Black Bart: The Poet Bandit

a historical account of the life of a stagecoach bandit,the authors did their research well. it is an easy and simple read with no vulgar langage or bloody violence. his civil war stint might bother some but pretty tame compared to other accounts.overall a good history book

Gail Jenner is a fine writer. The book is extremely factual. Black Bart was quite a character. If you are looking for a fast paced piece of fiction, this is not it. If you are genuinely interested in the historical facts about this California legend, Jenner has nailed it.

there is an error, but otherwise excellent writing. i know of the error since black bart spoke to my great great grandfather just before one of his robberies on the north california coast. there is a line in black bart's first poem that refers disrespectfully to the person who gave him information on the next stage, which he promptly robbed. the poem says "i hang my hat on his weather eye..." basically calling my great great grandfather stupid or naive. this is not in the book, and the part about this poem is rather confusing as the author attempts to explain this line. but then, how could he have known this little side story? good book with lots of information.

Good research and a "Down home" writing style make this an interesting book for anyone interested in this enigmatic outlaw.

I love historical novels and this story by Ms. Jenner is one of the best I have ever read! The author has captured the personality and emotions of a would-be gentleman that wanted to believe that he was doing justice to all the miners, by robbing the Wells Fargo & Company stage coaches. The story is brilliantly written and very entertaining. Anyone interested in California History should, by all means, read this book!

Charles Bowles was a real-life man who lived in the rough times of the mid-1800s. He seemed an ordinary enough person as a son and then a husband and father. But Charles had a restless streak that changed his life completely. Because Charles became a stagecoach robber, a most successful robber, but definitely not an ordinary one. Charles had a unique penchant for leaving bits of poetry at the scenes of his crimes, a penchant that eventually earned him the name and title of Black Bart, The Poet Bandit. This is a fascinating fictionalized account of that life change.

Ms Jenner's books are well researched and the kind you just can't put down! Black Bart is that kind of book.

Definitely read this book - the story is well-paced, historical and so interesting because of the mysterious nature of Black Bart. California history buffs will love it!