Butch Cassidy: The True Story of an American Outlaw

by Charles Leerhsen

Charles Leerhsen brings the notorious Butch Cassidy to vivid life in this “lyrical and deeply researched” (Publishers Weekly) biography that goes beyond the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid to reveal a more fascinating and complicated man than legend provides.

For more than a century the life and death of Butch Cassidy have been the subject of legend, spawning a small industry of mythmakers and a major Hollywood film. But who was Butch Cassidy, really? Charles Leerhsen, bestselling author of Ty Cobb, sorts out the facts from folklore and paints a “compelling portrait of the charming, debonair, ranch hand-turned-outlaw” (Ron Hansen, author of The Kid) of the American West.

Born into a Mormon family in Utah, Robert Leroy Parker grew up dirt poor and soon discovered that stealing horses and cattle was a fact of life in a world where small ranchers were being squeezed by banks, railroads, and cattle barons. A charismatic and more than capable cowboy—even ranch owners who knew he was a rustler said they would hire him again—he adopted the alias “Butch Cassidy,” and moved on to a new moneymaking endeavor: bank robbery. By all accounts a smart and considerate thief, Butch and his "Wid Bunch" gang eventually graduated to more lucrative train robberies. But the railroad owners hired the Pinkerton Agency, whose detectives pursued Butch and his gang relentlessly, until he and his then partner Harry Longabaugh (The Sundance Kid) fled to South America, where they replicated the cycle of ranching, rustling, and robbery until they met their end in Bolivia.

In Butch Cassidy, Leerhsen “refuses to buy into the Hollywood hype and instead offers the true tale of Butch Cassidy, which turns out to be more fascinating and fun than the myths” (Tom Clavin, bestselling author of Tombstone). In this “entertaining…definitive account” (Kirkus Reviews), he shares his fascination with how criminals such as Butch deftly maneuvered between honest work and thievery, battling the corporate interests that were exploiting the settlers, and showing us in vibrant prose the Old West as it really was, in all its promise and heartbreak.

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction, American History, Westerns, True Crime, Biography Memoir

Audiobook

First published July 14, 2020

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not know I had a particular interest in Robert LeRoy Parker, er, I mean Butch Cassidy until I began reading this book. First of all, Butch Cassidy is of Mormon Pioneer Stock, something I share with him. As hard as my ancestors had it (and they struggled hard along the arid Wasatch Mountains), I am grateful they were sent to settle southern Idaho and Northern Utah. There are countless stories about Grizzlies, Shoshone tribe, amputations, and guns misfiring, but as far as I know, I only have one real outlaw relative. He is not mentioned in this book, but his compadre plays a minor role. ‘Nuff said.

I am a new fan of this author. First of all, he paints a clear, concise, and relevant picture of the history of Utah and the way the Latter Day Saints saw themselves, gentiles, and the Native Americans. He lays out the westward expansion in such a fascinating way, I was enthralled. It is particularly interesting as I realize how little time has truly passed. Less than 150 years ago, the settlers didn’t know the difference between the peaceful Paiute (who were mistreated, to put it mildly) and the war-painted Ute (showing himself suddenly and six inches from the glass window).

The research is extensive and captures not only the protagonist who is also an antagonist, but the landscape of West and the how Butch Cassidy differed from many of the other outlaws of the time which commanded respect and pegged him early as a leader.

The book is told chronologically and introduces people and places that had me laughing out loud. The short description of Leerhsen’s personal experience in Beaver, Utah still has me giggling. Enough so, that I read it to my husband and children who didn’t get it. “You know, BEAVER! Where we stop for gas on our way to St. George!” They didn’t remember it. “EXACTLY!” I exclaimed. Apparently, the humor is more refined and immersive.

From Robert LeRoy Parker to George Cassidy and then to Butch (because Robert LeRoy would look stupid on a WANTED poster), Leerhsen recounts the life and times of Butch Cassidy, a charismatic, polite young man who wouldn’t settle for a quiet life until it was an impossibility. The Wild West changed during his lifetime and the days of company train robbing, stealing the sheriff’s pants but returning his canteen, and robbing banks from Telluride to Montpelier, Idaho (again, this story fell flat on my family. I further ruined it by having to explain the geography of Bear Lake, a place we go every summer, which took too long and they wandered off), although highly entertaining in the details, inevitably ended with Cassidy’s pairing with Robert Redford, I mean, Sundance, who was a rather surly character and a mean drunk. Sundance, I mean. Not Redford.

