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Alabama Scoundrels: Outlaws, Pirates, Bandits & Bushwhackers
While legislators were writing the first laws in Alabama, some miscreant citizens were already breaking them, causing disorder and fleeing the hands of justice. Among these were cult-leader-turned-murderer "Bloody" Bob Sims, social-activist-turned-anarchist Albert Parsons, the mysterious hobo bandit Railroad Bill and the nefarious outlaw sheriff Steve Renfroe, who was credited with countless prison escapes, thefts and arson. Legendary Wild West figures Frank and Jesse James also appeared in Alabama, along with numerous other well-known gunslingers, pirates, crooks and desperados. Bushwhackers caused widespread chaos during the Civil War and were considered outlaws depending on which side you supported. Join real-life partners in crime Kelly Kazek and Wil Elrick as they recount the atrocities of some of Alabama's most infamous lawbreakers.
130 pages, Hardcover
First published June 3, 2014
About the author
Kelly Kazek
39 books30 followersKelly Kazek, born in Georgia and raised in Alabama, is an award-winning journalist and author who writes about Southern culture for It’s a Southern Thing. She now writes only books but in her 36-year career in journalism, she was an editor, columnist, and reporter.
She is the author of numerous children’s picture books for It’s a Southern Thing, including "Y is for Y’all: A Book of Southern ABCs." She has also authored "It's a Southern Thing: Life's Different Here Y'all", and numerous other humor books.
In 2022, she received the top award for humor writing by the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.
In April 2023, she was honored, along with the illustrators, by the BookFest Awards for her books "Y is for Y'all" and "Southern Thesaurus."
She lives near Huntsville, Alabama.
To invite her to speak or host a book signing, contact her at kkazek@southernthing.com or find more info at kellykazek@kellykazek.com.
She is the author of numerous children’s picture books for It’s a Southern Thing, including "Y is for Y’all: A Book of Southern ABCs." She has also authored "It's a Southern Thing: Life's Different Here Y'all", and numerous other humor books.
In 2022, she received the top award for humor writing by the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.
In April 2023, she was honored, along with the illustrators, by the BookFest Awards for her books "Y is for Y'all" and "Southern Thesaurus."
She lives near Huntsville, Alabama.
To invite her to speak or host a book signing, contact her at kkazek@southernthing.com or find more info at kellykazek@kellykazek.com.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 30, 2021
Many of the outlaws featured were merely born in Alabama, but moved away as children. These scoundrels lived and died in Texas, Chicago, and Wyoming. These stories come off as filler in what is already a short volume.
August 3, 2019
A decent read. Most of the outlaws shared similar traits ... robbing trains, bank and killing people. Alabama certainly had their fair share - much of it occurring shortly after the Civil War.
March 27, 2018
Eh, at least it was short.
June 10, 2020
Question: Is it possible for a short book to be badly overwritten?
Answer: Apparently so.
Alabama Scoundrels relies a great deal on published reports (as one would expect from a journalist), but it would have benefitted greatly from interviews with historians, excerpts from letters or journals, or interviews with the families of victims (or families of the aforementioned scoundrels themselves). The information feels more like thumbnail sketches than anything in-depth, though Lewis Powell--who attempted to assassinate William Henry Seward, Abraham Lincoln's secretary of state--gets a rather long entry.
Probably the most fascinating character detailed is "Railroad Bill," and I think a lot of the lore surrounding him could have been explored much more thoroughly.
The connection of wild West outlaws Frank & Jesse James and John Wesley Hardin was definitely interesting. I just wish the author had taken Hemingway's advice and "written it straight." (It's also interesting how we don't get 2oth century guys like Enterprise man Brian Fleming, who in 1990 was convicted of attempting to run guns for the Irish Republican Army or the Dare family (also from Enterprise, though the son, Charlie, played football at Alabama) defrauding nearly everyone they came in contact with over a period of about 10 years ... or Wiley Sanders, the trucking magnate in Troy who once bought up every copy of Esquire (I think it was?) in the state after they ran an expose' on him. If you're gonna write about pirates in the state (and Kazak did), some 20th--and 21st--century pirates oughta get called out, too.
Answer: Apparently so.
Alabama Scoundrels relies a great deal on published reports (as one would expect from a journalist), but it would have benefitted greatly from interviews with historians, excerpts from letters or journals, or interviews with the families of victims (or families of the aforementioned scoundrels themselves). The information feels more like thumbnail sketches than anything in-depth, though Lewis Powell--who attempted to assassinate William Henry Seward, Abraham Lincoln's secretary of state--gets a rather long entry.
Probably the most fascinating character detailed is "Railroad Bill," and I think a lot of the lore surrounding him could have been explored much more thoroughly.
The connection of wild West outlaws Frank & Jesse James and John Wesley Hardin was definitely interesting. I just wish the author had taken Hemingway's advice and "written it straight." (It's also interesting how we don't get 2oth century guys like Enterprise man Brian Fleming, who in 1990 was convicted of attempting to run guns for the Irish Republican Army or the Dare family (also from Enterprise, though the son, Charlie, played football at Alabama) defrauding nearly everyone they came in contact with over a period of about 10 years ... or Wiley Sanders, the trucking magnate in Troy who once bought up every copy of Esquire (I think it was?) in the state after they ran an expose' on him. If you're gonna write about pirates in the state (and Kazak did), some 20th--and 21st--century pirates oughta get called out, too.
December 22, 2018
Brief survey of several different "scoundrels" with ties to Alabama, most notable of which were Frank and Jesse James. Each chapter reads like a newspaper article, with a short obituary-style introduction, and then a biographical sketch of the events leading up to the demise or disappearance of the subject.
November 28, 2017
Not great literature but a fairly well-written and entertaining collection of stories about real-life characters.
February 26, 2019
Interesting
A lot of history of outlaws in Alabama. Very interesting read. I didn't know the history of Alabama having outlaws.
A lot of history of outlaws in Alabama. Very interesting read. I didn't know the history of Alabama having outlaws.
May 5, 2019
Delightful read as Kazek's books always are for this reader. Interesting stories about overlooked topics and persons.
October 19, 2019
Very interesting book and a quick read.
November 7, 2021
Alabama Outlaw History
A good read detailing the activities of some f Alabama’s most notorious outlaws during the 1800s. I enjoyed this book and the information within.
A good read detailing the activities of some f Alabama’s most notorious outlaws during the 1800s. I enjoyed this book and the information within.
February 6, 2024
Pretty good! Chapter on pirates and Arron Burr were completely unnecessary though. Arron Burr passed through Alabama.... He wasn't born there nor did he live there for an extended time period.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews