--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you write a book set in the past about…" description: "\"If you write a book set in the past about something that happened east of the Mississippi, it's a 'historical novel.' If you write about something that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3f/louis-l-amour-876_book_if-you-write-a-book-set-in-the-past-abou_2634012.jpg" --- # If you write a book set in the past about something that… ![“If you write a book set in the past about something that happened east of the Mississippi, it's a 'historical novel.' If you write about something that took place west of the Mississippi, it's a 'Western'- and somehow regarded as a lesser work. I write historical novels about the frontier.” quote by Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3f/louis-l-amour-876_book_if-you-write-a-book-set-in-the-past-abou_2634012.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3f/louis-l-amour-876_book_if-you-write-a-book-set-in-the-past-abou_2634012.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3f/louis-l-amour-876_book_if-you-write-a-book-set-in-the-past-abou_2634012.jpg) > “If you write a book set in the past about something that happened east of the Mississippi, it's a 'historical novel.' If you write about something that took place west of the Mississippi, it's a 'Western'- and somehow regarded as a lesser work. I write historical novels about the frontier.” [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Western settings are often dismissed as lesser, despite historical depth, reflecting bias in literary categorization. **In simple terms:** Western novels face unfair bias despite historical value. Key Takeaway Challenge genre stereotypes by highlighting frontier history. Themes genre bias literary criticism history Mood critical defensive Type analytical advocacy When to use this quote - publishing - teaching literature - reading groups - author talks Key Concepts cultural studies genre theory Questions to Reflect On - Why are Westerns undervalued? - How can authors reshape perceptions? A Different Perspective Some readers appreciate Westerns for their unique perspective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [Historical novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical-novels/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Mississippi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mississippi/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Western](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I can see myself wanting to write a historical novel - you don't need to worry about references to reality TV or pop music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-can-see-myself-wanting-to-write-a-historical-novel-you-don-t-need/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [If someone had told me in high school that one day I'd write an historical novel, I would have rolled my eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-horan/if-someone-had-told-me-in-high-school-that-one-day-i-d-write-an/) [Nancy Horan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-horan/) > [If you write a book about a bygone period that lies east of the Mississippi River, then it's a historical novel. If it's west…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/if-you-write-a-book-about-a-bygone-period-that-lies-east-of-the/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [I don't write fantasy; I write historical novels about an imaginary place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-e-feist/i-don-t-write-fantasy-i-write-historical-novels-about-an-imaginary/) [Raymond E. Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-e-feist/) > [I've been told by people who write historical novels that you just sort of write the emotional truth first, the story at the core,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/i-ve-been-told-by-people-who-write-historical-novels-that-you-just/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [Historical novels are about costumery. I think that's the magic and mystery of fiction. 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Rich with historical detail and fully developed characters,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-coble/i-have-rarely-read-a-more-wonderful-book-than-to-win-her-favor-by/) [Colleen Coble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-coble/) > [The historical novel gives us perspective on our modern lives and helps us connect with the story, which we are continuing ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-pope-osborne/the-historical-novel-gives-us-perspective-on-our-modern-lives-and/) [Mary Pope Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-pope-osborne/) > [When you read a history or biography you are entitled to imagine that it is as accurate as the authors can make it. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-meyer/when-you-read-a-history-or-biography-you-are-entitled-to-imagine-that/) [Nicholas Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-meyer/) > [I'm not entirely sure what a historical novel absolutely has to be, but you don't want a reader who loves a very traditional historical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-dutton/i-m-not-entirely-sure-what-a-historical-novel-absolutely-has-to-be/) [Danielle Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-dutton/) > [My first book was a historical novel. I started writing in 1974. 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Collingwood maintained in The Idea of History that to write well about a historical figure, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-hazleton/the-great-british-philosopher-and-historian-r-g-collingwood/) [Lesley Hazleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-hazleton/) > [I didn't need to write historical epics, no, or science fiction, though I read a lot of science fiction as a kid and rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/i-didn-t-need-to-write-historical-epics-no-or-science-fiction-though/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [I have no desire to write historical anything or futuristic anything - I want to find a way to get at the essence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/i-have-no-desire-to-write-historical-anything-or-futuristic-anything/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) ## More by Louis L'Amour > [“If you play games with men,” he replied, “you’ll play by men’s rules.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/if-you-play-games-with-men-he-replied-you-ll-play-by-men-s-rules/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [He never knew when he was whipped ... So he never was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/he-never-knew-when-he-was-whipped-so-he-never-was/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [“It is through wonder that we come to know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/it-is-through-wonder-that-we-come-to-know/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [We are, finally, all wanderers in search of knowledge. Most of us hold the dream of becoming something better than we are, something larger,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/we-are-finally-all-wanderers-in-search-of-knowledge-most-of-us-hold/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [Much of command is the ability to take command.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/much-of-command-is-the-ability-to-take-command/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [Out here you better have a gun, and a gun in the wagon ain't good for nothin'. 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Yet that will be the beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/there-will-come-a-time-when-you-believe-everything-is-finished-yet/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [“Destarte! How musical! What does it mean?” “You can’t say it except in Mescalero. It means Morning, but that isn’t what it means, either.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/destarte-how-musical-what-does-it-mean-you-can-t-say-it-except-in/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [You can't fight the desert... you have to ride with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/you-can-t-fight-the-desert-you-have-to-ride-with-it/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [“Must one seek something? I seek to be seeking, as I learn to be learning. Each book is an adventure as is each day’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/must-one-seek-something-i-seek-to-be-seeking-as-i-learn-to-be/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [A man in his life may have many teachers, some most unexpected. The question lies with the man himself: Will he learn from them?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/a-man-in-his-life-may-have-many-teachers-some-most-unexpected-the/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [“Like I say, I killed a man or two but I'm no thief. My ma raised me better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/like-i-say-i-killed-a-man-or-two-but-i-m-no-thief-my-ma-raised-me/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) [Explore all 337 Louis L'Amour quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. 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