Good Read

[Davem]

Alias Frank Canton by Robert K. DeArment.  I bought my copy a few weeks ago at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in OKC I'm really enjoying the book.  It covers his early outlaw years in Texas, then Wyoming- all the places there my family was from, then Alaska, Oklahoma. All places I've spent a lot of time, which makes it valuable to me but I'm sure anyone would enjoy the book.

[Coal Creek Griff]

I completely agree with you about this book.  In fact, I've never read anything by DeArment that wasn't excellent -- well researched, documented and written. Prior to his passing, I corresponded with him and found him to be very kind and gracious. (He signed his responses "Bob", so I feel authorized to refer to him that way.  My letters said, "Mr. DeArment", but I think of him as "Bob".)

Thanks for mentioning this book; it may have been the first of his books that I read when I was researching the Johnson County War. It was very enlightening.

Griff

[Davem]

I didn't realize he wrote other books. what else is a good read? Thanks. And, have you read anything by Charles Siringo- not sure if I want to buy one of his books and if so, which one. 

[Coal Creek Griff]

Yes, Bob DeArment wrote a number of excellent books focused on the history of the Old West.  Possibly his most important is his biography of Bat Masterson, titled, Bat Masterson, oddly enough.  It is generally considered to be the standard Masterson biography. Being an honest historian, DeArment corrected some of his statements about Masterson from that book when he wrote about Masterson's later years in Gunfighter in Gotham.  His later research changed a few previously accepted statements about Bat's life.  I very much appreciated Bob's three-volume Deadly Dozen series about "forgotten gunfighters" and his two-volume Man-Hunters of the Old West about... well, man-hunters.   Any of these books can be found wherever you find books (Amazon, of course, but I tend to watch for good used copies on eBay, ABE Books, Thrift Books, etc.).

I like Charlie Siringo's books, but they have to be read a little differently.  He was not a historian, but he was a participant in many exciting events.  His books are mostly memoirs and, like most of us, his memories of events puts himself in the best light.  He also had a couple of axes to grind, which comes out in his writing.  I'd probably recommend starting off with A Cowboy Detective.

Hopefully that helps.

Griff

[Davem]

Thanks, really appreciate it.

[1961MJS]

Hi
I just finished reading "Famous Gunfighters in the Western Frontier by Bat Masterson.  This a really, really short book, BUT (a huge butt), it has pages 66 to 112 of PICTURES of the various gunfighters, even it they ain't in the dang book.  I think I'll get my own copy just for that reason.  Bat writes short and to the point in general.  Took an hour to read and it was an hour well spent.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dover Publications; Illustrated edition (March 26, 2009)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 112 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0486470148
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0486470146

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