Review:
Author: Barbara Fifer
Title: Wanted! Wanted Posters of the Old West: Stories Behind the Crimes
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This rare collection of wanted posters from the American West is an historical treasure. In addition to the more than 150 reward notices and wanted posters collected by Sheriff Moe during his tenure as a law enforcement officer are information on the history of wanted posters and the fascinating stories behind the crimes, which include horse theft, safe blowing train robbery, seduction, white slavery, and murder. Posters for notorious bandits such as Jesse James and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are also featured.
So for those of you who don't know the title is slightly deceiving. Yes, there are a couple posters that actually include a "background story" with it but for the most part the book is just an accumulation of clippings and cut outs from that period.
Some posters were simple vague descriptions of the person that was wanted from said area, others included entire stories behind the crime, while few were simply wanted because they stole a horse, stole someones wife, or were just bad tempered, foul mouthed, and low in luck. Its quite surprising what you could actually be arrested for in some places.
Bad day? Its a good time to avoid your neighbors because you don't want to be locked up or hung for having a bad disposition. Some of the warrants make you raise your brows, some will make you laugh, most will make you wonder what ever came of it.
I would have happily rated this book five stars however it did feel as if something was missing.
As much as there was in the book there were too many times there weren't any more details beyond the inclusion of the wanted poster and that itself doesn't always give any details. It would have been nice to know more beyond the extraordinary wanted posters of the celebrities where the author added a couple paragraphs about the warrants "story" besides the two sentences or less that was included on the original poster itself.
All in all worth the read and I enjoy books like this so it was a winner for me.
Until next time book lovers...
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews purchased a print copy for personal collection.
All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
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