Book R & R: "The Summer of 1876" by Chris Wimmer

Book Recommendation and Review: The Summer of 1876: Outlaws, Lawmen, and Legends in the Season That Defined the American West by Chris Wimmer.

If you are interested in the history of the American West, this is an excellent starting point. The Battle of the Little Bighorn (Custer’s Last Stand) in Montana, Wild Bill Hickok was killed in Deadwood, South Dakota, Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson began to earn their reputations in Dodge City, Kansans, and the James Gang experienced a disastrous attempt at a bank robbery in Northfield, Minnesota, all took place during the summer of 1876. It was the last year of the Grant administration, Bell unveiled the telephone, Mark Twain published Tom Sawyer and it was the first season of the National Baseball League. Chris Wimmer noticed that all of these events occurred in the same year and wrote a book that covers them all. Brilliant notion.

This is Wimmer’s first book, but I suspect he’s got some other writing experience. Certainly from producing the “Legends of the Old West” Podcast (that I listen to on Prime Music). I like the author’s voice. The book is easy to read and has a good pace. The major events are detailed enough to make the book educational and entertaining but doesn’t get bogged down in minute details that would slow the narrative. So rather than read Nathanial Philbrick’s The Last Stand, Tom Clavin’s Dodge City, and Wild Bill, or Mark Lee Gardner’s Shot All To Hell, (I think you get the idea), you can start by reading The Summer of 1876.

You might not think it, because so much of this blog and my books have to do with World War II, but I enjoy reading about the history of the American West. I’ve seen the era called several things: American West, Westward Expansion, or Wild West History just to name three. I was born in Fort Worth, Texas so I guess it’s in my DNA. My problem with the subject is that so much is based on folklore because of an apparent lack of primary source documents. (But as they say, if ain’t true it ought to be.) That being said, 1876 has the requisite bibliography of secondary sources if you want to read more about any of the subjects in the book.

The Summer of 1876 is an enjoyable read and an excellent work of popular history that will keep you turning the pages. Give it a read.