Shotguns and Stagecoaches

By: John Boessenecker

Narrated by: Alex Hyde-White

Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's Summary

Shotguns and Stagecoaches tells the true stories of the Wild West heroes who guarded the iconic Wells Fargo stagecoaches and trains, battling colorful thieves, vicious highwaymen, and robbers armed with explosives. 

The phrase "riding shotgun" was no teenage game to the men who guarded stagecoaches and trains in the Western frontier. Armed with sawed-off double-barreled shotguns and an occasional revolver, these express messengers guarded valuable cargo through lawless terrain. They were tough, fighting men who risked their lives every time they climbed into the front boot of a Concord coach.  

Boessenecker introduces soon-to-be iconic personalities like "Chips" Hodgkins, an express rider known for his white mule and his ability to outrace his competitors, and Henry Johnson, the first Wells Fargo detective. Their lives weren't just one shootout after another - their encounters with desperadoes were won just as often with quick wits and memorized-by-heart knowledge of the land.   

The highway robbers also get their due. It wouldn't be a story about the Wild West without Black Bart, the most infamous stagecoach robber of all time, and Butch Cassidy's gang, America's most legendary train robbers.  

Through the Gold Rush and the early days of delivery with horses and saddlebags, to the heyday of stagecoaches and huge shipments of gold, and finally the rise of the railroad and the robbers who concocted unheard-of schemes to loot trains, Wells Fargo always had courageous men to protect its treasure. Their unforgettable bravery and ingenuity make this audiobook a thrilling listen.

©2018 John Boessenecker (P)2018 Macmillan Audio

absolutely one of the best books iv listen to!

I absolutely loved this book. iv got nothing bad to say about it. I didn't want it to end. please do more books like this.

2 people found this helpful

Worth the listen.

I didn’t really know what to expect with this book, but I was pleasantly surprised. The narrator was excellent and I never felt that he was the wrong person for the job. The book was broken down well and it followed key individuals and there exploits throughout Wells Fargo. It made for an interesting listen and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys Wild West history.

2 people found this helpful

Gross Mispronunciation of Place Names

This book, like Bossenecker's other books, is detailed and well-researched. For a student of Western history, it is definitely worth reading/listening to. What detracted substantially from the enjoyment of listening was the narrator's repeated mispronunciation of more than a dozen place names. I am surprised that he or his producer did not know better or, alternatively, take the time to check with someone knowledgeable or a dictionary. I guess that everyone involved in this production is from from the East coast.

2 people found this helpful

Great Historical Info!

Anyone who enjoys the history of the Old West will find this a treasure grove if information. It is well told, succinct and not a "puff piece" for Wells Fargo. Can't understand then how they chose this narrator whose voice just isn't a fit for the story and who makes absolutely no attempt to pronounce, either English, Spanish or Indian place names correctly. This is a really nice bit of writing that deserves better.

2 people found this helpful

Uninteresting

I suppose I bought this because I like old western movies and I am familiar with the stereotype of the stagecoach robberies. The problem with the book is that it has no substance and is full of uninteresting details like the name of the first Wells Fargo detective. No story about him. Just a ledger of stuff that Wells Fargo documented once upon a time. Even the robbery stories are not compelling and are read without enthusiasm. I skipped through the book hoping to find something interesting but gave up fairly quickly. So maybe the book has good parts but I did not have the patience to find them.

1 person found this helpful