Book Description
Missouri guerrilla, Confederate officer, bank robber, notorious outlaw, Wild West showman--Cole Younger’s life was the stuff of myth and legend. In The Story of Cole Younger, long out-of-print, he tells his story in his own words after his parole from prison at the age of 59. Born near Lee’s Summit, Missouri, Thomas Coleman ("Cole") Younger (1844–1916) rode with William Clarke Quantrill’s Confederate raiders during the Civil War, participating in many daring and bloody exploits, including the infamous Lawrence, Kansas, massacre of 1863. Following the war, Younger continued his celebrated career as a desperado, robbing banks and trains with Jesse James and other members of the James-Younger gang. A fateful attempt in 1876 on the Northfield, Minnesota, bank sent Cole to the state prison in Stillwater, Minnesota for decades. There he became a model resident, helping both to protect women convicts during a fire and found the Prison Mirror, a newspaper intended to shed "a ray of light upon the lives of those behind the bars." Paroled in 1901, Younger successfully sought a pardon, operated a Wild West show with his old comrade Frank James, and lectured on "What My Life Has Taught Me." Always known for intelligence and coolness under pressure, he publishe! d this autobiography in 1903, reflecting on the colorful and sometimes violent experiences of "the gentleman, the soldier, the outlaw, and the convict."
From the Author
"Many may wonder why an old ‘guerrilla’ should feel called upon at this late day to rehearse the story of his life. . . . I propose to set out the little good that was in my life, at the same time not withholding in any way the bad." —Cole Younger "Cole Younger, a man whose personality comprises the various guises of victim, adventurer, fabricator, redeemer, brother and friend, is a complicated, controversial American allegory. Cole sought legendary status and it is that status he achieved. There was only one Cole Younger. The story of his life, as dictated by him with all its half-truths, insights, anecdotes and outright lies, makes for a engaging and electrifying read. When all is said and done, Cole Younger—partly truth and partly fiction—is a captivating American legend."-— from the Introduction by Marley Brant
About the Author
Marley Brant is the author of The Outlaw Youngers: A Confederate Brotherhood; Outlaws: The Illustrated History of the James-Younger Gang; and Jesse James: The Man and the Myth. A writer and producer in the entertainment industry, she lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
Story of Cole Younger by Himself: Being an Autobiography of the Missouri Guerrilla Captain and Outlaw, His Capture and Prison Life and the Only Authentic Account of the Northfield Raid Ever Published FROM THE PUBLISHER
Born near Lee's Summit, Missouri, Thomas Coleman ("Cole") Younger (1844-1916) rode with William Clarke Quantrill's Confederate raiders during the Civil War, participating in many daring and bloody exploits, including the infamous Lawrence, Kansas, massacre of 1863. Following the war, Younger continued his celebrated career as a desperado, robbing banks and trains with Jesse James and other members of the James-Younger gang. A fateful attempt in 1876 on the Northfield, Minnesota, bank sent Cole to the state prison in Stillwater for decades. Here he became a model resident, helping both to protect women inmates during a fire and found the Prison Mirror, a newspaper intended to shed "a ray of light upon the lives of those behind the bars." Paroled in 1901, Younger successfully sought a pardon, operated a Wild West show with his old comrade Frank James, and lectured on "What My Life Has Taught Me." Always known for intelligence and coolness under pressure, he published his autobiography in 1903, reflecting on the colorful and sometimes violent experiences of "the gentlemen, the soldier, the outlaw, and the convict."
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