Death of a Gunfighter: The Quest for Jack Slade, The West's Most Elusive Legend
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.98 (764 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 1594160708 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 536 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2014-04-02 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
The Man with Four Ears Robert Rybolt Today, Jack Slade may not be a household name but on the Great Plains of the 1850s he was touted as "the law west of Kearney (Neb.) Dan Rottenberg has done a masterful job of sifting thorugh the rare archival material relating to Slade and weaves a history somewhat different than the legend.Joseph Alfred Slade (who may not have answered to "Jack" in his lifetime) was born into a fine family in Carlisle, Illinois in 1830. His dad was a congressman who died early in Slade's life. His step fath. A well written book with great insight into the Era Like many of the other reviewers, I had never heard of Jack Slade. I read a positive review this book on an Old West website and decided to investigate further. Being intrigued I gave it a chance and ended up being pleasantly surprised. Some western books give deep insight and details regarding the main character's personality and actions with little reference to the time period in which they lived. This book is essentially the opposite, as the author goes into great detail about the interwo. David said Great Biography, Great History. This book is not only a great biography of Jack Slade but is also a great history of America. The writer has a tremendous grasp of the material and presents it in a way that makes it hard to put the book down. I wish my high school kid would read it so he can see how history should be taught and presented!
He examines how the myths and legends surrounding Slade originated and were propagated, sometimes with the aid of Slade himself. The first two occupations earned Slade a small fortune, the last cost him his life, hanged by a group of vigilantes in Montana. Rottenberg shows Slade in all his complexity, delineating how his skill at keeping the stagecoaches and mail moving was a factor in keeping California in the Union. Recommended for public libraries and comprehensive collections on the West.—Stephen H. .
Jekyll and Mr. A treat for Western history buffs and fans of true crime."—Kirkus Reviews"An enjoyable read, and it is also a heroic effort."—Wall Street Journal"Every bit the page-turner as Roughing It, with one added advantage—Rottenberg's book approaches the truth."—Wild West magazine"Now and then a book of Western history comes along that captures an era and clears up many a mystery; Death of a Gunfighter is such a book."—Colorado Central magazineIn 1859, as the United States careened toward civil war, Washington's only northern link with America's richest state, California, was a stagecoach line operating between Missouri and the Pacific. Readers will surely remember Jack Slade from henceforth. But once Slade had restored the peace, leaving him without challenges, his life descended into an alcoholic Dr. Hyde nightmare, transforming him from a courageous leader, charming gentleman, and devoted husband into a vicious, quick-triggered ruffian—a purported outlaw —who finally lost his life at the hands