Leerhsen does an exceptional job portraying Butch Cassidy as honestly as he could, given the resources available. Admittedly, he does include a few speculations by a modern day outlaw historian that are quite entertaining. If Leerhsen is truly accurate, and I sincerely hope there is some wiggle room in the ending of the story, may I suggest a little side trip somewhere between St. George and Nephi, Utah. A ghost town called Silver Reef has little to show in architecture but, if one is very, very lucky, there is an docent of the Wild West kind that is filled with stories of the outlaws, little dens of iniquity, and saloons galore with a story or two that just might feature our boy, Butch.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Lois Lane · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was unimpressed. This book is less a biography of Robert Leroy Parker than a “this is why I’m smarter than the other people who write about this subject” screed. The author takes a decidedly snarky approach to discussing the work of other writers and tries to justify his attitude by saying he%’s doing an analysis of the myth of Butch and Sundance. When writing about Etta Place, he is remarkably sexist, describing her mot charitably as a “gun moll.” Disappointing.

[Eli - Bookworm & Vine · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I didn’t really care for this one. I don’t enjoy reading about what the author thinks the subject may have done.

[Andi]

I love books about history and especially famous and intriguing characters like Butch Cassidy.

When this book popped up I eagerly responded for a chance to review. Since it was going to be an up-to-date, meaty, biography on the man.

However, I instantly knew that this was going to be a different sort of 'biography' as soon as I started reading Chapter 1. Chapter 1 read like a forward. It focused on a person who was infatuated with Billy and died in the 1960's. The author focuses on various media adaptations of the character, most particuarly Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid. Now, I don't know if the author (who, by appears to be, famous in various types of media reviews and non-fiction write ups of entertainment) was sitting at home one day, and then watched the film and said 'Yes, that is exactly what my new book will be about!' decided to write this, but that's what I feel happened here.

So on to Chapter 2. Naturally we would given a bit of a basis of the time period, maybe a woven story about the parents or the hardships. We ... sort of get that? We get some sporadic moments of the person Billy was around his late teen years to mid twenties. We get some anecdotes about his personality, and again, some strange fascination with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid film.

Also, there was the weird asides and or commentary by the author that seemed almost as if he was given his bipartisan or input on the information he gleamed from these sources (which seemed to feel like Wikipedia quotes and points). I realized this was not going to be your normal biography and that this book and I were going to have one mighty fine problem.

For those, like me, wanting a nice up-to-date biography about Butch Cassidy - this guy is no Ron Chernow or David McCullough, The writing, the pacing, the overall obsession with the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was enough to make me skim and realize that there are other authors out there who could and would give you a nice book. It's just a shame we have to wait longer.

[Patrick Macke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, it turns out the "true" story is actually pretty boring ... The legend of Butch and the famous movie are better than this book; although you can't help like Butch, it seems the reality is that Butch and Sundance really didn't dig (or interact with) each other that much and the most interesting character in the whole story is Ethel Place (of whom you will learn little)

[Ben Denison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok, glad I read it.

Interesting part was 1/3 of the book was Butch Cassidy’s youth and early years (pre-Sundance) but had some Sundance Kid bio:early years and then their time together in the Hole in the Wall Gang.

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Gentleman Outlaw’s Tale

Charles Leerhsen’s Butch Cassidy: The True Story of an American Outlaw (2020) delivers a brisk, revisionist portrait of the West’s most charming fugitive—less gunslinger, more gentleman accountant. Leerhsen scrapes off the Hollywood varnish (though he nods to the 1969 film with distracting frequency) to reveal a surprisingly affable figure who favored clever escapes over bloody confrontations.

The book is at its best when it questions frontier mythology, casting Cassidy as a shrewd, restrained operator with just enough moral ambiguity to keep things interesting. Leerhsen’s prose is clean and conversational, though the tone leans more magazine profile than immersive narrative.

There’s less grit than advertised, and the pacing occasionally bogs down in archival minutiae. Still, for readers curious about the man behind the sepia-toned legend, it’s a worthwhile detour—thoughtful, well-researched, and content to trade shootouts for subtlety.

