Max Brand's novels and stories have defined the West for thousands of readers attracted to his bright, vigorous prose. John Cawelti, Russel G. Nye, and other scholars of the western view his work as key in the development of the genre. Between 1917 and 1944 he wrote prolifically, making Max Brand one of America's most popular writers. But Max Brand wasn't his real name, and his work extended well beyond boots and saddles. Born Frederick Schiller Faust, he realized his name would be a hindrance when World War I was raging. He took the name Max Brand and made it famous. Along the way he invented characters who became famous, too: Dr. Kildare, for instance, and secret agent Anthony Hamilton. This volume collects eighteen of the very best of Brand's short fiction, taken from different genres and different times of his life. Included are "Above the Law," "Outcast Breed," "The Sun Stood Still," and others of his greatest western stories. Brand's versatility is shown with "Internes Can't Take Money" (the debut of Dr. Kildare), "John Ovington Returns," an early story with elements of fantasy and autobiography, and "The Strange Villa," an action-packed spy story.