Crow Killer: The Saga of Liver-Eating Johnson

Author Raymond W Thorp recounts the legend of Jack "Liver Eating" Johnson. Johnson, a famous mountain man, was used as the main character in the movie "Jerimiah Johnson" starring Robert Redford. The author spends a lot of time in the beginning of the story documenting his sources and information on Johnson. 90 year old "white eyed Anderson" is major source. The many others are shown in different bibliographies in the book. My take is the legend is true. The movie stays pretty true to the book. Bear tooth Chris Lapp and Del Gue are real mountain men. The feel good story in the movie is a little different in the book. Some go so far as calling Jack Johnson a serial killer. Even though he excuses his killings by claiming to "never having killed a white man." His pattened chest kick followed by his knife made short work of many, many victims. The murder of his wife and his retribution is true. So is the story of the native warriors sent one at a time to kill him. Throughout the book Thorp backs up his story with historical facts whenever possible. All sources are scrutinized, and he tells you the background and lets you decide what's true or what's not. But bottom line is you will be hard pressed to put this book down. It's a quick read and fascinating story. I reread this every few years and thoughly enjoy it every time.

As did most people who develop a fascination with Johnson, I "caught the bug" from the Robert Redford movie. It was not until some time later, however, when I inadvertantly vacationed in areas in which many of the events actually occurred, that I sought out the information on the "real" Jeremiah Johnson and found the book. I have read it cover-to-cover more times than I can count. It depicts a coarse, violent life in terms uniquely appropriate to the stories it relates, and does a remarkable job at documenting what little can be documented of a life lived far beyond the bounds of places where such documentation even existed -- much less, mattered. The starkness with which the author relates his information does much more to convey what the real Johnson's life was like than a more esthetically-pleasing and smoothly literary version ever could.Finishing the book leaves one wishing there was more -- wondering, for example, what could make a man such as Johnson seek out such a life, and wishing it were possible to read all of the actual research to which Thorp so frequently refers.

I don't consider myself an avid reader. If a book loses my interest for a moment, I may not finish it. I found "Crow Killer" difficult to put down. Can't remember why I bought this book but I am sure glad I did. I'm sure some of the tales are embellished a little but if you are interested in this subject at all, it's a must read. For me it really puts things in perspective. Reading this book makes one realize how easy most of us have it. It was not long ago that there was a much more durable people inhabiting the planet. Forced to deal with a unfriendly, harsh, wild environment. Either you were skilled at taking care of yourself or you perished. Johnson and his friends were a fascinating breed of men. This book is like a time machine and was therapeutic from the "don't sweat the small stuff" standpoint. After reading this I realize I have things pretty darn good.