Customer Reviews

Triggernometry: A Gallery of Gunfighters

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A fast moving collection of short biographies concerning the careers of lawmen, gunmen, rangers, ranchers and robbers. From this contrasting selection of backgrounds, Eugene Cunningham has compiled a wonderful blend of colourful Western characters. Individuals with the notoriety of Wild Bill, John Wesley Hardin and Billy the Kid, are coupled with their lesser known contemporaries that had equally intriguing existences. None more so than the accounts of Tom Horn, Jim Courtright and Dallas Stoudenmire, which were excellently written, revealing and entertaining. This book is suited to the 'western' fanatic, who will discover several flaws in the accuracy of the text, but will appreciate it for it's style and attempted honesty. Much of the authors research stems from a raw source - first-hand witnesses for example. This enhances the realism surrounding the book, and though some of the errors are quite alarming, it should be remembered that the author's sources of research would still have been tainted with as much fiction as fact. Eugene Cunningham has endeavoured to sift through the fiction, but is also susceptible to showing great degrees of personal bias. Evidence of this is clearly shown in the section concerning Billy Breakenridge. The foreword by Joseph G. Rosa is especially helpful with understanding this. As important as it is to recognise the minor faults, it should not be detrimental to the book's value. For what really sets this book apart from others is the final chapter on 'Triggernometry'. An in depth analysis of methods and techniques of drawing and firing an assortment of relevent firearms is offered. Historical characters are used in this chapter, to demonstrate the variety and individuality of their techniques. Eugene Cunningham is enthusiastic about his subject - and it shows! An enjoyable read.

From the first page to the last, this book was one tough hombre to set down. My interest in this period of American History was greatly served. One should keep in mind that much of the stories of the legendary gunslingers [Both, the popular ones as well as the lesser knowns] are subject to interpretation as there was very little factual documentation of the characters themselves. This, in itself, leaves room for speculation as much of the information relied on "word of mouth" from various sources with varying opinions. I found it a more realistic accounting on the subject of gunfighters and less of the hollywood facade that many people accept. Really great reading for any true western buff.

If the image of the steely-eyed, quick to shoot western gunhand is what you're looking for, Cunningham's work can't be beat. A true Texan, he covers the legendary careers of the most famous Southwestern pistoleros, relying heavily on uncited interviews and cracker-barrel sessions with "old-timers". He tells the yarns as they were spun, with plenty of loose ends. For instance, he goes so far as to say that Johnny Ringo was possibly the finest six-gun artist of 1880s Tombstone, AZ, even though historians cannot confirm that Ringo ever killed anybody! Cunningham does little to deflate old myths, but hell, the book was published in 1934 so at the time they were still NEW myths. He includes some interesting choices amongst his array of undisputably great gunslingers (i.e. John Wesley Hardin, Bill Hickok, et. al.) The American soldier of fortune Lee Christmas? Cochise County sheriff John Slaughter (a real killer, but no master of the quick draw by any means)? The real value of this book is in its final chapter titled "Triggernometry" (aka "gunology"). Cunningham records the methods of carry and draw commonly used by Old West gunhands. Although some of the experts he quotes seem obscure (Old Hard Rock Urch?) most of the data seems accurate and is consistent with info found in other sources. The final chapter alone makes this book invaluable for Cowboy Action Shooting buffs.

I really enjoyed this book as it provided insight into some men who are long since forgotten with their stories buried by the likes of Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday and Wild Bill etc. Unlike another reviewer I saw nothing racist about this book. It's not the author's responsiblity to sympathize with anyone. He just related the facts as he believed them. This is my favorite old west book of all time. Ah the good old days!

A look at the old west is best done in Triggernometry. This book tells the real (if not short) stories about the well known gunfighters. It gives no glamor to what they did, just the facts. If you are a fan of Westerns or one who studies the old west, this book is a must.

After reading several books on the Old West outlaws, I was curious to the content of their footnotes, and bibliographies, using this book. Which is the reason I bought and read it.