[Bandit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I should preface this review by saying that I’m not that wild about Wild Wild West. Never have been. I don’t ponder where have all the cowboys gone. I’d never direct a time machine to that setting. For me nothing much about the dusty dirty era of sharpshooters and sheriffs and cattle and settlers and saloons holds any specific fascination. Although every so (blue moon) often a story will find a way to shine through the aforementioned dust. Usually cinematically. With Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid movie shining the brightest. It might have been the first western I’ve ever enjoyed, it’s certainly my favorite. Who can resist the twin charisma of Redford and Newman. But the thing is, I watched it a really long time ago, so much so that in my memory somehow Redford played Butch. It would have worked too from the purely physiological casting perspective. Butch was shorter and stockier than Sundance for one thing. But at any rate, now I remember it was Newman and in retrospect upon reading this bio…that’s perfect. Because the role demands that spark and immense likeability, because apparently Butch Cassidy was an immensely likeable man. This biography certainly presents him as such. I mean I found the bookish gentleman bandit positively irresistible. Obviously. The man wasn’t born Butch Cassidy, not even close, neither was Sundance for that matter, but who wants to see a movie Parker and Longabaugh. It took many years and many permutations of name and character for boy born into a large and impoverish Mormon Utah based Parker family to transform himself into the legend we know of today. But a legend he became, by all accounts a man of genuine class, a man of strict morals, good manners and friendly outgoing disposition. Immensely likeable, well read, somewhat melancholy, Butch seems to have spent his years alternating between a high voltage life of bank and train robberies and a desire to settle down on a ranch of his own and live quietly. In fact, he was driven by these twin passions, one constantly getting in the way of another. It’s tragic in a way, though it can be said that he lived a fairly long time for an outlaw and left it by his own gun, there’s still a thought that maybe it wasn’t an ideal life for him, though he may have been good at it. Smart, rebellious youth, Parker, wanted to circumvent the law, get out of poverty, etc., as an adult Cassidy made numerous efforts to lay low and enjoy it, but by then he was too famous or infamous to just retire, plus there was always a question of money as in there was never enough and what was there never lasted. Sundance was similar in some ways, but more sullen and at the same time more attached to his ladylove (cue in the silly bicycle scene from the movie), but there was something so tragically lovely about their collective attempt to make a life for themselves in South America, because it might have been Butch Cassidy’s happily ever after, but tragically it wasn’t meant to last. It’s difficult to judge a life, was it good or otherwise, accomplished or wasted, did it matter. All that. Biographies present us with facts and we are left to make our own judgements. I weighted the facts as presented and found Butch Cassidy to be a fascinating character well worth getting to know. Moreover this book was a sheer pleasure to read, a huge surprise to someone who isn’t all that into outlaws, the time or the place, and relatively new to bios. But this book…it read like an adventure, it was exciting, erudite, interesting, compelling, clever and (awesomely, weirdly, strikingly) funny. I mean laugh out loud at numerous instances funny. Who would have thunk? Awesome indeed. The author put in some exhaustive (and must have been exhausting) research into this and there’s also some amusing speculation. What would Butch have thought of the homosexual insinuations? Maybe the man was just very discreet or not romantically disposed. After all, ladies loved Butch, the accounts of his charm, good looks and manners abound. But at any rate, this book was a pleasure to read and Butch Cassidy was a delight to get to know. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

[Denice Langley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This biography of Butch Cassidy will join my considerable library of westerns of all genres. While this author does seem to take himself a little too seriously for polite society, the meat of the book is fascinating in the breadth and depth of research done on this well known character. Most of what is known of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid came from the popular movie starring Redford and Newman. Charles Leerhsen shows us the three dimensional picture of a man born during a time where getting ahead in the world was not easy and many men resorted to criminal activities to survive and prosper. As Butch became more famous and earned the bounty placed on his head, his story turns into a race to stay ahead of his fate. Leaving the states was his only option. His criminal activities remain the stuff of legends and will have you humming the Raindrops song at the end.

