"East of Denver" by Gregory Hill

In "East of Denver" Gregory Hill treats us to the hard luck story of Emmett and Shakespeare Williams, a father and son who are about to lose everything. Shakespeare, 36 years old, has returned to his boyhood home to help his prematurely demented dad, but it's too late. A crooked banker in town has fleeced Emmett of everything: his land, his home, his government subsidy, his single-engine Cessna.

Mr. Hill makes a brave attempt to be amusing, and he sometimes succeeds. But in the end, there isn't a single noble character (other than soft-in-the-head Emmett), a single redeeming sentiment, a note on any scale other than hopeless gallows humor.

At least it's short and gives a few laughs along the way.