Old West Memoirs: Outlaws and Peace Officers

The West's most prominent lawmen and criminals are the focus of this New York Times' bestseller, as they recount their stories of fight, death, and survival. In the romantic narrative of the Old West, two larger-than-life characters emerged as the perfect foils for each other: the rampant outlaw and the heroic peace officer. Without the villain, sheriffs would not have needed to uphold the law; and without the sheriff, villains would have had no law to break. Together, both personalities fought, lost, and triumphed amid shootouts, train robberies, and bank holdups against the backdrop of the lawless American frontier.

This spectacular New York Times' bestselling collection of true memoirs and autobiographies, told by the very people who lived these criminal and righteous lives during the Old West, reveal the outlaw and peace officer at their worst and best. Outlaws and Peace Officers invokes danger, honor, and the fight for survival during this perilous but exciting chapter in American history.

Readers can watch as Mark Twain introduces notorious gunslinger Jack Slade; hear about Theodore Roosevelt's encounters with men, women, and game from Roosevelt himself; read sheriff Pat Garrett's biography of Billy the Kid, the outlaw he killed; and listen as lawmen Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp describe each other in their own accounts. Other carefully curated stories by Tom Horn, Cole Younger, and more further enrich this captivating narrative.

The romantic narrative of the Old West is brought to life through the juxtaposition of these two larger-than-life characters: the rampant outlaw and the heroic peace officer. Their tales of fight, death, and survival underscore the precarious balance of power on the lawless American frontier. Without the villain, the sheriff would have had no purpose; and without the sheriff, the villain would have faced no consequences. Together, their stories reveal the outlaw and peace officer at their worst and best, capturing the danger, honor, and fight for survival that defined this exciting chapter in American history.

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