Jesse James and the Northfield raid: In vivid detail and in tune
Jesse James' 1876 raid of Northfield's First National Bank is nothing short of legend. But author Mark Lee Gardner brought new life to the tale with his 2013 book, "Shot All to Hell."
Gardner offered an almost hour-by-hour retelling of the heist, examining how James and his gang developed into the infamous criminals of the day.
Writes the New York Journal of Books of "Shot all to Hell":
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Mr. Gardner's meticulously researched history of the Northfield raid and its bloody aftermath is told in the kind of compelling narrative that all historians should emulate. Not a word more than necessary is used to draw a clear and detailed picture of not only the eight members of the James-Younger gang, but of those whose lives were touched, or in some cases, ended by the outlaws.
There's no doubt that Gardner has a passion for the American West, and he brings this passion to music as well. Watch Gardner perform the ballad of James' compatriot, Cole Younger:
Learn more about Jesse James and the Northfield raid:
Gardner joins The Daily Circuit for day three of Western Week.