To the Last Man

The Graham-Tewskbury feud on which this story is based is as legendary out West as the Hatfield-McCoy feud is back East. Zane Grey, of course, adds his own twist to the facts, but over-all this is probably the most accurate accounting there will ever be, as Zane Grey was able to talk to old-timers who were still living and had gone through the feud. The one scene with the hogs is the one most readers will never forget, and is based on fact. The "Romeo and Juliet" part is consistent with other romances written by Grey, and has to be in the story line to make it historical romance, which is what he considered himself to be writing---not westerns! In fact, the word, or term, "western" was not even coined until around 1930. By then Zane Grey had been writing this kind of stories for 20 years. We do an injustice to him when we say, "oh, the writer of westerns" when his name is mentioned. Tonto Basin is worth reading, and owning, without a doubt.