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Butch and Sundance : The Early Days
Book by Bensen, D. R.
- GenresWesterns
220 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1979
About the author
Donald R. Bensen
25 books1 followerDonald Roynald Bensen (October 3, 1927 – October 19, 1997), also known as Don Bensen and sometimes listed as D.R. Bensen, was an American editor and science fiction writer. Editorally he is best known for editing works of P. G. Wodehouse and his involvement in their re-issue in paperback in the United States. Authorially, he is best known for his 1978 alternative history novel, And Having Writ…, published first by Bobbs-Merrill.
Bensen's literary career began as a literary agent at Scott Meredith. He was appointed editor of Pyramid Publications in 1957, and was eventually, if not immediately, editor-in-chief there. Later he was a senior editor for Ballantine Books and afterwards the Berkely Publishing Corporation of New York. In 1983 he joined Keats Publishing, where he also became editor-in-chief.
As a writer, Bensen was the author of And Having Writ…, the "Tracker" western novels, and a number of other books. He was associated with the Mystery Writers of America and the Trap Door Spiders (on whose fictional equivalent, the Black Widowers, he published a poem of the same name in 1977).
He died at the age of 70 at his home in Croton-on-Hudson, New York in 1997.[
Bensen's literary career began as a literary agent at Scott Meredith. He was appointed editor of Pyramid Publications in 1957, and was eventually, if not immediately, editor-in-chief there. Later he was a senior editor for Ballantine Books and afterwards the Berkely Publishing Corporation of New York. In 1983 he joined Keats Publishing, where he also became editor-in-chief.
As a writer, Bensen was the author of And Having Writ…, the "Tracker" western novels, and a number of other books. He was associated with the Mystery Writers of America and the Trap Door Spiders (on whose fictional equivalent, the Black Widowers, he published a poem of the same name in 1977).
He died at the age of 70 at his home in Croton-on-Hudson, New York in 1997.[
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 11, 2026
Veteran author, D.R. Bensen takes the screenplay by Allan Burns and adapts it a novelized form. "Butch and Sundance: The Early Days" serves as a prequel to the adventures of Harry Longabaugh (aka Butch Cassidy) and the Robert LeRoy Parker (aka the Sundance Kid) as portrayed in the 1969 Movie, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid."
Set in Wyoming, the western tale establishes the partnership between the two outlaw cowboys. The author stirs in thrills, and three storylines: the easy-going relationship between Butch and Sundance; a shadowy former gang member stalking Butch; and how the legendary "Hole In the Wall Gang" rose. The writing is crisp but the story is a bit flat because the young duo makes too many errors as they learn the craft of robbing. One must take this story with some liberty but it is a decent read. It is sligtly better than the flat film.
Set in Wyoming, the western tale establishes the partnership between the two outlaw cowboys. The author stirs in thrills, and three storylines: the easy-going relationship between Butch and Sundance; a shadowy former gang member stalking Butch; and how the legendary "Hole In the Wall Gang" rose. The writing is crisp but the story is a bit flat because the young duo makes too many errors as they learn the craft of robbing. One must take this story with some liberty but it is a decent read. It is sligtly better than the flat film.
July 1, 2018
It helps if you think of these characters as Hannibal Hayes and Kid Curry from Alias Smith and Jones instead of Butch and Sundance but I thought this was a really fun book.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews