Tough Towns: True Tales from the Gritty Streets of the Old West - Robert Barr Smith

Old West this isn't

Well written and fun, the book is a collection of chapters dealing with bad guys and good guys. However, a large portion of the book is not the Old West. Several of the shootout stories are in the 1930s, with cars, gangsters, and machine guns. That's not the Old West to me. The majority of the stories are from Oklahoma, so I think I would have had higher regard for the book if it were retitled "Gritty Semi-Modern Tales from the Streets of Oklahoma--" in which case I wouldn't have bought it. But the fact is I was interested in "Old West" material, and I feel somewhat disappointed. Even so, I'll put it on my bookshelf and may look at it again someday ....

True history of the old west

Reviewed by William E. Cooper for Reader Views (1/07)

I am both a student of history and a retired Chief of Police. I've spent considerable time reading about the Old West, particularly in the latter 19th and early 20th centuries. My interest has been about the courage of the men and women who built this country, who sustained themselves in truly difficult times. I also have an interest in how law enforcement worked. I used part of that history in one of the chapters of my own book, "Leading Beyond Tradition." I read Mr. Smith's book with equal interest. He presents an historic overview of some of the more infamous folks who lived during those times - factual information. It is fascinating.

Mr. Smith puts the reader with the involved people as if you were right there when the events actually happened. The crimes described and the actions/reactions of regular people are well worth your time to read. This was part of America during that time - these are lessons of value for good people to read, how courage can and does prevail. I recommend "Tough Towns" be part of your library.