The Best Western Audiobooks for Your Inner Outlaw

The now classic Western genre has shaped modern literature, film, and other forms of entertainment. Whether your story is taking you to space or to the wide-open plains of Utah, it’s likely pulling on the tropes and themes of a traditional Western. Our favorite audiobooks don’t just encompass old classics though—we’ve gathered a full breadth of work so that all fans of the genre can find something new to listen to. From family-friendly listens to gritty adventure tales, here is our list of the best Western audiobooks.

The Cold Dish

A Walt Longmire Mystery

De: Craig Johnson

Narrado por: George Guidall

Serie: Walt Longmire, Libro 1

Duración: 13 h y 17 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 01-08-07

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 17,464 calificaciones

Any audiobook narrated by George Guidall is likely to find itself at the top of its genre, and The Cold Dish is no exception. With a subtle accent and a humorous delivery, Guidall performs the role of Walt Longmire, who is ready for retirement after 25 long years as county sheriff. But Longmire’s hopes are dashed when a man previously charged with rape is murdered, and Sheriff Walt senses that someone is out for vengenace. This is the first installment of the Longmire Mystery series, so if you find yourself hooked and eager for more, you’ll be happy to hear there’s 15 audiobooks in the entire series.
The Round House

A Novel

De: Louise Erdrich

Narrado por: Gary Farmer

Duración: 12 h y 39 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 10-02-12

Idioma: Inglés

4 out of 5 stars 3,897 calificaciones

Winner of the National Book Award in 2012, this unforgettable novel tells the story of a gruesome attack on native North Dakota land and one man’s journey for justice. When 13-year-old Joe Coutts mother is assaulted on an Ojiwbe reservation and the local police are slow to respond, Coutts gathers friends and family to bring justice to his mother’s attacker. Written by indigenous author Louise Erdrich, The Round House is a sobering story of one man’s journey of love, growth and persistence that feels all too familiar.
The Revenant

A Novel of Revenge

De: Michael Punke

Narrado por: Holter Graham

Duración: 9 h y 12 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 01-06-15

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 9,142 calificaciones

A raw, award-winning classic and major motion picture featuring Leonardo DeCaprio, The Revenant is a story that will grip you until the very last minute. The novel tells the story of Hugh Glass, a frontiersman and trapper in the snowy Rocky Mountains. After he’s nearly killed by a grizzly bear in a violent attack, Glass must do all he can to survive until help arrives. But when he’s abandoned by spiteful members of his own Company, his focus turns toward a single goal: revenge. A story of perseverance, grit, and obsession with retribution, The Revenant feels unquestionably intimate. Spanning the beautiful yet treacherous terrain of the Rockies, this is an epic tale that will keep you on edge throughout.
The Riders of High Rock

A Novel

De: Louis L'Amour

Narrado por: Robert Petkoff

Serie: Hopalong Cassidy (L'Amour), Libro 1

Duración: 6 h y 22 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 10-02-12

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 466 calificaciones

Author Louis L'Amour famously said that he "walked the land my characters walk." His personal experiences no doubt informed his life and his work. This particular characterization of fictional cowboy hero Hopalong Cassidy tells a classic, Western adventure anyone can enjoy. First created by writer Clarence E. Mulford and later taken on by L’Amour, Hopalong—so named after his gait after taking a bullet to the thigh—has been brought to life by a number of different actors. In this iteration, narrator Robert Petkoff plays the entire adventurous cast, slipping into each unique voice and drawl seamlessly. The adventure starts with Hopalong’s journey through California as he looks for an old friend. But when he realizes a killer is trailing after him, Cassidy has no choice but to show those who tail him what happens if you get in his way. L’Amour’s plot and Petkoff’s pacing work together to keep the listener on their toes as they watch Cassidy come fearlessly face-to-face with anyone who dares to cross him.
Dead Man's Walk

De: Larry McMurtry

Narrado por: Will Patton

Serie: Lonesome Dove Saga, Libro 3

Duración: 14 h y 29 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 10-30-08

