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The Last Outlaws: The Desperate Final Days of the Dalton Gang
The definitive account of the Dalton Gang and the most brazen bank heist in history, by the multiple New York Times bestselling author.
The Last Outlaws is the thrilling true story of the last of one of the greatest outlaw gangs. The dreaded Dalton Gang consisted of three brothers and their rotating cast of colorful accomplices who saw themselves as descended from the legendary James brothers. They soon became legends themselves, beginning their career as common horse thieves before graduating to robbing banks and trains.
On October 5, 1892, the Dalton Gang attempted their boldest and bloodiest raid robbing two banks in broad daylight in Coffeyville, Kansas, simultaneously. As Grat, Bob, and Emmett Dalton and Bill Power and Dick Broadwell crossed the plaza to enter the two buildings, the outlaws were recognized by townspeople, who raised the alarm. Citizens armed themselves with shotguns and six-shooters from nearby hardware stores and were locked and loaded when the thieves emerged from the banks. The ensuing gun battle was a lead-filled firefight of epic proportions. As the smoke cleared, eight men lay dead––including four of the five members of the doomed Dalton Gang.
For the first time ever, the full story of the Dalton Gang's life of crime, culminating in one of the Wild West’s most violent events, are chronicled in detail––a last gruesome gasp of the age of gunfights.
The Last Outlaws is the thrilling true story of the last of one of the greatest outlaw gangs. The dreaded Dalton Gang consisted of three brothers and their rotating cast of colorful accomplices who saw themselves as descended from the legendary James brothers. They soon became legends themselves, beginning their career as common horse thieves before graduating to robbing banks and trains.
On October 5, 1892, the Dalton Gang attempted their boldest and bloodiest raid robbing two banks in broad daylight in Coffeyville, Kansas, simultaneously. As Grat, Bob, and Emmett Dalton and Bill Power and Dick Broadwell crossed the plaza to enter the two buildings, the outlaws were recognized by townspeople, who raised the alarm. Citizens armed themselves with shotguns and six-shooters from nearby hardware stores and were locked and loaded when the thieves emerged from the banks. The ensuing gun battle was a lead-filled firefight of epic proportions. As the smoke cleared, eight men lay dead––including four of the five members of the doomed Dalton Gang.
For the first time ever, the full story of the Dalton Gang's life of crime, culminating in one of the Wild West’s most violent events, are chronicled in detail––a last gruesome gasp of the age of gunfights.
269 pages, Hardcover
First published November 7, 2023
About the author
Tom Clavin
35 books431 followersTom Clavin is the author/coauthor of eleven books. His most recent is That Old Black Magic: Louis Prima, Keely Smith, and the Golden Age of Las Vegas.
His articles have appeared in Cosmopolitan, Family Circle, Men's Journal, Parade, Reader's Digest, and others.
He was a contributing reporter for the New York Times for fifteen years.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 150 reviews
December 24, 2023
"With regular reports of [.] lawmen and detectives closing in, the Daltons would soon be behind bars or under mounds of dirt. However, the 'Wild West' was not as over as the people of Coffeyville [Kansas] thought. They would not have to look for it - it was coming to them. During that first week of October 1892, the Dalton Gang was indeed on their way. The three brothers and their accomplices were not conscious of the fact that, like the official designation of the frontier, outlaws belonged in the past. They were about to be rudely awakened." -- on page 150
The latest of author Clavin's occasional forays into America's western frontier of the late 19th century - see also the very good Tombstone and Wild Bill, among others in his history-based catalog - The Last Outlaws focuses on the final gasp of the outlaw movement in the 1890's via the familial Dalton Gang and its later incarnation the Doolin-Dalton Gang. Said outfit - brothers Bob, Gratton, and Emmett, plus a revolving-door of co-conspirators such as Dick Broadwell and Richard 'Little Dick' West (which the author humorously but correctly notes is an "unenviable name") - were a horse-thievin' bunch of desperadoes who routinely held up various banks and trains throughout Kansas, Oklahoma, and California. Their day of reckoning would be 5 October 1892, when the gang attempted the novel idea of TWO simultaneous bank robberies in the village of Coffeyville. To say it did not go well for them would be an understatement. Although he has to juggle a large cast of characters (including not only the Daltons and their hangers-on but the valiant deputy marshals in pursuit of them) - and I wholeheartedly agree with another GR reviewer that the book would've benefitted from a briefly descriptive list of those involved at the beginning - Clavin once again shows his dedication to performing extensive research and his reliable knack for bringing history to life.
