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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Colorful Character verses A Parcel of Rogues,
By Theo Logos (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: San Francisco's reign of terror (Hardcover)
As its title implies, this book exposes the sordid history of the villainy and lawlessness of the 1856 San Francisco Vigilantes; a group who took over the city, suspended legitimate law and order, ignored the U.S. Constitution and the rights it grants to citizens, terrorized their political enemies, murdered four men, and even threatened to take over all of California and separate it from the Union. However, Myer's book is primarily the tale of Judge Edward "Ned" McGowan, a remarkable character who was one of the few enemies of the Vigilantes who, though hounded unmercifully by them, avoided their far reaching grasp, and lived to tell his tail. Myers relates the history of the Vigilante Committee through McGowan's experiences, and in doing so, helps to rehabilitate the Judge's reputation that had been unfairly blackened by his nefarious enemies.Ned McGowan emerges from this narrative as one of the great colorful characters of the Old West. He came to California with the `49ers, and quickly established himself as one of the preeminent citizens of San Francisco, both as a judge, and as an active player in Democratic Party politics. He was a cheerful rake - the type of man who refused to show shame for enjoying his whiskey, gambling, or keeping the company of select working women. Like many of his time and place, he believed in the gentleman's code of dueling, and was prepared to meet his enemies accordingly. In addition to all of this, he was a writer and poet (though Myers gives him higher marks for his poetry than I believe he deserves). Beyond his harrowing adventures running from the wrath of San Francisco's Vigilantes, the rest of his life was likewise adventuresome. He prospected for gold in both British Columbia and the Arizona Territory. With the coming of the Civil War, he threw in his lot with the Confederacy, joining their army at the advanced age of 49. He distinguished himself while fighting in the Battle of Camp Bisland in which he was captured, and later led a group of Confederate prisoners in taking over the ship on which they were being transported and escaping from captivity. Even at an advanced age, he was still the adventurer, as he was drawn to such wild spots as Deadwood and Tombstone when he was in his sixties and seventies. He never recovered either his fortune or reputation; both unjustly taken from him by the Vigilantes who targeted him, yet he remained game until the end of his days. Though I found `San Francisco's Reign of Terror' to be fascinating reading, its story is often convoluted and unevenly told. Myer's idiosyncratic writing style is full of colorful and folksy phrasing that while interesting and charming in its own right, here often serves to obscure the complicated story of the machinations of the Vigilante Committee, making those parts of the narrative hard to follow. Myers is at his best in this book when writing directly about McGowan, a character he clearly relished, and I believe, identified with as a fellow poet and rake. It is because of the sometimes confusing narrative that I have rated this book at only three out of five stars, though I enjoyed it, and still give it a qualified recommendation. Theo Logos
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another great American Western history book from Myers!,
By
This review is from: San Francisco's reign of terror (Hardcover)
This book tells the story of the San Francisco vigilante movement of the 1850's, and the story of one man, Ned McGowan, who barely escaped the vigilante groups and managed to become a real thorn in their side, only to be abandoned and ridiculed by history writers until Myers could refurbish his reputation.Myers' writing style is dense, with many clever phrases thrown in, apparantly for his own amusement. It is a style that can be difficult to cope with at first, but just as a new style of food takes some getting used to and can be ultimately rewarding, the reader who sticks with Myers usually ends up enjoying the ride, as well as eagerly anticipating the next bizarre phrase or incident. A reader who enjoys history and stories of unlikely heroes will be in for a treat with this book.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Rough Writing About the Wild West,
By
This review is from: San Francisco's reign of terror (Hardcover)
The two previous reviewers have hit the mark. Myers, way too often, stretches for an archaic or obscure word or phrase that stops the reader and obscures meaning. It's clever but highly mannered writing that goes too far, attracting too much (unfavorable) attention to itself, forcing the reader to become a translator rather than an viewer of a scene or listener to a story. Yet the solid substance here, the product of serious reasearch, makes the pain worthwhile.
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