Ride the Devil's Herd

Ride the Devil's Herd: Wyatt Earp's Epic Battle Against the West's Biggest Outlaw Gang
John Boessenecker

The name Wyatt Earp comes with an immediate set of preconceptions; a hard living, hard riding lawman, card player and gunslinger. While this book centers around his long run-ins with a group of outlaws called The Cowboys (or Cow-Boys, depending on the reference and person speaking), it does not disappoint in providing a glimpse into the old west.

The author does a good job during the narrative of these events on presenting both the good and bad present in both sides of the conflict. One can debate whether it was a simpler time, or just a lawless blurring of lines that led to much of the activities on both sides, but it is undeniable throughout the narrative that there is no black and white, good guy vs. bad guy definition in any of the events. Outlaws turn lawmen, lawmen turn card sharp and vigilante, politicians, ranchers and gunslingers change allegiances depending on where the profits and personal grudges lie. This perhaps is what makes both this book and the legend of the Old West so interesting - nothing is clear cut, and anyone can turn from friend to foe and back again depending on the turn of a card or the theft of a horse.

Action is also as prominent throughout as one might find in any adventure novel. We get to see the events of the legendary OK Corral, as well as gunfights, fistfights, lawsuits and grudges at the turn of almost every page. And the author doesn't neglect the women in the tales either, we see sex workers turn housewife, abused women bravely standing up in court to testify against their partners, and in at least one case a drunken rampage and revenge attempt from a scorned woman.

Whether you are a fan of the old west, looking for a juicy tale, or even looking into true crime (let's face it, in an age and area of few lawmen, and fewer laws, there is a lot of crime, whether it is considered so at the time or not), I think most will find this an enjoyable read.

Duel With the Devil

Duel With the Devil: The True Story of how Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr Teamed Up to Take on America's First Sensational Murder Mystery
Paul Collins

I think most people at this point are at least somewhat familiar with the life of Alexander Hamilton, thanks to Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical Hamilton. Many of us in the U.S. were familiar before this with the infamous Burr/Hamilton duel from the coverage in our U.S. History classes. But how many knew they had worked together as trial lawyers on a "trial of the century" type event a mere four years before the fateful duel?

I admit at this point to being a fan of Paul Collins' writing style, and this book is no different. Despite the events being over 200 years ago, this book has the same edge-of-your-seat feel as any current true crime book.

A brief prologue gives us a hint that a murder has occurred, then the first chapter flashes back to the start of the story six months earlier. We meet the residents of a boarding house in Manhattan, among them a young Quaker woman who suffers from frail health, and a young carpenter. When the body of the young woman is found in a nearby well, rumors swirl about whether she was murdered or had committed suicide, as well as rampant speculations as to the reasons why, and the possible involvement of others. We also gain some insight into the relationship between Burr and Hamilton, once friends, who were now on opposite sides of the political questions besetting a new country.

Despite the rumors and friction between and about many of the people involved in the entire affair, this book manages to remain neutral and present the facts, both of the event itself, and the behavior of those in the then-young city of Manhattan. The biggest ones of all revolve around whether there was a relationship between Elma the young Quaker woman, and Levi the young carpenter, and if so why, how, and if he was involved in her murder - that is, if it was a murder at all. The people and places are presented in a way that you feel like if you could step back in time, you would immediately know all the people involved, as well as recognize the young town that was just beginning to experience a boom of expansion and commerce after the American Revolution. I would definitely recommend this to both true crime fans, and fans of history.

The Screwtape Letters

The Screwtape Letters
C.S. Lewis

I admit, this book has been on my "should read" list for probably decades, but I found myself postponing it due to a fear of finding it "preachy" due to the Christian based themes. Instead, I found this delightful in it's satire, although a bit of it definitely needs to be taken with a sense of the time period in which it was written (especially some of the bits about "women's place").

The narrative itself is in the form of a series of instructional letters from a devil named Wormwood to his nephew Screwtape. Much as many believe each person has their own guardian angel, this book posits the opposite; a devil is assigned to corrupt a human in order to bring them into the "kingdom below". We see Screwtape being counseled, chastised, and even threatened through his mission to corrupt the human he has been assigned to. Even if none of this falls in your personal theological area, the letters are immensely entertaining, as are the frustrations and occasional victories of the minions of the devil himself. I think this is one I can say deserves it's reputation as a good and entertaining read.

Sixpence House

Sixpence House: Lost in a Town of Books
Paul Collins

While this book might seem self indulgent at a glance, this tale of an author's move to a small town in the Welsh countryside where the predominant attraction is multiple (and occasionally feuding) antique book sellers turns out to be a charming personal memoir.

During their stay, nearly everything that can go wrong does; from misdirected mail and difficulty reaching publishers and editors overseas, to his stint working in one of the antiquarian dealerships where directions are scant, frequently changed daily, and chaos reigns supreme. The titular Sixpence House is part of their search for permanent lodging in a town filled with old buildings full of odd measurements, and sometimes odder history.

In any other author's hands, this book might be tedious or reek of vanity, but Collins ultimately gives a charming (albeit strange at times) portrait of a place that any fan of good old fashioned hard copy books will find themselves fantasizing about visiting, or perhaps even staying. Just be sure to find out the history of a place, as well as it's structural stability and history.