Review: A rare, sensational read
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 7, 2014
As a huge fan of Westerns—I couldn’t even begin to describe how much I love everything from Sergio Leone’s films, to Charles Bronson and Clint Eastwood, to TV series such as ‘Deadwood—that finding Eva Gillhouse’s ‘The True Story of Kill or be Killed in the Real Old West’ was like finding an oasis in the middle of an expansive desert. Even the most awesome fiction would pale in comparison to what I understand is a true story.The book is supposedly a memoir by Frank “Pistol Pete” Eaton—probably one of the youngest persons to ever become a Deputy US Marshal. The book provides a blood-curdling no-holds-barred glimpse into what and how it was really like in the Old West—a time and a place both glorified and made notorious in the popular imagination for its sheer brutality. If you’ve seen films like Eastwood’s ‘Unforgiven’ or sat through hours of ‘Deadwood’, I assure you you’ve only experienced the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. But as it often happens, out of the seeming chaos arise memorable characters who possess such a singular trait that drops the jaw of contemporaries—and one such character was Frank Eaton, whose lightning-fast hands earned him legendary status.I absolutely love this book to shreds. If you’re a fan of Westerns, you must—and I mean MUST—get a copy of this book. It is a deeply satisfying read for die-hard fans of the genre like myself, and it will also beguile even those who happen to stumble into it. Forget about Wyatt Earp or The Man with No Name or even Stephen King’s The Gunslinger—here is something that will haunt you even days after reading it. Highly recommended—get a copy today. If you have friends or loved ones who also love this genre, send them this book as a gift—I assure you they will be head-over-heels grateful. A solid five-star rating for this book.