The latest of author Clavin's occasional forays into America's western frontier of the late 19th century - see also the very good Tombstone and Wild Bill, among others in his history-based catalog - The Last Outlaws focuses on the final gasp of the outlaw movement in the 1890's via the familial Dalton Gang and its later incarnation the Doolin-Dalton Gang. Said outfit - brothers Bob, Gratton, and Emmett, plus a revolving-door of co-conspirators such as Dick Broadwell and Richard 'Little Dick' West (which the author humorously but correctly notes is an "unenviable name") - were a horse-thievin' bunch of desperadoes who routinely held up various banks and trains throughout Kansas, Oklahoma, and California. Their day of reckoning would be 5 October 1892, when the gang attempted the novel idea of TWO simultaneous bank robberies in the village of Coffeyville. To say it did not go well for them would be an understatement. Although he has to juggle a large cast of characters (including not only the Daltons and their hangers-on but the valiant deputy marshals in pursuit of them) - and I wholeheartedly agree with another GR reviewer that the book would've benefitted from a briefly descriptive list of those involved at the beginning - Clavin once again shows his dedication to performing extensive research and his reliable knack for bringing history to life.
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August 4, 2024The Dalton Gang met its Waterloo in Coffeyville, Kansas when it attempted to hold-up two banks at the same time. The gang included three Dalton brothers and two other outlaws and when the townsmen got through with them only one brother, badly wounded, survived the foolhardy attempt.
Despite the title, however, they were not the last outlaws. Another Dalton, Bill, joined with Bill Doolin, a Dalton gang member who was smart enough to know that holding up two banks simultaneously was a fool's errand, to form the Doolin-Dalton Gang that took up where the Dalton Gang had left off. Eventually, most of this gang, including Bill Doolin, were gunned down by law enforcement officers.
But the Doolin-Dalton Gang was not the last outlaw gang either. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and the Hole-in-the Wall Gang rode the outlaw trail after them. Of course Butch and Sundance didn't ride the outlaw trail very long, but instead skedaddled to South America to escape captivity or death, or at least that's what most people think. However, different permutations of the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang was responsible for hold-ups for a few years after Butch and Sundance left the country.
The title of this book should have been the subtitle: "The Final Days of the Dalton Gang."
Despite the title, however, they were not the last outlaws. Another Dalton, Bill, joined with Bill Doolin, a Dalton gang member who was smart enough to know that holding up two banks simultaneously was a fool's errand, to form the Doolin-Dalton Gang that took up where the Dalton Gang had left off. Eventually, most of this gang, including Bill Doolin, were gunned down by law enforcement officers.
But the Doolin-Dalton Gang was not the last outlaw gang either. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and the Hole-in-the Wall Gang rode the outlaw trail after them. Of course Butch and Sundance didn't ride the outlaw trail very long, but instead skedaddled to South America to escape captivity or death, or at least that's what most people think. However, different permutations of the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang was responsible for hold-ups for a few years after Butch and Sundance left the country.
The title of this book should have been the subtitle: "The Final Days of the Dalton Gang."
October 5, 2023
3.5 stars
Big thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Tom Calvin and Goodreads for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions!
While not my usual genre - this was informative and actually pretty interesting to learn about. I found out I knew ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about the Wild West - including when it began. I’m not sure why but in my mind I was convinced it was wayyyy earlier than it was.
I had never heard of the Dalton gang or anyone in it and was surprised at how big the gang was and how big their reach was during this time. I’ll definitely be looking up some of the memoirs mentioned in this book as well.