[Louis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had potential. A biography of a mysterious figure mainly known today from a hazy, semifactual portrayal in a 50-year-old movie. Butch Cassidy is one of those historical personages who are famous but little is known about them so Leerhsen had a solid opening to fill in the gaps and show the charisma that made him a famous outlaw in the dying days of the frontier. When he sticks to his subject the narrative is fascinating. He shows how the Parker (Butch's real surname) family's Mormonism played a role in his career choice. Understanding Burch's desire to settle down but his inability to do so for long also shows some depth to him. That story is quite entertaining.

Unfortunately, Leerhsen is one of those writers who believes any subject can be improved by inserting himself into the narrative. In this case, he needs to stop with the snarky asides. He's not witty and even worse, they add nothing to our understanding of his subject. A good editor or a lesson in humility could have made this book much better. Four stars for subject matter, two and a half for writing.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe 3.5?
I enjoyed it... and was in the mood for something like this... kind of light / fluffy history...
and.... this happens all the time and there's a place for it.... so i don't know why I'm feeling a bit critical of it right now... but Leerhsen basically took some older established books and research... including a 1999 book called Butch Cassidy: A biography, by Patterson ... and repackaged those prior books and research into a little light easy-read.

but... getting over that criticism... I enjoyed the book.
was a bit astounded by the blood-thirstiness NOT of Butch and his gang (who weren't at all blood thirsty) but by the rich cattle barons in Wyoming around the 1890s... who flat out hired their own gunslingers to murder small time cattle ranchers who they wanted to put out of business... so that they (the rich barons) could monopolize the market.

[Randee Green · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ever since I was a little kid, I have been fascinated by the Wild West—and Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, and the Wild Bunch are on the long list of Wild West icons that I am interested in. From what I have read in the past, I understand that there is a lot that we both do and do not know about the life of Butch Cassidy. And some of what we think we know was born out of legend and not real life.

In BUTCH CASSIDY: THE TRUE STORY OF AN AMERICAN OUTLAW, Leershen examines not only Butch’s life as an outlaw but his stints as a ranch hand and (sometimes mostly) law abiding citizen, his family, and his upbringing in the Mormon church. Leersham shows how all these early influences on a young Robert Leroy Parker helped shape him into Butch Cassidy. The book is an interesting take on one of the American West’s most famous outlaws, but the author’s periodic need to criticize other Butch aficionados (and brag about how he knows more and is more reliable than them) left a bad taste in my mouth.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Shoshana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am going to start this review in an unusual way. Usually I write about the contents of the book, but this exception is about the author’s style of writing. In my opinion, the reader is either going to like it, or hate it. I don’t think there are going to be many neutral opinions. The author, Charles Leerhsen, is rather snarky, with many asides about the movie “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” other writers and researchers on the topic, and is not shy about declaring his own superiority when his views are in conflict with anyone else’s. I rather enjoyed Leerhsen’s writing style, as I am somewhat snarky myself. If you don’t like it, you will know right away.

Butch Cassidy was born Robert LeRoy Parker to an impoverished Mormon family in Utah in 1866. I was surprised to discover that one of his siblings died as late as 1961! He turned to a life of crime relatively early, but he was a “gentleman bandit.” Although he robbed stagecoaches and trains, he never robbed the passengers. Well-spoken and bookish, one wonders what his life would have been if he had been born in more auspicious circumstances.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I didn’t know much about Cassidy before, and I was carried along by the author’s style. Other outlaws, say for example Jesse James, had much darker histories than Butch, but have been more thoroughly researched. This is an interesting book and deserves its five stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions are my own.

[Tasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, I love the author’s voice. Very wry and humorous in all the right places, perfect for the subject matter. That said, I will agree that I found the lack of information about Ethel Place curious and wanting. Not because I set out to read a book with information about her, but because the author sets us up to consider her a very important and interesting person in Cassidy’s life in the first chapter! Then all of a sudden we’re almost at the end and I’m like, “Where’s Ethel?!” I was also expecting / hoping for more original research. But overall a good biography. Kind of amazing there’s so much information about Butch still surviving!

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very thorough and covered a lot about the life of Butch Cassidy. I just found it fascinating that Butch grew up in a little town in Utah and became the man and the legend and the outlaw that he was. As I’ve been trying to read more about national parks and Utah’s history in particular this was a great book to read on the topic but it didn’t hold my attention, it took me a long time to get through, and I don’t know if this was the best of all of the books on this man but I am glad I read it.

