Zane Grey
Riders of the Purple Sage
"Riders of the Purple Sage" by Zane Grey is a Western novel published in 1912. Set in 1871 Utah, the story follows three characters—Bern Venters, Jane Withersteen, and gunfighter Jim Lassiter—as they face persecution from local Mormon leaders in the fictional town of Cottonwoods. Jane, a wealthy Mormon rancher, resists pressure to enter a polygamous marriage while befriending outsiders. The novel features cattle-rustling, kidnapping, and gunfights across Southern Utah's dramatic canyon country. Called "the most popular western novel of all time," it helped define the Western genre.