1876: Year of the Gun

The Year Bat, Wyatt, Custer, Jesse, and the Two Bills (Buffalo and Wild) Created the Wild West, and Why It's Still with Us

De: Steve Wiegand

Narrado por: Fred Filbrich

Veteran journalist, prolific author, and much-lauded historian Steve Wiegand takes listeners across the post-Civil War Wild West in his 1876: The Year of the Gun. Wiegand introduces—or reintroduces—us to lawmen such as Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp and outlaws such as the Younger and James Brothers, as well as larger-than-life figures such as Buffalo Bill and George Custer.

He details the stories of these real-life legends, their legacies, and the innumerable myths frequently attributed to them. Juxtaposing their real lives with the often-outlandish accounts of their exploits, 1876 swings from lighthearted humor to cliff-hanger suspense. It also portrays how the Wild West’s initial, tantalizing promise of fame and glamour often disintegrated.

But 1876: The Year of the Gun also offers listeners a unique element noticeably absent from most Wild West books: historical context. Wiegand expands his contemporary spotlight on America’s 100th birthday year to encompass what was going on in the rest of the country. On the very same day George Armstrong Custer was dying on a parched hill in Southeastern Montana and immortalizing himself as both hero and villain, for example, Alexander Graham Bell was at America’s first World’s Fair in Philadelphia, demonstrating his new invention—the telephone.

At the same time Wyatt Earp was moseying into Dodge City to join the town’s police force, Albert Goodwill Spalding was on a pitcher’s mound in Chicago, establishing baseball as the national pastime and creating a sporting goods empire.

And even as the James Boys and Younger Brothers were robbing banks, Democrats and Republicans were conspiring to steal the White House from the American voter. This book brings all this together in one place.

Fueled by the author’s childhood interest in cowboys, train and bank robberies, and high noon shootouts, and their portrayal in iconic TV shows, 1876 is not only a well-researched, highly listenable account of a pivotal centennial year in America’s history, but also a delightful homage to famous Wild West figures who, with media help, helped shape the American character.

©2022 Steve Wiegand (P)2022 Bancroft Press

Great story with robotic narration

Absolutely fantastic 'story' of what lead up to the wild west events of 1876, the aftermath, and how history has chosen to remember them. Any fan of the American West will love this book.

Narration was somewhat choppy and robotic. There were times when I thought I might not be able to finish but the stories were too good to stop.

Awesome!!

Highly details the year 1876. the year of America's Centennial was a very eventful one. Details Frank & Jesse James greatly and they're robbery of the First National Bank. Very detailed accounts of George Armstrong Custer's 7th Cavalry and they're battle with Sitting Bull & Crazy Horse and the Lakota & Sioux nation at the Little Big Horn also known as the Battle of the Greasy Grass. Also in detail is the election of 1876 and the ballot count that took months to tally ultimately leading to Rutherford B. Hayes' election as 19th President of the United States. I loved they went in great detail on Bill Cody's life and career as a wild west hero and actor as he toured with his Wild West Show all around the country. Such a great book I highly enjoyed it and I think you will too!

Most informed Cowboy history.

I thoroughly enjoyed the detail, history and how it was written. I felt myself embedded into every part and every section as it moved through time periods. Plan to listen to it several more times. Thank you.

Great new insights

I Loved the details about each story so often left out in conventional history. It was also great to see how all the stories intertwined.

Great

I enjoyed every moment of the old west as depicted in this book very good!