He is known for writing literary westerns exploring the people and history of the American heartland, notably The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (1983), which was adapted into an acclaimed film.
Ia dikenal karena menulis sastra barat yang mengisahkan tokoh dan sejarah wilayah jantung Amerika, terutama The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (1983), yang diadaptasi ke sebuah film.