The Grey Fox: The True Story of Bill Miner, Last of the Old-Time Bandits [Hardcover]

Mark Dugan (Author), John Boessenecker (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Although a legend in his time, Bill Miner has been neglected by posterity. In a career of stagecoach and train robberies spanning almost 50 years, this "kindly, lovable old man," who died a folk hero in 1913 at a Georgia prison, acquired an undeserved reputation as an American Robin Hood. He reputedly never killed anybody and, save for the early years, stole only from corporations. In this comprehensive biography of the hapless and shadowy outlaw, who spent more than 33 years behind bars, Dugan, a faculty member at Appalachian State University (N.C.), and Boessenecker ( Badge and Buckshot ) have largely succeeded in sketching a life from Miner's trail of lies and deceit. But in their sober, dry account, the authors fail to make a strong case for their contention that Miner was the first known gay outlaw of the Old West. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Miner's criminal career began in the 1860s and ended in 1911, two years before his death in prison. A gentleman robber of trains and stagecoaches, never a murderer, he believed that the railroad companies robbed the public and that he therefore had a right to rob them back. Although Dugan ( Bandit Years , Sunstone Pr., 1987) and Boessenecker ( Badge and Buckshot , Univ. of Oklahoma Pr., 1988) present evidence of Miner's sometime homosexuality and drug use, in his own day he was better known for his kindness to women and children. He became a folk hero in Canada and the United States, a wily rogue people would rather help than hand over to the authorities. Containing original newspaper stories, "Wanted" posters, and analysis of the outlaw folk hero phenomenon, this biography will appeal to Western scholars as well as fans of the 1983 film about Miner, The Grey Fox .
- Keddy Ann Outlaw, Harris Cty. P.L., Houston
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 260 pages
• Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press; 1st edition (June 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806124350
• ISBN-13: 978-0806124353
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,089,220 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Boessnecker's usual high standards, October 28, 2001

By 

Mark Dworkin (Thornhill, Ontario) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Grey Fox: The True Story of Bill Miner, Last of the Old-Time Bandits (Hardcover)

John Boessnecker (with the help of Mark Dugan) continues his exploration of the California and Old West outlaw/lauwman history. With works like this one and With Badges and Bullets, and Gold Dust and Gunsmoke he is rapidly taking his place as one the important chroniclers of outlaw/lawman history during this period. Like his numerous other books, this one is both attractive and satifisfactory to scholars because of its properly researched and amply footnoted text and to buffs and interested readers because of its sprightly, generously illustrated and beautifully presented text.

4 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Might have to read this, November 24, 1999

By 

David Ohman (Irvine, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Grey Fox: The True Story of Bill Miner, Last of the Old-Time Bandits (Hardcover)

The critic's review of this book is rather depressing when one considers what happened when Francis Ford Coppola's Zoetrope Productions hired Richard Farnsworth to play the title role in the early 1980s film, The Grey Fox. The film was brilliant from beginning to end as are most of Farnsworth's films. Also, in the film, there is no mention of a gay lifestyle though back in the early 1980s, that was more taboo than today. Find the video and enjoy the story.