It was a little dry at times and felt like I was reading a paper rather than a book. But that could of just been me since I’m usually a romancey romcom reader 🤣 I really enjoyed the depictions of the shootouts and how they captured them. There was also some morbid little facts that my forensic-loving self really enjoyed.
Overall, a 3.5-star read for me. I would recommend it to those who are interested in the Wild West and like learning about things like this. Even as a person who never really cared about this stuff in school (or much history in general) - I found it incredibly informative.
Big thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Tom Calvin and Goodreads for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions!
While not my usual genre - this was informative and actually pretty interesting to learn about. I found out I knew ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about the Wild West - including when it began. I’m not sure why but in my mind I was convinced it was wayyyy earlier than it was.
I had never heard of the Dalton gang or anyone in it and was surprised at how big the gang was and how big their reach was during this time. I’ll definitely be looking up some of the memoirs mentioned in this book as well.
It was a little dry at times and felt like I was reading a paper rather than a book. But that could of just been me since I’m usually a romancey romcom reader 🤣 I really enjoyed the depictions of the shootouts and how they captured them. There was also some morbid little facts that my forensic-loving self really enjoyed.
Overall, a 3.5-star read for me. I would recommend it to those who are interested in the Wild West and like learning about things like this. Even as a person who never really cared about this stuff in school (or much history in general) - I found it incredibly informative.
May 30, 2024
Sometimes you need the right book for the right moment, and this one fit the bill over the last few days. I had a lot going on and I was ready to read about something that was of interest to me, but not emotionally engaging. Let’s call it “neutral”.
Clavin does a nice job of describing the family history that let to the disastrous Coffeyville, KS bank robberies of 1892 and the demise of the Dalton gang. Along the way he pulls in the story of their older cousins, the Younger gang and their own aborted efforts to rob the Northfield MN bank some 15 years earlier.
He also contributes enough background regarding the Confederate sympathies and the violence of Quantrill’s Raiders in Bleeding Kansas to set the stage for the beginnings of the James-Younger-Dalton outlaw clans. He spends an equal, and appropriate, amount of time explaining the circumstances of the Oklahoma land rush of 1889 and the challenges it represented to establishing any system of law and order in that time and place.
Although there were outlaw gangs that followed the Daltons, Clavin makes a fairly convincing argument that the time when they were most active, 1890-1892, coincided with the theoretical closing of the American frontier, as noted by the Census Bureau identifying no areas without settlers in 1890. By the time criminal gangs once again made a significant impact on American culture, the focus had become, and remains, urban.
3.5 starts rounded up to 4.
Clavin does a nice job of describing the family history that let to the disastrous Coffeyville, KS bank robberies of 1892 and the demise of the Dalton gang. Along the way he pulls in the story of their older cousins, the Younger gang and their own aborted efforts to rob the Northfield MN bank some 15 years earlier.
He also contributes enough background regarding the Confederate sympathies and the violence of Quantrill’s Raiders in Bleeding Kansas to set the stage for the beginnings of the James-Younger-Dalton outlaw clans. He spends an equal, and appropriate, amount of time explaining the circumstances of the Oklahoma land rush of 1889 and the challenges it represented to establishing any system of law and order in that time and place.
Although there were outlaw gangs that followed the Daltons, Clavin makes a fairly convincing argument that the time when they were most active, 1890-1892, coincided with the theoretical closing of the American frontier, as noted by the Census Bureau identifying no areas without settlers in 1890. By the time criminal gangs once again made a significant impact on American culture, the focus had become, and remains, urban.
3.5 starts rounded up to 4.
August 27, 2023
A big thanks for the Advanced Reader Copy of Tom Clavin’s newest book! As always, well researched and well presented. It even made me chuckle a few times.
February 20, 2024
3.5 stars ✨
Not gonna lie, I never thought I would finish this book lmao. It took me so much longer to read this than I expected. I find the Wild West intriguing and thought I would’ve finished this in a couple of days…obviously that didn’t happen.
