Give a Boy a Gun: A True Story of Law and Disorder in the American West [Mass Market Paperback]

Jack Olsen (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Claude Dallas Jr. was raised in Upper Michigan and Ohio by a father whose philosophy was "give a boy a gun and you're makin' a man." After high school, the young man went to the rugged border area of Idaho, Oregon and Nevada and worked as a cow-puncher and handyman on several ranches. But his dream was evidently to become a 19th centurystyle mountain man and so he turned to poaching, often killing animals even though he had no need for the meat. In 1981, he killed two game wardens in front of a witness. On the run for 15 months, he was eventually captured in a shootout and found guilty of manslaughter in a singularly bizarre trial. The trial is well told, but the book as a whole is a disappointment from the author of such fine true crime tales as "Son" and The Man with the Candy. November 8
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

``Give a boy a gun and you're makin' a man,'' Claude Dallas, Sr., is quoted as saying in this book about his son, Claude Jr., a self-made cowboy, trapper, and ``mountain man'' who was convicted of manslaughter in the shooting deaths of two Idaho game wardens. Claude Jr. was well-liked by many, including a sympathetic jury which rejected possible first or second degree murder verdicts. Was it a case of self-defense or outright murder? Olsen, who last wrote the popular `` Son'': a psychopath and his victims ( LJ 11/15/83), skillfully presents his viewpoint in a readable tale more reminiscent of Old West traditions than of the 1980s. Recommended. Gregor A. Preston, Univ. of California Lib., Davis
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 314 pages
• Publisher: Dell Publishing Company (August 1, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440131685
• ISBN-13: 978-0440131687
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 3.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #648,018 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Title Says it All..., June 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Give a Boy a Gun: A True Story of Law and Disorder in the American West (Hardcover)

As the daughter of Bill Pogue, one of the Game Wardens murdered by Claude Dallas, I know the true story of what happened that day. Jack Olson did a wonderful job of interviewing almost anyone involved and investigating the lifestyle of Claude Dallas that led to this tragic event. I learned as much from reading this book as I did sitting through the long and frustrating trial.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book that I recommend to anyone, January 3, 2005

By 

rudy krol (virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Give a Boy a Gun: A True Story of Law and Disorder in the American West (Mass Market Paperback)

This book was extremely well written, and I would recommend it to anyone, regardless of their particular interests or hobbies. I know it is a cliche to say that "I could not put this book down," but it fits here. Olsen's writing style is easy and flows well. The whole story is so tragic, but I think the author does a good job of analyzing the events surrounding the murders of two Idaho fish and game wardens. Claude Lafayette Dallas, Jr. is clearly a murderer and yet he also has some sympathetic qualities that the author brings forth. It's a shame that the book is out of print, but if you look hard enough you can get a copy (thankfully, Internet searches will make it easier for you).

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good early work by Jack Olsen: Crimes, capture, escape trial, December 30, 1997

By 

Timothy S. Oliver "Night Dog" (Tucson) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Give a Boy a Gun: A True Story of Law and Disorder in the American West (Hardcover)

Claude Dallas was a household word in the small town of Soda Springs, Idaho, when I lived there and read this fine work. Dallas killed a game warden and eluded capture for a long time. Once captured, he escaped prison and was retried. Olsen might have been tempted to romanticize Dallas. He didn't. This book portrays events and people of the modern west accurately. The book is probably available in many libraries in Idaho-particularly in small towns like "Soda."