From his beginnings as a guerrilla fighter for the Confederates during the Civil War, Jesse James turned to robbery, becoming one of the most famous bank and train robbers in the history of the United States. With his band of outlaws, James led dozens of robberies and killed a number of people in Missouri and other states. Though legends have painted a sympathetic portrait of James, in reality he was a dangerous criminal who used violence to achieve his ends.
I bought this for my twelve-year-old nephew, who is fascinated with all things Western, and ended up reading it myself. Thought I knew who Jesse James was, mostly from movies, but the author opened my eyes to the real outlaw. This is a gripping, real life story, expertly told. Kids and adults will appreciate the dozens of photos and illustrations. Made me feel like I was there, and I was surpised at how 'modern' the world was, with tabloid celebrities and phonies 'spinning' their stories for our attention.
Best In Series
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
I've read a number of the biographies in the 'Signature Lives' series. They're all good, and beautifully designed, but 'Jesse james' is the best of the bunch so far. No insult to the author intended, but as I read I kept thinking 'this should be a movie'.
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