Don’t get me wrong, this is a good book, but there was just too much information on people that weren’t even that relevant to the Dalton Gang. It confused the hell out of me and made it hard to keep track of everything. It was exhausting to read sometimes.
However, once I got to the Coffeyville raid in Act IV, it got sooo good and I couldn’t put it down, which is the main reason I’m giving this a 3.5 instead of just a 3. Act IV was great, I loved it. I just wish I felt the same way about the rest of the book 😂
Not gonna lie, I never thought I would finish this book lmao. It took me so much longer to read this than I expected. I find the Wild West intriguing and thought I would’ve finished this in a couple of days…obviously that didn’t happen.
Don’t get me wrong, this is a good book, but there was just too much information on people that weren’t even that relevant to the Dalton Gang. It confused the hell out of me and made it hard to keep track of everything. It was exhausting to read sometimes.
However, once I got to the Coffeyville raid in Act IV, it got sooo good and I couldn’t put it down, which is the main reason I’m giving this a 3.5 instead of just a 3. Act IV was great, I loved it. I just wish I felt the same way about the rest of the book 😂
December 25, 2023
I primarily listened to this on audio while driving on my commute and while at work and I don't think listening to it was a good move for me. There were so many people mentioned and so many side tangents that I wasn't able to keep the majority of them straight in my head and to understand their relationship to one another in the book.
At one point towards the end the actor who played Captain Pike on the original Star Trek show was mentioned and I had NO idea how he was related to any of the outlaws, lawmen, etc. I was buddying reading this and discussed this issue with my Buddy and they said that they thought the actor portrayed one of the lawyers who was related to an outlaw in a movie or TV show. I was also confused when the lawyers were mentioned, because I didn't grasp how they were connected directly and I realized that maybe audio was not the way to go for this particular book.
The narrator's voice was pleasant to listen to, but the volume was inconsistent and I was constantly rewinding and replaying bits multiple times to try to catch what was being said.
Add that to the fact that this isn't my preferred era and location of history to read and that this book was REALLY depressing re: all of the law men and innocent people who died due to some REALLY poor choices the outlaws made, that this wasn't my fav book to listen to. It was a Buddy Read, so I stuck with it.
I also listened to it, as my Buddy Reader was FLYING through this book and I didn't have the time to read it to finish at a similar time as them, so I listened to it, despite it not working for me. If I hadn't been on a time crunch, I would have skipped the audio and done just the physical reading of the book instead and would probably have enjoyed it more and learned more from it then I did.
I don't usually have sympathy for bad guys and this book did nothing to dispel that. Of 10 Dalton brothers, Frank was a lawman and ended up getting killed by outlaws. So three of his brothers decided to become...outlaws. One other one was trying to get those three on the straight and narrow, but they ended up corrupting him, because when two of the three were killed while trying to rob two banks at the same time with other members of the gang named for them, killing innocent people in town as they tried to escape and the third was shot full of 22 projectiles of various sorts and somehow managing to survive, the one who was on the fence, decided to also become...an outlaw. Keep in mind he was married with kids, but yet somehow, "avenging his brothers" by following the same failed path as them made more sense to him? He was also killed in a shootout while trying to escape an illegal and violent deed. So the poor mother had to bury one son who was killed by outlaws and three who died as outlaws. The others turned out ok, so I guess it worked out? Maybe?
Anywho, this book was depressing as heck and I would recommend reading it rather than listening to it. There are too many people and too many side-bars to really be able to follow it in audio only. Just my two cents.
3, not my bag but my Buddy enjoyed it more than I did so take that for what it is worth, stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC of this book to read and review and to libro.fm and Macmillan Audio for an ALC to listen to and review.
At one point towards the end the actor who played Captain Pike on the original Star Trek show was mentioned and I had NO idea how he was related to any of the outlaws, lawmen, etc. I was buddying reading this and discussed this issue with my Buddy and they said that they thought the actor portrayed one of the lawyers who was related to an outlaw in a movie or TV show. I was also confused when the lawyers were mentioned, because I didn't grasp how they were connected directly and I realized that maybe audio was not the way to go for this particular book.