[Cara Wittich · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those stories where truth is stranger than fiction. In fact, I would guess that most might not know that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is fact at all! There are few things I love more than a tale that ends in conspiracy. Did Butch and the Kid meet their end in Bolivia or was it staged? We will never know.

[Don Kyser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! Truly enjoyable writing style and if you’re old enough to remember the movie ( and I am) it makes a great companion piece.

[Scott Wise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Appreciate how the book tried to sort through all the outlaw tall tales, but alo how it gave the context of the broader culture and era in history that gave rise to them.

[Mary Vogelsong · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author goes heavy on the double entendres and sexual innuendos, and several times brings Cassidy's sexual orientation into question. Cassidy is portrayed as a clean cut gentleman who was well read and politely spoken. He only robbed from the railroads and other large entities who could absorb the loss. Train passengers weren't asked for their watches or wallets when the train's safe was being blown. Killing during a robbery was to be strictly avoided.
The author discounts the movie based on Butch and Sundance as being largely made up. True, it appears much research has gone into this book. However the myth and mystique is still perpetuated to some degree in this book.

[Jared · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but not great and I was expecting great. I wanted to read the definitive biography of this legend and I don't think that this is it. I am all for fun and lighthearted, but this had a bit too much levity. It made me think I was reading a spoof at times rather than a comprehensive biography. Also, as a fellow Latter-day Saint, I didn't think his characterization of Mormons during this time period was entirely fair. I listened to the audio book and the narrator had a number of mispronunciations that make me question the accuracy of the book.

But I liked it and it is an entertaining story. So maybe my review above is too hard on the book. I don't regret reading the book. I just don't think that this is the definitive bio.

[Karen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book unreadable. The author's style is filled with tangents, parenthetical commentary and personal asides to the point of distraction. His tone comes across as arrogant. Perhaps he is trying to be folksy, but it didn't work for me. He quotes a lot of other books on Butch Cassidy, but I'm not convinced of his research -- again, maybe a style thing, but he speculated a lot.

Anyway, I gave up less than 100 pages in.

[ARTHUR · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a book that was torture to finish, the only new things I learned was the author thinks he is the only one who knows anything about Butch Cassidy. He spent more time patting himself on the back then keeping the book interesting.

[Lee Cochenour · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read, but little is known about Butch's like. Lots of speculation, and author inserts himself into the story a bit much for me.

[Jan Norton · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author took liberties with things that he couldn’t possibly have known.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leerhsen's writing style and references initially put me off this biography. The author was all over the place. Sometimes he used a cowboy patois and other times he used modern references that stood out for being anachronistic. He was trying to make the point that Butch Cassidy's life, especially its conclusion, was far different than the movie version. Everyone likes the film "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," but Leerhsen belabors the point. A passing reference would've been enough. What is historically interesting is how easily Cassidy's story might have been forgotten if not for the movie. Aside from these odd quirks (a reference to "Saturday Night Live"?), there was a wealth of valuable information here. I found Cassidy's Mormon upbringing in a tiny shack amid many siblings interesting. It is fascinating how dire poverty draws some people into a life of crime. Cassidy (not his real name) started out as a rustler. Being expert with horses and livestock, it likely came easily, and this was still the period (late 19th century) when a lot of cattle weren't fenced in, the ranches had absentee owners, and brands were easily altered. There seemed to be a hole in the narrative from the time Cassidy stopped rustling and started robbing banks and trains. Even the "robbery section" moved quickly. Cassidy and his gang were highly successful. They stole a lot of money and got away with it. A couple reasons for their success were that they always had fresh mounts ready at intervals so they could outrun posses, and they knew the territory inside and out, so they could escape off the beaten path. Cassidy liked to celebrate his success, and he had a gambling problem, so he would blow his take, necessitating another robbery. Probably the best part of the book, and the section where Cassidy's actual life diverges the most from the film version, was when he and the Sundance Kid and Ethel Place moved to South America. They aren't merely eluding the authorities; they want to start a successful ranch and be legitimate. They lived in South America for a number of years. It was only when they decided to rob a South American bank that they got themselves in trouble. As Leerhsen points out, we like to think our great outlaws escape into the sunset, but in this case it's pretty clear that Butch and Sundance died. Most interesting, perhaps, is speculation that Butch shot Sundance and then himself once they were cornered. Butch went a long way on charisma. The author entertains rumors that Cassidy was gay (he never had a girlfriend/wife) and that Place turned them in and got away. There's a point with a subject like this where authors feel the need to fill in holes and turn to speculation and interpretation of what life was like at that time. I wish they would just stick to the facts.

