: Readers from Amazon praise the book for being a "good primer" that avoids becoming too "murky and obtuse". The writing is noted for being plain and smooth, allowing you to fly through dense historical information easily.
: Metz’s primary goal is to strip away the "dime novel" exaggerations. It serves as an essential tool for separating the legendary exploits of the OK Corral from the gritty, often brutal reality of 19th-century lawlessness. The Encyclopedia of Lawmen, Outlaws, and Gunfig...
“A must have for fans of the true west... more than 60 photographs and extensive bibliography make [it] a must-have reference for historians, students, and fans.” Amazon UK : Readers from Amazon praise the book for
by Leon Claire Metz is a definitive reference for anyone fascinated by the reality—rather than the Hollywood mythos—of the Old West. The "Why It Works" Review It serves as an essential tool for separating
: Unlike niche biographies, this encyclopedia offers a massive variety of entries, covering household names like Billy the Kid and Wyatt Earp alongside obscure but equally dangerous figures like Bill Doolin or Pearl Hart.
Readers generally find it to be an "indispensable" part of a Western historian’s library, though some note that certain entries could benefit from even stronger sourcing.
“This encyclopedia has good, pertinent information without being too murky and obtuse. The writing is smooth... and is in a plain language you can just fly through.” Amazon UK