The narrator's voice was pleasant to listen to, but the volume was inconsistent and I was constantly rewinding and replaying bits multiple times to try to catch what was being said.
Add that to the fact that this isn't my preferred era and location of history to read and that this book was REALLY depressing re: all of the law men and innocent people who died due to some REALLY poor choices the outlaws made, that this wasn't my fav book to listen to. It was a Buddy Read, so I stuck with it.
I also listened to it, as my Buddy Reader was FLYING through this book and I didn't have the time to read it to finish at a similar time as them, so I listened to it, despite it not working for me. If I hadn't been on a time crunch, I would have skipped the audio and done just the physical reading of the book instead and would probably have enjoyed it more and learned more from it then I did.
I don't usually have sympathy for bad guys and this book did nothing to dispel that. Of 10 Dalton brothers, Frank was a lawman and ended up getting killed by outlaws. So three of his brothers decided to become...outlaws. One other one was trying to get those three on the straight and narrow, but they ended up corrupting him, because when two of the three were killed while trying to rob two banks at the same time with other members of the gang named for them, killing innocent people in town as they tried to escape and the third was shot full of 22 projectiles of various sorts and somehow managing to survive, the one who was on the fence, decided to also become...an outlaw. Keep in mind he was married with kids, but yet somehow, "avenging his brothers" by following the same failed path as them made more sense to him? He was also killed in a shootout while trying to escape an illegal and violent deed. So the poor mother had to bury one son who was killed by outlaws and three who died as outlaws. The others turned out ok, so I guess it worked out? Maybe?
Anywho, this book was depressing as heck and I would recommend reading it rather than listening to it. There are too many people and too many side-bars to really be able to follow it in audio only. Just my two cents.
3, not my bag but my Buddy enjoyed it more than I did so take that for what it is worth, stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC of this book to read and review and to libro.fm and Macmillan Audio for an ALC to listen to and review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2024
Tom Clavin is the author of Blood and Treasure: Daniel Boone and the Fight for America’s First Frontier, which is one of the best nonfiction galleys I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading, and so when I saw his new book, The Last Outlaws: The Desperate Final Days of the Dalton Gang, I jumped at the chance. My thanks go to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the review copy. This book is for sale now.
Sadly, I didn’t find the same level of fascination this time around. Outlaws! The Dalton Gang! How could this not be absorbing? And yet.
It is possible that had I read it rather than listened to it, I might have thought better of it. The narrator speaks in a clipped voice that at times approaches a monotone. I recall having an older male relative fast-reading some sort of legal agreement out loud. He obviously didn’t want to read it but had been told he must read every word before signing, and so he rushed through it, out loud, without pausing between the sentences, just to get through it. This seemed a little like that, as if the voice actor was bored to tears and wanted to be done. There is a place about a quarter of the way in where both he and the narrative perked up some, and I thought, Ah, here we go.
But we didn’t.
On the plus side, Tom Clavin gets his information straight before he writes anything, ever, so whereas those looking for entertainment should look elsewhere, those that genuinely want the information should get this book, either digitally or as a bound copy, and read it. Those doing research for a history essay or the like could do a lot worse than this.
So there you have it. Clavin is a capable author, and I am not done with him, but this narrator and I are finished.
Sadly, I didn’t find the same level of fascination this time around. Outlaws! The Dalton Gang! How could this not be absorbing? And yet.
It is possible that had I read it rather than listened to it, I might have thought better of it. The narrator speaks in a clipped voice that at times approaches a monotone. I recall having an older male relative fast-reading some sort of legal agreement out loud. He obviously didn’t want to read it but had been told he must read every word before signing, and so he rushed through it, out loud, without pausing between the sentences, just to get through it. This seemed a little like that, as if the voice actor was bored to tears and wanted to be done. There is a place about a quarter of the way in where both he and the narrative perked up some, and I thought, Ah, here we go.
But we didn’t.
