A Lawless Breed

John Wesley Hardin, Texas Reconstruction, and Violence in the Wild West

By: Chuck Parsons, Norman Wayne Brown

Narrated by: Jim Sartor

John Wesley Hardin! His name spread terror in much of Texas in the years following the Civil War as the most wanted fugitive, with a $4,000 reward on his head. A Texas Ranger wrote that he killed men just to see them kick. Hardin began his killing career in the late 1860s and remained a wanted man until his capture in 1877 by Texas Rangers and Florida law officials. He certainly killed 20 men; some credited him with killing 40 or more.

After 16 years in Huntsville prison, he was pardoned by Governor Hogg. For a short while, he avoided trouble and roamed westward, eventually establishing a home of sorts in wild and woolly El Paso as an attorney. He became embroiled in the dark side of that city and eventually lost his final gunfight to an El Paso constable, John Selman. Hardin was 42 years old.

Besides his reputation as the deadliest man with a six-gun, he left an autobiography in which he detailed many of the troubles of his life. In A Lawless Breed, Chuck Parsons and Norman Wayne Brown have meticulously examined his claims against available records to determine how much of his life story is true, and how much was only a half truth, or a complete lie. This deeply researched biography of Hardin and his friends and family will remain the definitive study for years to come.

The book is published by University of North Texas Press.

©2013 Chuck Parsons and Norman Wayne Brown (P)2016 Redwood Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"A Lawless Breed will likely become a classic." ( True West)

"Readers of gunfighter lore will embrace this fine biography, and so will Texans in general." (Bill O'Neal, author of The Johnson-Sims Feud)

Wild Wild West

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this to any friend who is fond of westerns. I am very interested in westerns, both fiction and non. This one did not disappoint.

What about Jim Sartor’s performance did you like?

He was a good narrator, good flow, easy listen.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

It was an entertaining biography.

Any additional comments?

I was voluntarily provided this review copy via Audiobook Boom at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator.

Read like a bibliography and genealogy chart.

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No, too disjointed in its chronology of events.

What do you think your next listen will be?

A mystery or suspense audio.

What didn’t you like about Jim Sartor’s performance?

OK

Was A Lawless Breed worth the listening time?

No, couldn't make it to the end.

Any additional comments?

"I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom."

Fact not fiction

Very well written, very well narrated. Cuts through the lies and myths of this unique man’s life and death. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a true accounting of the life and death of John Wesley Hardin.

Outstanding narration of history.

very enjoyable dipscription of this historical outlaw. factors and situations that are widely unknown of his life and legacy.

I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily decided to review."

A thorough history of the Texas outlaw

The authors construct an exhaustive biography of outlaw John Wesley Hardin, comparing claims made by the gunslinger himself in his autobiography against contemporary records. As pointed out in the book, Hardin often justified his killings as self-defense. Despite having a father who was a Methodist minister, Hardin became a product of post-civil war Texas. As a result of the violence, the governor of the state declared Texans as the "most lawless people on earth," and formed the state police to combat the chaos. I found "A Lawless Breed" a stimulating well-researched work.