[Nemo Nemo · Rating 3 out of 5]

SYNOPSIS

Butch Cassidy, The Story of an American Outlaw is a historical look into the one of the Wild West’s most notorious outlaws. The book covers Robert Leroy Parker’s origins thru his infamous career and eventual death.

Robert, aka Butch, was born into a Mormon family in Utah. He grew up in poverty, but was said to be a charismatic soul. Born on Friday the 13th of April, 1866 as the first born to Maximilian and Ann Parker. During his early years, his father was gone a lot working a variety of jobs to support the growing family. This left Robert largely unsupervised; he had a dozen younger siblings that needed looking after.

Robert was a natural showman and incredibly intelligent. He organized kiddie rodeos, built rafts and gave rides. He got some chickens drunk for the amusement of his family, etc. As an outlaw, he planned his robberies and escapes with precision and engineering. He pioneered the relay escape…..he would station fresh horses along his escape route, so he and the gang would be able to transition to fresh mounts and outrun any possie.

As Robert began his working career, he bounced between outlawing and cowboying. He was such a charismatic man, that ranch owners stood by him even though they knew he was an outlaw. Butch never stole from the people he worked for nor the patrons in any bank or on a train. He only wanted the money from the big companies and the Banks.

As Butch’s notoriety grew, it became increasingly dangerous to remain in the United States. Eventually, he had to move to South America where he went straight for several years. Circumstances forced him to try again at outlawing, but he and Sundance paid the ultimate price in the end.

CONCLUSION

Overall, I enjoyed Butch Cassidy, The Story of an American Outlaw. The historical look into the American West was fascinating and intriguing. Charles Leerhsen obviously did a lot of research for this book. He covers Butch’s life in detail and brings the notorious character to life.

Some of the distractions, I found, were the authors liberties. The book is interposed with innuendo and the authors guesses. I prefer my historical books to be factual and backed by proofs, not supposition. The whole line of Butch’s supposed sexuality was a great distractor for me. Also, the constant comparing of the real life of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid with the movie version did not add anything but pages.

If you can filter out all the unnecessary movie comparisons, the innuendos, the authors liberties; then this is a great book. The actual historical and factual information contained within the pages is an eye-opening experience into life in the Historical West.

⭐⭐⭐

[Socraticgadfly · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, a comment about low-star reviewers. I simply don't see your claim that Leerhsen is being braggadocious. And, even if he is, does that mean the rating should lose not just one star, but two? Not in my world.

Now, my review.

Five stars.

First, Leerhsen is a damn good writer. Great sense of style. Panache. So, if he sounds braggadocious, he's got the chops to do it.

Second, he does a good job of framing Butch's background in terms of the details of the 1880s-90s Old West. Much of the general picture, I knew, though I hadn't really thought about the great cattle empires being the equivalent of inflated and bubbled, or watered-down (your pick on metaphor) stocks from back east. He then pulls this down to the local level, with not just the Johnson County War but smaller "wars" between big and small cattle outfits, or cattlemen and sheepherders, or cattlemen and nesters.

He adds that before the Great Die-Off, and the Great Blizzard that caused it, a lot of small outfits maybe took a few cattle here and there. Or big outfits took a few cattle from each other on open range. But, as long as it evened out or nearly so, nobody complained. Until the die-off.

As he puts it, a lot of people were "semi-outlaws."

But, the die-off crushed the Western economy, just as the Panic of 1893 did a few years later back east.

So, without excusing Butch, Leehrsen frames his background well.

From there, it's into Butch's life. And, again, Leehrsen isn't "bragging," he is just being matter of fact about some things that some historians miss. Actually, it's more tackling William Goldman's lack of research for the movie, and even more than that, tackling a couple of pseudohistorian writers who were pumping out the Liberty Valance version of Butch Cassidy. If you hate his book because of that? Your review just lost me.

