Long John Dunn of Taos: From Texas Outlaw to New Mexico Hero [Hardcover]

Max Evans (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1992

This is the story of one of the West's most legendary characters, Long John Dunn of Taos, New Mexico, written by Max Evans, the acclaimed author of such Western classics as "The Rounders" and "Hi Lo Country". Ranchhand, jailbird, cattleman, gunslinger, rodeo cowboy, gambler, stage driver, miner, saloon keeper, entrepreneur - Long John Dunn was all of these and more. In an ancient city that has been home to dozens of memorable characters and historical personages - Padre Antonio Jose Martinez, Kit Carson, Mabel Dodge Lujan, and D. H. Lawrence, to name only a few, Long John Dunn may have been the most extraordinary Taoseno of them all. In the mid-1950s, when Dunn was in his nineties, he told the story of his remarkable, adventurous life to fellow Taoseno and close friend, Max Evans. It is a story not only of a man's life, but of the last wild and woolly days of the Old West as well. "Long John Dunn of Taos" is an indispensable addition to anyone's Western Americana bookshelf.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Long John Dunn of Taos, New Mexico (cattleman, jailbird, gambler, stagecoach driver, miner, saloon-keeper, and entrepreneur) was one of the American West's most legendary characters. Before Dunn's death, the Taos old-timer told Max Evans the story of his long and adventurous life and his recollections of the last days of the pioneer era. Long John Dunn of Taos: From Texas Outlaw to New Mexico Hero is one of those true life men of the old west from which movies were made - or ought to be! -- Midwest Book Review

Product Details

• Hardcover: 163 pages
• Publisher: Clear Light Pub; Rev Sub edition (June 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0940666200
• ISBN-13: 978-0940666207
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,002,618 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:

5.0 out of 5 stars Northern New Mexico lovers, August 2, 2001

By 

Bruce Cline "Just a Reader" (Littleton, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Long John Dunn of Taos: From Texas Outlaw to New Mexico Hero (Paperback)

This is the book to buy if you've ever floated through the Rio Grande Gorge near Taos and, as you passed beneath the John Dunn Bridge, someone on your trip asked, "who exactly was John Dunn?" As a river guide you have full authority (and some would argue a professional obligation) to make up whatever answer you like, but I've found it helpful to occasionally sprinkle facts among the many assertions I've made to trusting passengers over the years. This slim volume, only 163 pages, is full of wonderful information about the life of John Dunn for whom that bridge is named, as well as northern New Mexico from the late 1800's through 1953, the year Mr. Dunn died. By reading this book you will be well prepared for passengers' questions and, as a bonus, you'll glimpse a lifestyle that predates most of us. For me the few early photos of the Rio Grande, all from pre-boating years, and the building of the John Dunn Bridge are alone worth the price of the book. The regional history and the life of John Dunn are exquisite bonuses.

John Dunn apparently was an irascible and only sporadically honest fellow, the sort of individual whose life story is fun to read about. His is not an exception. You'll learn about his early years in Texas, his later life in New Mexico, and the various legal and not-so-legal enterprises in which he was engaged throughout. I don't think I would have liked being around John Dunn, but I did enjoy reading about his adventures. I suspect you will too.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!! Great Man!!, July 29, 2009

By 

Trent Rock (Goleta, CA (The 805)) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Long John Dunn of Taos: From Texas Outlaw to New Mexico Hero (Paperback)

WOW...Can't believe I had never heard of John Dunn before!! This a great book about Taos in the POST Kit Carson days...Max Evans is a great writer too....