Shannon Garst (1899–1981)

Disclaimer: I review books on how they stand alone without regards to anyone’s personal views about the author. I review based upon readability and how the book affects my life for good, and less upon literary style.

I love this book for many reasons. One, it is a great history of the American Cowboy and relates a wealth of information concerning cowboy terms. Another reason I love it is for the story itself. It shows the importance of enthusiasm, hard work, and the importance of a positive show more attitude. It shows how sticking with it and not giving up in the face of failure. It shows how to learn from failure rather than give up. When John endured the harsh winter in which most of the cattle died, he learned better techniques for taking care of the cattle in the winter. Finally, it was great to learn at the end of the story that it is based upon the true story of former governor of Wyoming, John Kendricks. show less

¡Sí, estos son mis libros de la niñez! … Y en éste, y otros volúmenes a los que reúno bajo EDICIONES PEUSER, deseo rendir un humilde homenaje en primer lugar, a esta gran editorial que iluminó con literatura, a una innumerable cantidad de familias (como la mía), de conocimiento y pasión por la vida.
Y vaya también las gracias a mi padre por su visión, al acercarme estas joyas literarias a mis ojos anhelantes de colosales mundos nuevos, y despacharlos colmados de viajes… entre show more simples baldosas. show less

From the dust jacket:

"The thrill-packed story of a hero whose bullets spoke for justice on a frontier that flamed with Civil War, Indian uprisings and brawling bad men. It is a story of one of the most turbulent periods in American history, when men of courage fought to establish law and order and when a six-shooter was the only understandable language.

Most fearless of these men was Wild Bill Hickok, stage driver for the great Santa Fe freight caravans, Overland Stage boss, Indian fighter. show more During the Civil War he joined the Union forces as dispatch rider and scout and was highly acclaimed by General Freeman for this reckless bravery. He thrived on danger and learned at an early age, when he helped his father hide runaway slaves, that liberty and freedom were man's most prized possessions, and for these he was willing to fight and die. But he believed also in justice and law and order, and when he was made Marshall of Hayes and Abilene, two of the toughest towns on the frontier, outlaws, derelicts, big-time gamblers learned to respect this man of iron will who fought them with courage and honor.

Here is the gaudy, garish frontier in all its gun-smoked violence and glory, and here are Wild Bill's friends, Kit Carson, General Custer, Buffalo Bill and Black Nell, the great-hearted horse who carried Bill from one perilous adventure to another.

Bill Hickok's greatest love was America. This is the story of that passion that helped to free the West." show less

From the book flap:

"This is the story of the one and only Annie Oakley, the little backwoods girl who shot her way to fame and fortune at the age of sixteen and became the world's champion markswoman.

As the star of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, she electrified audiences in America and in the great capitals of Europe. She astonished royalty with her feats of daring and was a triumphal success at Queen Victoria's Jubilee in 1887. As the wife of Frank Butler, an equally daring performer, show more "Little Sure Shot", the name given her by Sitting Bull, spent fifty of the happiest years of her life traveling and giving sharpshooting exhibitions that justified her reputation as the most phenomenal markswoman of all times.

While this is primarily the story of Annie Oakley, it is also a fascinating piece of Americana, for it is the story of Buffalo Bill and his Wild West Show which brought to life the vivid and thrilling epics of the real West.

In her usual vivid style, with her passion for detail and her keen understanding of people and events that made up the history of the West, Shannon Garst gives us an exciting biography of the extraordinary Annie Oakley who has won a place for herself in western Americana." show less