John Wayne

the long version

Ultimately, this is a love story about the American dream and American manhood, and like any lover, Dan Barden experiences admiration and longing as well as the pain and disappointment of being let down. For the young Danny, whose father was Wayne's contractor, the famous actor was a very real presence; someone his parents worked with, drank with, and felt blessed to be around. In fictionalized episodes ranging from Wayne's first love at sixteen to his deathbed conversion to Catholicism, this novel offers a surprisingly intimate vision of John Wayne. Throughout, the Bardens are the perfect observers, guileless enough to retain an unabashed admiration for a man they consider a hero, perceptive enough to begin to see him as he really was.