Jesse James: Riding Hell-Bent for Leather into Legend

Bibliography

Jesse James: Riding Hell-Bent for Leather Into Legend is the story of the adventures of America's most infamous and beloved outlaw. While I found every moment of research and tale-spinning an adventure in itself, I recognized throughout, the dangers in writing a story about someone as folkloric as the illimitable Mr. James. Legends, being larger than life objects, are steeped in parables of their greatness — representative of their largesse, but not always accurate (Davy Crockett thumping alligators with his bare fists, Paul Bunyon riding an ox as blue as a summer sky). Where and how, then, does an author separate truth from legend in relating a hopefully accurate biography of Jesse Woodson James?

Simply, when a colorful legend clashed with a fact, I chose the fact but presented it with the zest of the legend. However...when a legend was questioned by a doubting 21st Century scepticism that seemed unable to perceive the 19th Century spirit of romance, I opted for the legend. The result: a true portrayal of Jesse James in his true legendary girth.

To catch this towering figure in a towering time, the era of Manifest Destiny in burgeoning Wild West, I consulted the following sources:

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Books

Allen, Thomas B. The Blue and the Gray Washington, D.C.: The National Geographic Society, 1992.

Boatner III, Mark M. The Civil War Dictionary NY: Vintage Books, 1991.

Metz, Leon Claire The Shooters NY: Berkley Books, 1976.

Nash, Jay Robert Western Lawmen and Outlaws NY: Da Capo Press, 1994.

Time-Life Books, editors of The Wild West Alexandria, VA: Time Warner, 1993.

Multimedia

A&E Television Networks In Search of Jesse James GGP Productions, A&E

Executive Producer Michael Cascio, 1996.

Internet