Recommendations for "gritty" westerns?

[spotty]

When it comes to movies I like my westerns to be gritty, dirty,realistic and unromantic.

I'm presuming/hoping that there are books in the same vein.

Suggestions? And older books even better than newer ones. (free on my ebook)

[Alexander III]

I have heard good things about cormac mccarthy's blood meridian.

[mortalterror]

Depending on what era of Western writing you are most fond of, you might like Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy, Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry, Hondo by Louis L'Amour, The Shootist by Glendon Swarthout, The Big Sky by A.B. Guthrie, Shane by Jack Schaefer, The Ox-Bow Incident by Walter Van Tilburg Clark, Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey, The Virginian by Owen Wister, The Call of the Wild by Jack London, or Deerslayer by James Fenimore Cooper.

[sithkittie]

I enjoyed Louis L'Amour.

[metal134]

I have heard good things about cormac mccarthy's blood meridian.
This. If you want a dark, gritty western. Blood Meridian is CANON.

[ladderandbucket]

Gritty, dirty, realistic and unromantic?

You want Butcher's Crossing by John Williams.

On the subject of movies, if you haven't seen it already, you must track down The Culpepper Cattle Co. If not the best western ever made it certainly fulfills your criteria.

[spotty]

Thanks folks. That will get me going.

[hazelk]

Do not forget to put "Zeke and Ned" by Larry McMurtry on your list,
it is a real hoot, lot's of action, humour and colourful characters.There is also a very special little dog!!!

[Magga]

True Grit by Charles Portis, perhaps? The title suggests the book being gritty, but I haven't read it, so I can't say for sure it is.