Jesse James: Infamous Outlaw of the Old West

by in60Learning

Smarter in sixty minutes. Get smarter in just 60 minutes with in60Learning. Concise and elegantly written non-fiction books and audiobooks help you learn the core subject matter in 20% of the time that it takes to read a typical book. Life is short, so explore a multitude of fascinating historical, biographical, scientific, political, and financial topics in only an hour each. Jesse James grew up in Clay County, Missouri, a place where north and south conflicted over the issue of slavery. Tensions grew in the lead-up to the Civil War, and James’ Southern loyalties meant he had to make a decision. When war broke out, Jesse and his brother Frank joined the Confederate guerrillas known as “bushwhackers” alongside other notorious characters like “Bloody Bill.” By the age of 17, Jesse had escaped death twice and gained a reputation as a ruthless killer. This was just the beginning, though—this short book explains how Jesse went on to live a life of crime that made him one of the most the most infamous outlaws and bank robbers of the Wild West.

Genres: Nonfiction

36 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 31, 2018

Reviews

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jesse James: Infamous Outlaw of the Old West
By: in60Learning
Narrated by: Larry G. Jones
This is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary.
I have a special interest in Jesse James, I signed up on 23 and me and found I am distantly related to him on my mother's side. Not that this is something to brag about since he was a killer. This book was very good about going through his life and telling about places, people, and the truth about Jesse rather than the legend. I live in Missouri now so it is interesting to hear all the places right around me he lived and visited. I really enjoyed this book and it is filled with pictures too. Would recommend this to anyone who loves history!
The narrator was perfect! Nice voice that fit the subject!

[♥♡¢σσкιє♥♡ (Krystle) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This in no way influenced my opinions on this book.

The fact that this particular book was only 34 pages combined with the fact it focused on the undeniably colorful life of Jesse James, meant that my attention was held for every word of those 34 pages. The pacing may feel a bit off for anyone who is used to reading longer biographies and I don’t think a lot of new ground was covered for those who have already studied Jesse James’ life, but for someone like me who has never read a proper biography and knew absolutely nothing about James other than he was a famous figure of the Old West, I was thoroughly entertained and learned quite a bit.

The style of writing reminded me more of a friend telling me a story than a teacher or a historian. And there were times when the information was presented as more of an opinion than a fact, but because the author made this clear, I had no problem with it. And these opinions always added to my overall understanding of James. The book makes it clear he was a very flawed and violent man but never finds it necessary to turn him into a creature devoid of all humanity.

While I don’t feel like an expert on Jesse James after reading this, I definitely know a lot more about him and the time he lived than I did before I invested the short amount of time it took to read this book. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is unsure whether or not they want to learn about Jesse James because there is just enough information here to whet your appetite to learn more or turn you away from the subject. For me, it did the former.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

My family is related to the James family. My great uncle by marriage was cousins with Jesse James. I have always enjoyed the stories of Jesse James and his gang. This book is not a story. It is the actual history of Jesse James before, during, and after his days as an outlaw. It also gives history or the whole James family.

In60 Learning has done a great job gathering all the information in this book. Larry G Jones narrates the book. I was not all that crazy about his reading. He seemed to pause a lot. It also seemed like maybe he was reading on a child's level.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Beverly Laude · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another hour of history from In60Learning. These short books are a great way to learn just a little bit about an event or a person.

Jesse James has become a Robin Hood-ish character from the Old West, when in fact he was just a common outlaw. This short book touches on the pivotal events in his life and death, giving the listener a glimpse into what might have made him the man he was.

If you are looking for a short history lesson into Jesse James' life, give this one a listen. The narrator does a pretty good job, but his voice was a little robotic at times. I was given an audiobook version of this book by the publisher and chose to review it.

[Ashley Hedden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jesse James: Infamous Outlaw of the Old West by in60Learning was a good read. This book explained how Jesse James became a famous outlaw and bank robber.