On the plus side, Tom Clavin gets his information straight before he writes anything, ever, so whereas those looking for entertainment should look elsewhere, those that genuinely want the information should get this book, either digitally or as a bound copy, and read it. Those doing research for a history essay or the like could do a lot worse than this.
So there you have it. Clavin is a capable author, and I am not done with him, but this narrator and I are finished.
Read
November 6, 2023While this book focused on the Dalton Gang and their exploits through what became known as the "Wild West," Clavin--who appears to be well versed in this area of North American history--delves not just into the rather sad background of the Dalton family, but he gives us glimpses of other outlaws of the time, famous and not so famous. And then (if these outlaws survived the sudden death common to outlaws) where they ended up.
The style is a real pleasure to read, gleaming with humor. Though I don't usually listen to audio books, it occurred to me that this one would make great listening on a cross-country trip along Route 66, or through the areas once considered the Wild West.
Clavin gives us a wry look at the various non-Robin Hood robberies of these outlaws. These guys were no friends to the people--they were outright thieves. Trains as well as banks, including ordinary farmhouses, resulting in shoot-outs and cross country posse hunts. The climax occurs on October 5, 1892 when the gang decided to rob two banks at once in the small town of Coffeyville, Kansas, when many of the gang ended up dead. Only one Dalton survived. Others ended up in rodeos, and as actors in early movies, when all the stunt riding was done by the actors themselves. One or two even hopped the fence and became lawmen.
There are all kinds of side histories that I found interesting as well. I really enjoyed this book.
The style is a real pleasure to read, gleaming with humor. Though I don't usually listen to audio books, it occurred to me that this one would make great listening on a cross-country trip along Route 66, or through the areas once considered the Wild West.
Clavin gives us a wry look at the various non-Robin Hood robberies of these outlaws. These guys were no friends to the people--they were outright thieves. Trains as well as banks, including ordinary farmhouses, resulting in shoot-outs and cross country posse hunts. The climax occurs on October 5, 1892 when the gang decided to rob two banks at once in the small town of Coffeyville, Kansas, when many of the gang ended up dead. Only one Dalton survived. Others ended up in rodeos, and as actors in early movies, when all the stunt riding was done by the actors themselves. One or two even hopped the fence and became lawmen.
There are all kinds of side histories that I found interesting as well. I really enjoyed this book.
October 19, 2023
I can't think of a better pairing on subject with author than Tom Clavin and the Wild West. In fact, The Last Outlaws might be his best.
Clavin tells the story of the Dalton gang (and various others) as they act as a swan song for what we think of when we say the Wild West. As per usual, Clavin tells the story economically while also adding tangential tidbits along the way. I know other reviewers point out that sometimes these anecdotes could be cut from the narrative. This is definitely true at times, but I absolutely love them. To me, these side stories make it feel like you are sitting with an old outlaw at a bar as he tells you the stories of his life and the people he met along the way. I am not saying Tom Clavin is an outlaw (I haven't run a background check, though), but he does have the light touch of a storyteller who knows exactly what you want to hear.
The most important thing to know is that this book gives you exactly what you expect and it's a great ride.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and St. Martin's Press.)
Clavin tells the story of the Dalton gang (and various others) as they act as a swan song for what we think of when we say the Wild West. As per usual, Clavin tells the story economically while also adding tangential tidbits along the way. I know other reviewers point out that sometimes these anecdotes could be cut from the narrative. This is definitely true at times, but I absolutely love them. To me, these side stories make it feel like you are sitting with an old outlaw at a bar as he tells you the stories of his life and the people he met along the way. I am not saying Tom Clavin is an outlaw (I haven't run a background check, though), but he does have the light touch of a storyteller who knows exactly what you want to hear.
The most important thing to know is that this book gives you exactly what you expect and it's a great ride.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and St. Martin's Press.)
