06/04/2026
"Tex Thorne Comes Out of the West" by Zane Grey, 1937 represents popular culture of the 1930s.
Zane Grey (January 31, 1872 – October 23, 1939) was an American author who shaped the global mythology of the American West. At a time when the physical frontier was closing, his books defined the romanticized imagery of the rugged individualist, the untamed landscape, and frontier justice. His work spanned across magazine serials, published novels, and early Hollywood cinema.
Before making a name for himself writing westerns, he relied heavily on his athleticism. He attended the University of Pennsylvania on a baseball scholarship. Unsure if he could make a viable career out of baseball or creative writing, he reluctantly chose the practical path of dentistry, graduating in 1896. He established a practice in New York City, but he found the work unfulfilling, which ultimately drove him to begin writing.
His 1912 novel, "Riders of the Purple Sage," became a best-seller. Eventually his stories were adapted into 112 films, several television episodes, and a popular television series called Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre.
His wife, Lina "Dolly" Roth, managed his career, raised their children, handled contract negotiations with movie studios and publishers, all while Grey spent months away from his family traveling, writing, and living with a succession of mistresses.
Two of his homes became noted historic sites. The Lackawaxen Farmhouse in Pennsylvania was where he and Dolly lived after marrying and where he transitioned into full-time writing. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and operated as the Zane Grey Museum (managed by the National Park Service). The Zane Grey Estate in Altadena, California was where the family settled in after moving to California in 1920. It also became a historic landmark of note, but was destroyed by the Los Angeles wildfires in early 2025.
Object ID: 2001.41.0016: Cover with picture of Tex Thorne on a brown horse. Newsprint pages. 424 pages.
