Sam Bass

by Wayne Gard

"The world is bobbing around," said Sam Bass the day he died. The day was Sunday, July 21, 1878—Sam's twenty-seventh birthday. Sam had done considerable bobbing around himself. He had been a cowboy, a gambler, a highwayman, and a train robber before he met his fate at Round Rock. His coups were many; his fame legendary. And the strangest thing of all is that he never killed a man until that last gunfight.

262 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1969

Reviews

[Jason Sullivan]

Note: I read a slightly different version than this one. It was published in February 1969 and had a different cover.

I live in North Texas, about 50 miles from Denton, where Sam Bass had ties. We deeply admire our outlaws and desperadoes in Texas—well, at least I do. I'm endlessly fascinated by people like Sam Bass and their legacy, lore, and life story.

"Sam Bass" by Wayne Gard is a biographical account of the famous outlaw. Gard, who is the author of seven books and served as the president of the Texas State Historical Association from 1968-1969, according to the back cover, presents a thorough and deeply researched book. Mostly using newspaper accounts and biographies written about Bass shortly after his death, Gard stitches together numerous vignettes about the outlaw, from his early days in Indiana to the famous 1878 shootout in Round Rock. I felt like I was riding alongside Sam Bass and the others. The book is a tad dry in places—perhaps too many details or too much name-dropping at once—but it's an enjoyable read. It is certainly thorough, but the details generally add more to the story than detract.

If you're a fan of old-west outlaws and enjoy historical nonfiction, you may enjoy this book. If I could give it 3.5 stars instead of 3, I would.

[Andrew]

Sam Bass was a good bandit. Gard tells the story well. I'd eventually like to go the caves around Denton and pitch camp. Been to Round Rock. Sellout hellhole.