This is a great western book. Copyrighted 1934.
This not only has short histories on several gunfighters, but there is also a nice section on how to perform the flashy moves with the six-shooter. If you've tried these spins, twirls and shifts, you've no doubt found them difficult to perform. Yet John Wesley Hardin was a master at it, and it was Hardin, who taught Ringo the tricks. ( Hardin also told the guards, to get that psychopath--Ringo---out my cell. They shared the same cell in prison)

I would consider this a mandatory book for a Old West gunfighters library. You have the primary sources for many of the other later books.

Triggernometry is a classic that should be in the collection of every student and enthusiast of the Old West. Cunningham provides an revealing window into the life and attitudes of the times. If some of the attitudes expressed in the book seem shocking today, remember the difference 100+ years can make in a culture. This book belongs right between Elmer Keith's "Sixguns", and the Zane Grey collection. While it presents some information that has since been revised through the work of other historians, Cunningham does a marvelous job of presenting the human side of the gunmen of the Old West.

Unlike other reviewers I did not find the contents to be a textbook of racism. One must be aware of the history of the times. Many of the politicos of the age were not interested in the rebuilding of the Union only the destruction of Southron culture. Many unqualified, angry blacks were given appointments with the State Police; therfore, men like Hardin and Lowerey responded to the circumstances with blood and fire. The author, living in the latter days of this periods, heard and saw it with the ears and eyes of a man of the age. Reenforced my beliefs regarding the Earps and soft soaped Billy the Kid. Excellent read!

The great strength of this book is almost exactly the same as its greatest weakness. This book, and its author, is extremely partial and biased. In its many biases however, the book is able to do something which is almost unique, and that is to actually embed the reader in the social environment and disputes behind specifically, the phenomenon of the gunfighter, but also the Old West as a whole.

In saying that this book is biased, I am not saying that it is revealing only in the way that the clumsy alibi of a guilty man is revealing. To the contrary, the author tries to be fair in his accounts, at least where he is discussing a gunfighter being profiled. Moreover, whatever his slant on a matter, the author has provided enough information to allow you to question his opinions, whether those opinions are based on specific fact or based on regional or factional bias.

What is much more important than the information about any specific individual however is how this book allows a person to see what a particular story, or a particular gunfighter's activities were ABOUT.

Many books approach gunfighters in the Old West as a matter of dueling, and many approach it through the lens of "cops and robbers." These approaches share the goal of stripping away the subjective, and isolating firm history, but the activities of a gunfighter in the Old West were not like the actions of one army or general in a war, where one can often set aside the politics and overall causes and motivations behind the conflict. The consequence of an "unbiased" approach is thus often like taking a movie, and removing all the bits which tell you which side the characters are on, and most of the plot to boot.

This book restores many of those missing pieces, and in doing so, makes everything else that you have read about the West seem far more compelling and realistic. You do very much have to be able to read between the lines, and notice how the author will focus very differently on particular actions depending on which political party, region, and faction a particular person was from, but provided you can read in this way, and given a bit of knowledge about the period in question, this is a priceless resource on the gunfighter, and his place and time.

Short stories on the careers of various gunfighters with a slant towards those from Texas. The stories are well written, fast moving with colorful language.

Many of his sources were first-hand accounts since the original was published in +/- 1934. Cunningham does not make judgements about the gunfighters, but the reader will note that the good guys were not always good and the bad guys weren't always bad. Some of the "gunfights" were nothing more than cold-blooded murders and reminded me of the "gang" killings in many of our larger cities today.

For those interested in self defense, the introduction by Rosa offers an observation that is proved true in many of the stories: "The true gunfighter was already confident of the result when he drew and fired. The mistake so many fast-draw fanatics make is to believe that speed is of essence, whereas a cool, cold-blooded, and determined approach, backed by the killer instinct, invariably wins."

Great book for those interested in western gunfighters.