Summer 2005

I picked up "The Jesse James Scrapbook" by George Jansen with a limited knowledge of this legendary criminal. I'd studied him only in passing, a few paragraphs in my high school and college history books. The message was basically this: Jesse James and the Cole Younger Gang robbed a lot of banks and trains back in the Old West, and killed a lot of people in the process.
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The Jesse James Scrapbook by George Jansen is a fascinating work of historical fiction that examines the life of Jesse James through the eyes of the people who knew him. Each chapter is told through a first-person narrative of an experience with the outlaw. There are also letters to the editors of various newspapers written by James or the people who knew him. It was a unique concept for the book and it kept each chapter fresh and exciting. It was interesting to read that many people didn't view him as a bad person.
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February 15, 2006 on Amazon

This superbly crafted story is the kaleidoscopic exploration of a man, a myth and the rich, entrenched culture of the old South before and during the Civil War and afterwards, when the South revolted against being stripped of money, dignity and slaves, and produced the white Southern bandit: Jesse James, and his like.
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It was kind of like reading a bunch of flash fiction stories about Jesse James. I liked how it reminded you that there are two sides to every story and then there is the truth. However, I'm not sure we'll ever know the truth. I usually don't read epilogues, but you definitely need to here. I loved the ending. It made me wonder if there is more to it, and I liked that idea.
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Historically, the American character is one of moral, political and religious paradox. Distinguished, revolutionary, and brilliant, the American created the modern model of democracy by enslaving one entire race of people and nearly committing genocide upon another. Oh, and he left his wife at home while he did it.
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I felt that aspects of slavery and post-Civil War widespread discrimination and injustice against blacks are portrayed well through the short diaries or stories. This is a good read for fans of historical fiction.
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This book is written in such a way that I felt like I was thrown into the chaos of war. I learned about border skirmishes, how things were never cut and dried, and it truly reflected the character of men when war is being waged.
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