Lonely Trumpet: A Western Story

by Johnny D. Boggs

Historical novel that recreates the life of Henry O. Flipper, the Georgia-born slave who became the first black graduate of West Point, only to be court-martialed in a racially charged proceeding in Fort Davis, Texas, in 1881.

Genres: Historical Fiction, African American

380 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2002

About the author

Johnny D. Boggs is a Spur- and Wrangler Award-winning author of the American West and frontier. Born in 1962, Boggs grew up on a farm near Timmonsville, South Carolina, around the old stamping grounds of Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion (chronicled in his frontier novel The Despoilers). He knew he wanted to be a writer at an early age. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico with his wife, Lisa Smith; son, Jack Smith Boggs; and basset hound, June.

Reviews

[Joe Stack · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is classified as a western, and it is, but actually it is a courtroom drama based on an actual court-martial. If you're a reader who skips the western genre, you'd be overlooking a well-written novel of historical fiction. It doesn't have the dramatic flair of a John Grissom courtroom story, but the story holds your interest nonetheless.

Boggs structures the novel nicely by having the the court-martial and the life story of 2nd Lt. Flipper as alternating chapters until the two merge. Boggs gives a creditable account of Flipper's life as the first African American army officer.

If you like historical fiction or if you like a courtroom drama, you won't be disappointed with this story. Be sure to read the author's note at the end for a summary of Flipper's life after the court-martial.

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading about LT. Henry O. Flipper, 1st African-American to graduate from West Point.
Boggs did a good job telling Mr. Flipper's story with helping the reader understand that Mr. Flipper went against all odds to be an officer and gentleman in the US Army in the 1880's.
Life was hard yet harder for Mr. Flipper when majority of folks are against you.
MR. Flipper kept the right attitude and continued on w/his life and doing well.
I believe I had read this book before but cannot place when I would have done so.
Enjoyable read except when one wanted to bang some heads together or knock out someone's teeth for the way they treated Mr. Flipper.

[Ron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read my review at my blog.