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 4,279 calificaciones

Dead Man’s Walk by Larry McMurty is the third story in the Lonesome Dove series, falling first in the chronological order of the series timeline. In this entry, we follow young Texas Rangers Augustus and Woodrow as they’re called into duty and must escape the threats of a Comanche war chief. This is only the beginning of their expedition through the Texas terrain. As the pair journey across the land, Will Patton, narrator and actor, brings each character to life with individual accents and tones creating easily distinguishable characters for the listener to enjoy. So worry not; even newbies to the Lonesome Dove series will have no trouble following along on this adrenaline filled adventure.
True Grit

De: Charles Portis

Narrado por: Donna Tartt

Duración: 6 h y 15 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 06-07-06

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 7,459 calificaciones

True Grit is an essential Western classic in it’s own right, but this audiobook is particularly special since it is narrated by Donna Tartt, who is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author herself. The audiobook even includes an essay by the narrator illustrating why this work is so important to her, connecting narrator and story in a unique, poignant way. When Mattie Ross’s father is shot dead by an outlaw, Mattie knows she has no other choice than to avenge her father’s murder—even if she’s only 14. True Grit follows the determined Mattie as she teams up with Rooster Cogburn, an unpopular U.S. Marshall who agrees to tag along on her journey. Those who have seen the 2010 film interpretation will be interested to see exactly what it was about the original tale that inspired the Coen Brothers to bring the story to the big screen.
Destiny's Embrace

De: Beverly Jenkins

Narrado por: Shari Peele

Serie: Destiny (Jenkins), Libro 1

Duración: 8 h y 43 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 06-06-13

Idioma: Inglés

5 out of 5 stars 790 calificaciones

In the first installment of a historical romance series, Beverly Jenkins introduces us to the unlikely chemistry between a ranch owner and a housekeeper, Logan Yates and Mariah Cooper. But as Logan contends with his growing infatuation, Mariah's old flame reemerges to complicate an already fraught situation. Now, Logan must put his best foot forward to convince the woman he’s enamored with that their love is meant to be. Written by the award-winning Beverly Jenkins and narrated by Shari Peele, a veteran romance performer, Destiny’s Embrace keeps listeners captivated with a lively love story set against the backdrop of the American West.
Riders of the Purple Sage

The Restored Edition

De: Zane Grey

Narrado por: Mark Bramhall

Serie: Riders of the Purple Sage, Libro 1

Duración: 12 h y 29 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 08-06-10

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 1,088 calificaciones

Set in Utah in the late 1800s, Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey established itself not only as a novel that shaped the Western genre, but also as a novel that challenged cultural norms. After being rejected by several publishers and fearful of potential scandal, Grey settled on an altered version of his story for publication, but this unabridged version finally brings his intention to light and tells the full story as the author wished it to be told. In this unaltered version, we follow along as Jim Lassiter seeks to avenge his sister’s death, only to find out the Mormon town where she resides is more corrupt than meets the eye. Narrator Mark Bramhall’s Western twang further transports the listener into Grey’s wild world.
The Time It Never Rained

De: Elmer Kelton

Narrado por: George Guidall

Duración: 13 h y 20 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 03-14-08

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 867 calificaciones

The Time It Never Rained is yet another demonstration of narrator George Guidall’s wide emotional and vocal range as he plays numerous characters with equal conviction. In this classic, author Elmer Kelton tells the story of Charlie Flagg, a Texas rancher forced to confront a drought that will challenge everything he believes in. Set in the 1950s, Flagg struggles as one of the last of a dying breed of Texans who still make their living off of the harsh and unforgiving land, and when the dry season hits, he and his family must learn how to make ends meet in a seemingly endless drought. This powerful story is based on true events, and Kelton weaves historical facts with narrative fiction to paint a compelling picture of 1950s Texas.
Yellow Back Radio Broke-Down

De: Ishmael Reed

Narrado por: Rodney Gardiner

Duración: 3 h y 51 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 12-04-12

