"Clavin, a wily veteran of the writing trade, tacks up the truth like wanted posters in every chapter, while simultaneously savoring a few of the more fanciful falsehoods along the way, a neat trick in which he displays some ambidexterity of his own." -- New York Times Book Review "A vigorous yarn.Clavin writes fluently and often entertainingly of a man shrouded in legend while being all too human." -- Kirkus Reviews "Well written, full of vivid characters, and detailed. Fans of the Old West and the HBO show Deadwood will appreciate the wild ride." -- Booklist "Rollicking.an entertaining tale of the man and the legend." -- Publishers Weekly "Fascinating.
a page-turner that may keep the reader up late at night." -- The Oklahoman "A well-written and well-researched tale of a most interesting American frontiersmen, lawman and shootist. Those interested in the true story of the life and times of Wild Bill Hickok will enjoy this book." -- Washington Times " Wild Bill will appeal to readers with a fascination for American history, particularly those with an interest in post-Civil War westward expansion. But to a wider audience that has grown up with a romanticized and possibly sanitized version of this slice of America's story, Clavin's book will offer a well-researched, entertaining, and more realistic version of America's past."-- The Missourian "Mr. Clavin's fast-paced biography does a good job of laying out the facts, but ultimately lets the reader decide.We shouldn't like [Wild Bill], much less respect him, but somehow, despite it all, in some deep part of us we do.
" -- East Hampton Star "Tom Clavin.gives a nod to every gunslinger and scout of Hickok's time, and if that's not catnip to Western fans, nothing is. This book sweeps cross-country, around Indian villages and through decades as it busts myths and sets records straight, pulling readers into cowtowns and across prairies and putting mistruths to rest. That allows this to be more than strictly a history book: Clavin can also make this tale seem as comfortable as a Saturday afternoon sofa-and-blanket-session with an old black-and-white western." -- Times Record.