Few figures in the West have attracted as much literary attention as Jesse James. From the first sensationalistic biography (published less than a year after his death) to the more recent authoritative texts, from song lyrics to treatments in novels and short stories, literally hundreds of western writers have gravitated toward the James Gang mythology, determined to either bolster or debunk.
The Essential Jesse James is a chronologically arranged anthology of excerpts from the James canon, including rare pieces of pulp fiction, chapters of popular novels, and selections from respected biographies. Each piece plays off the other's strengths to finally create an compelling collage of character. For anyone interested in the myths and realities of Jesse James, this compendium is an essential addition to their libraries.
