Customer Reviews

Joe Pepper

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Joe Pepper, not his real name, tells his own story in this book, He has done a little of everything, some good and a lot bad. He has been on both sides of the law, serving as a deputy and also killing people. He says he never killed a man except in self defense of one that needed killing. He tells how he got the name Joe Pepper. His is now in jail for killing man and is to hang. He tells his story to a preacher. The book is only fair in my openion. Have read several Kelton books and most are better than this one. I got tired of it long before it was done. Did not grab me and make me want to continue reading. Would suggest other books by him if you want a good western.

I have read (and loved) many books by Elmer Kelton, but this one is different from them all. Right out of the gate, you realize that this is one continuous story, told to a preacher by a presumably condemned man. It is sad, funny, realistic and believable ... all in the same book.

Mr. Kelton incorporates a lot of Texas (and Old West) history in this tale. It starts out by giving a little bit of Joe Peeler's (later, Joe Pepper's) background and the things that happened to him when he was young. A man that straddled both sides of the fence, he did what he had to to make a living. I suspect that's how it was in the real world of the Old West: not all good nor all bad, but a little mixture of both. If you like Westerns or Elmer Kelton, you won't go wrong with JOE PEPPER.

HI I DONT KNOW ABOUT PREVIOUS REVIEW BUT THIS BOOK WAS GREAT. IT HAS A HILARIOUS TONE THROUGHOUT WITH THIS CONDEMNED MAN CONFESSING HIS PAST ACTS. IF YOU LOVED LONESOME DOVE YOU WILL FIND YOU CANT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN . I AM NOW A BIG ELMER KELTON FAN .

Kelton takes a complete departure from his other stories; this one is told entirely in first person, past tense narrative style; reading it can be tedious at times, as it failed to grab and hold my attention as most of Kelton's other books have done; however, it has a unique subtle dry wit and wry humor; I recommend it for a change of pace and a tip of the hat for trying something different that works pretty darn well

For wit and wisdom I rate this up with "The Wisdom of Lazarus Long" by Robert Heinlein, if you are looking for a western novel read Keltons other tales they are all good,if you want lots of good laughs read this n think about it!

This was originally published -in 1975-as being by "Lee McElroy",and it thoroughly deserves its reissue under its author's real name.It is a tale told in flashback ,being narrated from his condemned cell ,the night before his scheduled hanging ,by the eponymous hero.The tone throughout is conversational ,even engaging as Joe is revealed as a basically likeable ,winning sort of person ,despite his reputation as a gunfighter and killer.In truth ,it is a reputation built more by overly enthusiaistic writers of dime novels than by reality.

We first meet Joe Pepper-born Joe Peeler-when he is serving in the Army of the Confederacy.After the war ends he travels to Texas ,with Army buddy Arlee Thomas ,where they turn their hands to "mavericking" and begin to build a profiatable small business before he crosses swords with the local Mr Big ,anf town bully,Ordway.Ordway burns down Joe's ranch and in the process Joe's wife .Milly ,is killed.Vowing revenge,he first sets out to regroup in Mexico where he again builds up a ranching business,in partnership with Felipe Rios ,but as in Texas , there is a fly in the ointment ,in the form this time of the local military commandante ,the swaggering Captain Santos ,corrupt to the core.Another problem is the involvement of local revolutionary groups ,both government and revolutionaries viewing his cattle as resources to be pilfered for their own ends.He is compelled to return to Texas wheer he earns a reputatiob as a sheriff and bounty hunter,although he is not above arranging the "escape" of those he feels are being wrongly charged or in danger of being railroaded by the law.He becomes a wagon train guide ,a successful operator of a saloon /gambling emporium ,before becoming embroiled in the Johnson County war in Wyoming where he is arrested on a false charge of murder.There is a final ,satisfying twist in the tale before the ending.
"Voice" is the thing here -Joe is a likeable narrator and Kelton's style is conversational ,matter of fact and dryly humourous.,and catches to perfection Joe's humane and compassionate nature.The narrative is incidentful and shows why the writer was the most decorated Western writer of them all .A must -and not just for devotees of the Western ,this is highly recommended