They Called Him Wild Bill: The Life and Adventures of James Butler Hickok

by Joseph G. Rosa

His contemporaries called him Wild Bill, and newspapermen and others made him a legend in his own time. Among western characters only General George Armstrong Custer and Buffalo Bill Cody are as readily recognized by the general public. In writing this biography, Joseph G. Rosa has expressed the hope that "Hickok emerges as a man and not a legend."

For this comprehensive revision of his earlier biography of Wild Bill the author was allowed to work from newly available materials in the possession of the Hickok family. He also discovered new material pertaining to Wild Bill’s Civil War exploits and his service as a marshal and found the pardon file of his murderer, John McCall. Additional, rare photographs of Wild Bill are published here for the first time. The results of Rosa’s additional research make this second edition the best biography of Wild Bill likely to be written for years to come.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Westerns, American History, Historical

416 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1964

About the author

Joseph G. Rosa was a historian of the Wild West, author, and the chief biographer of Wild Bill Hickok as well as several other figures of this period.

Reviews

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about one of the greatest men of the time in the American west. I wanted to read about the life of a person who I have heard so much about. Hickok was a scout, served in the military, was a Marshal, and also as deadly a gunfighter as can be found. The book covers it all. Beware of all the interruptions in the narrative as the author goes through the myriad of conflicting accounts and details. It is worth pushing through if you are interested in Hickok's life.

[Paul Stansfield · Rating 2 out of 5]

I kind of wanted to like this book more. Certainly the subject of it is a fascinating figure. But I just couldn't get into the author's writing style. He just seemed to get bogged down in the details, and presented them in a way I found very dense, and rather tedious. Although, looking at the book's rating by other readers, it appears I'm in the minority. But I found the book a bit disappointing overall.

[charlie kovacs · Rating 2 out of 5]

This could have been edited down to a third of the length. It reads like a slow, dense research paper that constantly derails into tangents unrelated to Wild Bill, as if the book needed to meet a 350-page minimum requirement before it could be published.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way too confusing trying to separate fact from fiction. It was well researched, with many eye witness accounts and old newspaper articles. But much of the time after the author has related an incident he immediately says it likely didn't happen. Didn't like the way his biography was presented.

[Bernie Ideker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always enjoy reading about the pioneers & cowboys of old. Was confusing with stories as told by people who knew Wild Bill vs newspapers reports vs dime novel writings, vs historians perspective. Afterwards, not sure what to believe about Wild Bill.

[Tony Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A useful research resource for a script that I'm working on. I learned a lot about a man that I thought that I knew well.

[Tom Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

the result of exhaustive research - and can be exhausting to read - however the effort is rewarded - written 1964, revised 1974 - three stories presented: 1) many examples of the press during those times being more interested in offering exciting copy than in reporting the truth, just like today! 2) old-timers when asked to recall the past took it as an opportunity to spin a stretcher - even Wild Bill's own words were suspect as he enjoyed putting one over on the credulous 3) in spite of it all Rosa manages to distill a few truths about the life of JB Hickok, though he makes the reader wade through a swamp of suspect stories - only book I can compare this book to is FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH by JOHN J KOBLAS, the James-Younger raid on the First National Bank of Northfield, Minnesota, 9/7/1876, a month after the assassination of James Butler Hickok - a better work for sparing the reader all of the outright lies and half-truths, more background information plus more photos to add understanding - Pete Dexter's DEADWOOD was with great skill lifted from the pages of this book.

[Benjamin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will credit the author with conducting a very thorough review of what articles, court documents, letters and such remain from this time period. Unfortunately what does remain does not shed much new light on the legend of Wild Bill, nor does it give more than a cursory examination of the man behind the nickname. I agree with other reviewers that organization is needed to increase the flow which oftentimes gets bogged down in minutiae or hijacked by unimportant tangents. It is without a doubt interesting but at times the effort you put in is not equal to the historical discoveries unearthed.

[Mark Hruska · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thorough examination of Wild Bill, with a major effort to separate fact from fiction. A slight tendency to giving long back stories to very minor characters.

[David Zierhart]

Wild Bill

Well researched, a nice history of the time, as well as many of the characters. I felt like Wild Bill was a friend and I'd defend his memory'

[Nicholas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and comprehensive survey of Hickok's life, though at times a slow and uninspiring read.

[Cws]

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