The
Billy the Kid Reader contains some of the best articles on
the Kid -- including gems that are no longer in print.
From the first
dime novel that appeared shortly after his death -- "The True Life of
Billy the Kid," by Don Jenardo -- to the research of today's
historians,
these writings bring William H. Booney, Jr's life into sharp
focus.
Nolan highlights
two distinct periods of Billy the Kid studies: works of popularizers,
who tended to exaggerate his historical role; and the findings of
grassroots researchers who over the years have brought about a complete
reassessment of our perceptions of the Kid. Nine selections first take
up the legend of Billy the Kid in works by such writers as Charles
Siringo and Jack Thorp.
Seventeen other accounts range from
late-nineteenth-century newspaper tales to the insights of historian
Paul Andrew Hutton. Dozens of illustrations enhance the text,
illuminating the Kid's career and notoriety.
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The Billy the Kid
Reader
by Frederick Nolan
University of Oklahoma Press,
2007
Order
a copy
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