Anyway, Butch was probably 75 percent of the nice guy he was claimed to be, Leehrsen says. And, he did have a code of honor. But, he couldn't go straight, and he couldn't stay away from others who wouldn't go straight. This got him in trouble even more in Argentina and eventually led to his death in Bolivia.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read bits and pieces about Butch Cassidy since I was a kid and saw the movie panned by the author in this book. I have not read a full length book on Butch, Sundance, or the Wild Bunch until this one. I had a hard time rating the book due to serious peculiarities in the author's style that I regard as flaws.

The first third of the book was a snipe shoot at previous authors. The sarcastic, snarky attitude of the author wore thin and I was prepared to give the author a generous rating of a 2. If you are writing a serious biography, documenting your sources and explaining the reasons for your differences should be sufficient with out coming off as a smarmy know it all.

The second third of the book was less boring and somewhat less snarky and read. It did seem to meander a lot between what Butch Cassidy said and did to what other members of the Wild Bunch said and did. I would rate this part of the book a 3.

The third third of the book was the most interesting and the best written. It detailed the life and times of Butch, Sundance, and Ethel Place in Argentina and their demise in Bolivia. There was very little snarkiness in this portion of the book. Perhaps because this was researched mostly by the author and their were very few rivals he could carp on. I would give this portion of the book a 3.5 and put the total for the book at a 3.

I also wonder about the several times the author referenced the sexuality of the Butch Cassidy in the book. It seemed a maybe yes, maybe no situation with no clear answer. Was the author trying to titillate? If it were a true biography as the last third of the book seemed to be it could have been left out, or addressed once and put to bed, no pun intended, and not mentioned each time the subject slept under a new roof.

Despite the rating of of an overall 3 and a nice last third of the book, I would give this book a pass. I will definitely NOT read his book on Ty Cobb or anything else he writes.

[Chantel Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

(#17)
Genre & Format: Biography | Print
Title: Butch Cassidy: The True Story of an American Outlaw
Author or Creator: Charles Leerhsen
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Number of pages: 284
Year of publication/release: 2020

I came across this book when I was researching Westerns. Another had taken its place for my biographical read, only for me to learn that I had chosen a book that did not fit this category. So, it was back to Butch Cassidy and my curiosity about the life of an outlaw in the Wild West–a blend of historical fiction and crime.

The story began with Laura Billion, the last of The Wild Bunch to die. And although it talks about Butch Cassidy’s life (real name: Robert Leroy Parker), the chapters shine a light on each member, interweaving Cassidy’s story and childhood through their initial meetings, heists, and deaths. Prior to reading the author’s note, I could tell that Charles Leerhsen is a fan. Cassidy’s mannerisms, code, and lifestyle humanized him, whereas a teller of facts would have depicted him as the criminal that he was. I liked learning that Cassidy was considered Robin Hood to some, that he was as generous as he was handsome, a man from humble beginnings, and a child of English immigrants.

But because this book was written by a fan, there were plenty of references to which I was unfamiliar. And I have yet to see the movie, which might have helped me find a starting point.
What I did enjoy was the reality of western life. How the Homestead Act of 1862 was a prison disguised as an opportunity for many people and that many ranchers and farmers sold their farms, on which the work was backbreaking and constant, for a more eventful life in the cities, a movement I’ve come across in many of my favorite historical novels.

[Richard West · Rating 3 out of 5]

Occasionally, you get a book and you think "wow, this is going to be good" and when you're done reading it, you think "well, that was a disappointment." This is one of those books.

I had hoped for some new information or maybe more detailed information on the life of Cassidy than had been in some other books, and there were a couple of tidbits here and there. However, what really proved irritating was the fact that it seemed like on every page - there was a putdown of the Paul Newman/ Robert Redford movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." I felt more like I was reading a 253 page movie review! OK, we all know that Hollywood takes liberties with fact when they make a movie that is supposedly based on truth, that's just a given. But, do you have to keep mentioning it time and time and time again ad infinitum?

What factual non-movie information there was features meticulous research, so the author can't be faulted for not doing the research on Cassidy. And, as mentioned, there were a few crumbs of new information here and there not mentioned in other books I've read on the subject. Then, bingo! we go back to panning the movie again! Enough already!

Sorry, I can't recommend this book unless you just want a superficial overview of the life of the man who became known as Butch Cassidy - real name Robert LeRoy Parker - you're better off finding another book on the subject if you want in-depth material and not a movie review.