Bareback!

by Jerry Ellis

The author of Walking the Trail combines legends of original Pony Express riders and interviews with people he met on his travels by foot, horse, and canoe along the two-thousand-mile Pony Express Trail. 30,000 first printing. $30,000 ad/promo. Tour.

1 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Jerry Ellis, Cherokee and Scottish, graduated from the University of Alabama. He was the first person in the modern world to walk the 900 mile route of the Cherokee Trail of Tears, where 4,000 of his ancestors died in 1838: Seven thousand armed US Soldiers marched them from their homes in the SE to present day Oklahoma in the heart of winter. Many of the Cherokee had no shoes. They were buried in shallow unmarked graves. Ellis' book about his trek, WALKING THE TRAIL, ONE MAN'S JOURNEY ALONG THE CHEROKEE TRAIL OF TEARS, was published by Random House and nominated by the publisher for a Pulitzer Prize and a National Book Award. The book was endorsed by Dee Brown, author of BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE. WALKING THE TRAIL was included in two anthologies, one by Norton, and it was quoted in Reader's Digest. Last year it went on display in the National Teachers Hall of Fame. Ellis has lectured about his trek, the book and the Cherokee in Asia, Africa, Europe and USA. He has had four non-fiction history/adventure books published by Random House and has written for the New York Times. He has had five plays produced. His fifth book, CIAO FROM ROMA! SPRING IN THE ETERNAL CITY OF LOVE, is on Kindle at Amazon. His sixth and new book, THE BOY WITH GIANT HANDS, is also on Kindle. Ellis lives in both Fort Payne, Alabama and in Rome, Italy. He has traveled to six continents and speaks Spanish and Italian.

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was thinking it was going to be more descriptive and wasn't

[Desiree · Rating 3 out of 5]

found this looking for nonfiction on the Pony Express. Things I didn't like: not super-informational on the Pony Express, sometimes he seemed to be really reaching to tie his experiences into the history of the Trail, sometimes his poetic turn-of-phrase was a bit much for my style. Things I liked: his personality, his appreciation and respect for an enormous variety of people, the fact that a horrific start to his journey didn't stop him from seeing it through, I'm really interested in reading his book on The Trail of Tears, his respect for his heritage and the heritage of others, his gentleness with everyone. Not sure what I took from this, but I enjoyed it the same way I enjoy James Herriot.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

He always writes a good travel story

[Jack Fenner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written book that displays the author's honesty and great regard for his fellow man. The stories of strangers met on the trip and their interaction with the author are priceless.

[Kathy Boozan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the book. His writing style is easy and engaging. I like the way he inserts historical facts with his personal information. I recommend it.