Idioma: Inglés

4 out of 5 stars 18 calificaciones

A surreal and hilarious take on the traditional Western, Yellow Back Radio Broke-Down is an edgy satire that dares to be different. Dismantling the stereotype of the cowboy—traditionally a white, rugged chap-wearing man with a drawl— is Loop Garoo-Kid, a Black voodoo-practicing gunslinger. Ingeniously satirizing American history and the role of religion in some of the worst atrocities against Black and indigenous people, award-winning writer Ishmael Reed brings a fresh new face to the Western.
Inland

A Novel

De: Téa Obreht

Narrado por: Anna Chlumsky, Edoardo Ballerini, Euan Morton

Duración: 13 h y 7 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 08-13-19

Idioma: Inglés

4 out of 5 stars 650 calificaciones

Eight years after Téa Obreht’s debut novel, she returns with Inland, the most recently published audiobook on our list. Told as two parallel narratives, we follow Nora, a woman awaiting the return of her husband and elder sons, and Lurie, a former outlaw haunted by ghosts. It’s these two opposite—but inherently intertwined narratives—that make this work perfect for multiple narrators to play off each other. Anna Chlumsky, who plays Nora, and Edoardo Ballerini, who plays Lurie, deliver their parts with authentic passion. Together with Euan Morton, all three seamlessly take listeners to the Western frontier, delivering a dramatic and enduring performance.
Little House in the Big Woods

Little House, Book 1

De: Laura Ingalls Wilder

Narrado por: Cherry Jones

Serie: Little House, Libro 1

Duración: 3 h y 41 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 02-07-17

Idioma: Inglés

5 out of 5 stars 4,261 calificaciones

The Little House in the Big Woods series by Laura Ingalls Wilder is a great listen to play with kids around or to enjoy in the car during your next family road trip. Narrator Cherry Jones has a sweet, warm tone that delights children and emulates the simple life with ease and comfort. Told from four-year-old Laura’s perspective all the way through to her adulthood in later books, both kids and adults alike will enjoy hearing about life as a pioneer in the 1800s—with all the anguish and antics that come with it. It’s the perfect audiobook to listen to before bed and makes learning about things like gathering maple syrup or building a house sound downright magical.
Days Without End

A Novel

De: Sebastian Barry

Narrado por: Aidan Kelly

Serie: The Days Without End Series, Libro 1

Duración: 7 h y 58 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 01-24-17

Idioma: Inglés

4 out of 5 stars 2,251 calificaciones

A powerful and intimate novel that you soon won’t forget, Days Without End introduces listeners to two young immigrant soldiers whose lives span the plains of America. For Thomas McNulty and John Cole life has been incredibly difficult, and the wars they sign up to fight expose them to unspeakable horrors they can’t shake. But it is in their time spent together that their forge a bond, and a relationship, that will transform their lives forever. A poignant story of family and the horrors of war, Days Without End is an award-winning tale of love and hope budding in the most unlikely of places.
Blood Meridian

Or the Evening Redness in the West

De: Cormac McCarthy

Narrado por: Richard Poe

Duración: 13 h y 6 m

Fecha de lanzamiento: 05-16-07

Idioma: Inglés

4.5 out of 5 stars 11,195 calificaciones

Though many may know Cormac McCarthy for his works like The Road and No Country for Old Men, Blood Meridian came to be considered his masterpiece. Set on the Texas frontier, you follow "the kid"—an anti-hero sharing his experiences with a group of scalp hunters raiding the Texas land and massacring the Comanches. One of the darkest audiobooks on this list, McCarthy’s magnum opus exposes the war-like nature of man, and asks questions of listeners’ morality and ethics in doing so. Richard Poe’s narration allows you to take in the West Texas scenery, using McCarthy’s rich prose to paint a picture that you might skim past if you were reading the work. It’s this deliberate performance that allows you to truly enjoy McCarthy’s powerful words and thorough research, even in the novel’s darkest moments.