired by the tales of Sherlock Holmes. Actually, it's Gustav who takes a shining to the stories and seeks to follow in his hero's footsteps of "detecting and deducifying". It's told from Otto's point of view, though, which adds a flavor to the narration that is engaging and addictive.

I liked the first book so much that as soon as I finished, I went out and borrowed Hockensmith's second book, On the Wrong Track. That one finds the Amlingmeyers seeking employment as Pinkertons and eventually working as railroad detectives. I have a feeling I shouldn't have rushed through it because the third book in the series won't be out for another seven months.

At the same time, I was reading another western (I was walking the board, if you will). Actually, it wasn't just any western, it was the western, which is to say, Owen Wister's The Virginian, Horseman of the Plains. (It's the second DailyLit book I've finished.)

It's easy to see why the book is considered a classic. The story is beautifully and simply told. It's set in Wyoming and is about a cowboy from Virginia who courts a school teacher from Vermont. It also has a card game, a train ride, a tall tale, a hanging, and a shootout (all of your typical western fixings). It is a strong contender for one of my top five books of the year.

If a book could be paired with a television show, like wine with food, then Holmes on the Range would pair nicely with Brisco County, Jr. They're both comical westerns with a solid footing in another genre (mystery and science fiction, respectively) that sets them apart from the mainstream.

As for The Virginian, I discovered it pairs nicely with television's most recent western, Deadwood. The contrasting presentations of The West (one romantic, one realistic) make them the perfect western odd couple.

I've watched the first four episodes of Deadwood so far. (HBO produced 36 in all.) The characters remind me of those in a Flannery O'Connor story. Deadwood is populated by grotesques - people I empathize with despite their despicable traits. I like the show immensely and highly recommend it to anybody who doesn't mind the abundant use of profanity. Most characters get by without it, but a few can't utter a clean sentence to save their lives (Al Swearengen and Calamity Jane come to mind).

I figure I'll ride in the glasshouse of this Western Wave a while longer, finishing Brisco and Deadwood before pulling out and hunting for a new set.

¹ The recommended way to ride a Western Wave is on a surfboard sporting a saddle and stirrup design. The leash should resemble a lasso and the brand should go on the board's backside. For full effect, the bottom half of the wetsuit should look like chaps while the top half should resemble a denim shirt under a leather vest. To finish the look, a cowboy hat should be firmly attached to the head. Calling somebody riding a Western Wave "dude" is not recommended.