Buffalo Bill: The Noblest Whiteskin

by John Burke

1st Cassell 1st edition 1974 hardcover fine book in vg+ price clipped dw In stock shipped from our UK warehouse

Genres: History

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1972

Reviews

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to read John Burke's book on Buffalo Bill Cody and not think at first, what a mountebank,
what a fraud. But as you get into it William F. Cody becomes a rather likeable infectious sort, the
kind of favorite uncle as a kid you looked forward to when they visited.

Bill Cody who was born in 1847 in Iowa had a typical hardscrabble frontier life especially after his
dad died and he had a mother and a few sisters to support. Support them he did in many ways in
all kinds of frontier jobs, chief of which were as Army scout and buffalo hunter.

But on one fine day a real mountebank Ned Buntline was looking for a new frontier hero for his dime
novels and a look at the long haired, lean, strapping Cody convinced Buntline that here was his man.
He sure looked the part. Nothing that Cody had done and it was a real frontier life would have made
him stand out except the number of American bison he slaughtered. But in 1869 when Buntline's
Buffalo Bill King of the Bordermen was published. That and the number of these dime novels which
every kid in America had or wanted made Buffalo Bill. In 1872 Cody guided Grand Duke Alexei of
Russia on his well publicized trip west to hunt Buffalo and his reputation as America's man of the
frontier was secure.

After that with only a few look backs to his frontier days Buffalo Bill went into show business as
America wanted to see its hero of the plains. Then came the wild west show which was his
extravagant bip top tent show that toured the world showing the image that America wanted to
portray in taming a savage land. There were many others, but Cody's was the original.

America for the most part didn't want to know about the flaws in its hero. Cody was no saint, he
was a compulsive womanizer, a gambler, and he went through the vast amounts of money he made
at a rapid pace. You'll meet that Cody also.

But as I said he never took him self seriously. It was all entertainment.

Read John Burke's book and see if you don't agree.

[Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was interesting to read about someone I knew very little about. Now I know a lot.
At first, you dislike him, and then you do like him.
He was a poor businessman, an Indian killer, a philanderer, an absent father, and a heavy drinker.
He was charitable, loved his children, adopted a child, and treated his employees fairly, regardless of race, the first to make a documentary.
He had great ideas but died broke.
He took his show around the world and met many people, high and low, for over 30 years.

[Glenn Banks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a Bad book. Bill was not a smart business man just good showman. First book listened from BARD app.