Clay Allison: Legend of Cimarron [Hardcover]

John A. Truett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1998

After the Civil War, Clay Allison and his brother, John, leave their ravaged Tennessee home to start a new life in Cimarron, a little town in wild untamed New Mexico Territory. Not only must they deal with iron-fisted wealthy landowner Lucien Maxwell and the notorious Santa Fe Ring, but Clay Allison's life is threatened by revenge-seeking Chunk and Steve Colbert, two psychopathic outlaws. With Clay Allison's unorthodox methods of defending himself while trying to bring fairness to others, he acquires the reputation of a cold-hearted gunfighter who will kill anyone who rubs him the wrong way. This intriguing story is based on fact and includes all the people who lived at the time-including beautiful Dora McCullough who, with her love, tries to save Clay Allison from going to hell.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Clay Allison considered himself a righteous man. But, as clearly illustrated in Truett's highly readable, fictionalized version of his life and times, Allison was usually at his most righteous about the same time his gun was clearing his holster. One of his problems was epilepsy. Another was whiskey. Together, they often prompted him to put action before thought. He is said to have accounted for some 20 burials, though his own granite grave marker states, "He never killed a man that did not need killing." This story chronicles his last days at home in Tennessee, his military service for the Confederacy, his marriage to the beautiful Dora McCullough, his ranching days, and, finally, his death in Texas. >From a fun-loving farm boy who got kicked in the head by a mule, to a gunfighter with a hair-trigger temper, Clay Allison, dead at 47, was a legend waiting to happen. Truett, a skilled wordsmith, has made it happen. Budd Arthur

About the Author

JOHN A. TRUETT, a native of Artesia, New Mexico, now lives in Roswell, New Mexico. He served with the U. S. Air Force in Japan and the Philippines during World War II, received his BA degree from Woodbury University, Los Angeles, and worked in the motion picture industry as script supervisor and film editor. He is a member of Western Writers of America and National Outlaw and Lawman Association. Clay Allison, Legend of Cimarron is the third in John Truett's series of western historical fiction. The first two, To Die in Dinetah: The Dark Legacy Of Kit Carson and Monument in the Storm, were also published by Sunstone Press. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 286 pages
• Publisher: Sunstone Pr; 1st edition (September 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0865342768
• ISBN-13: 978-0865342767
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,940,615 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable novel, April 2, 2000

By 

Jonathan Ince - See all my reviews

This review is from: Clay Allison: Legend of Cimarron (Hardcover)

Clay Allison is regarded by my most historians as a psychopathic killer, yet John A Truett has written a very readable novel sympathetic to Allison's cause. This book should not be taken as completely factual, and should be remembered that it is a novel. Yet the skeleton of this story is based upon fact, and is incorporated into some fictitious storylines. Clay Allison as a man suffered a split personality, believed to stem from epilepsy, and this is a fact Truett relies upon to explain why this otherwise, gentleman, found himself plagued by troublesome incidents. Allison's obvious flaw in life was his insatiable appetite for drink, which certainly contributed to many of his altercations, some of which proved to be fatal. Truett's portrayal of Allison is a competent business man and was also a valuable member of the community, with an overbearing need to see justice done. His stubborness and fun loving nature are emphasized in this novel, and both characteristics could at times contribute to his less glorious moments. Yet consistently through the story Allison himself tries to justify all of his deeds, and Truett does an excellent job of putting that across to the readers. It certainly provides an interesting alternative to the usual interpretation of Allison's life. The book succeeds in provoking sympathy for this controversial figure. John A. Truett should be commended for his ability to tell a good tale, which is based upon so many factual events.