September 26, 2023
Thank you to Tom Clavin, St Martins Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Last Outlaws, The Desperate Final Days of the Dalton Gang. This is the account of the Dalton Gang’s final bank heist that consisted of robbing two banks, at the same time, in Coffeyville, Kansas. First of all, I have grown up all over the country and I truly love ‘wild west’ stories. More importantly, you, the reader, should know that without fail Tom Clavin’s books are truthful and well researched. This is incredibly informative and told this story so vividly that I felt like I was right there with them. Be warned, some of the descriptions can be a little morbid at times, but it is what it is and you are reading about a gun fight in the old west.
Tom Clavin knows his western history. That cannot be denied. A cast of characters index would have been handy have been able to refer back to and maybe when this hits the stands it will be there. (fingers crossed) Just know that sometimes movies, history books and television shows tend to leave out the truth or make it seem less violent than it really was. The author does not pull any punches! (thank you) Highly recommend this book!
Tom Clavin knows his western history. That cannot be denied. A cast of characters index would have been handy have been able to refer back to and maybe when this hits the stands it will be there. (fingers crossed) Just know that sometimes movies, history books and television shows tend to leave out the truth or make it seem less violent than it really was. The author does not pull any punches! (thank you) Highly recommend this book!
November 7, 2023
This book was so interesting from their ties to Jesse James in the younger gang their ancestors in the revolution to their criminal exploit in the wild West. Their parents had 15 children and four would be a part of the infamous Dalton gang it covers in detail their bloody adventure and ultimately their bloody end. Although not all of the Dalton’s were criminals something else they talk about in the book The ones that were were ruthless. Even at the time of their bank robberies they had a romanticize reputation about being the wild West Robin Hood something that wasn’t true. This book was so good in any lover of the Wild West has to have this in their library. When it comes out I am definitely buying a book for mine. The Last Outlaws it’s just as good is any western he writes but it’s all true this is a great book and one I highly recommend it is an awesome awesome read! I want to thank Saint martins press and net galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
February 10, 2024
Tom Clavin's The Last Outlaws: The Desperate Final Days of the Dalton Gang was published in 2023. Clavin also wrote a history of the Tombstone shoot-out, but his was not a reference source for the very popular film, which came out much earlier. The core of the Dalton Gang were brothers Grat, Bob and Emmett Dalton. Over the years other brothers rotated in and out of the gang, as did quite a few other outlaws. At their famous Coffeyville double bank robbery in 1892, Bill Power and Dick Broadwell filled out the gang. It's so interesting to understand that this Wild West activity was still going on at such a late date, about a decade before the births of the grandparents of people my age.
Some of the Dalton Gang members moved back and forth across the line of the law, being at different times in their lives lawmen and outlaws. The gang's earliest forays into crime were horse thefts. Later they moved into the train-robbing business. Bank robberies followed. They made their doomed last stand when they robbed two banks in Coffeyville in Southeastern Kansas. (Coffeyville is a town well known to many college football fans because the community college there has been a major source of talent feeding into Division 1 schools.). As I began to read Clavin's account of the robbery, I immediately realized that this seems to be the kind of event that re-enactment aficionados love. I checked Youtube and indeed there are ongoing portrayals of the events of that day. It is amazing that so many details of the reactions and movements of involved townspeople in the gunfight are still known today. This allows Clavin to "slow down time" in his description, and deliciously draw out the tension of a 30 minute event into several chapters of very enjoyable and riveting reading.
While Calvin's research is amazing, his writing ability is unfortunately well below average. But there is ample material for those interested in the history of the American West. There was a blood relationship between members of the Dalton Gang and the Youngers of the James Gang. The mother of the Dalton brothers was Adelie Younger, a niece of the Youngers' father. She was also an in-law of the aunt of Johnny Ringo of Tombstone fame. And although the particulars of his actual life differed from his portrayal in Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove, Blue Duck was a real person.
Some of the Dalton Gang members moved back and forth across the line of the law, being at different times in their lives lawmen and outlaws. The gang's earliest forays into crime were horse thefts. Later they moved into the train-robbing business. Bank robberies followed. They made their doomed last stand when they robbed two banks in Coffeyville in Southeastern Kansas. (Coffeyville is a town well known to many college football fans because the community college there has been a major source of talent feeding into Division 1 schools.). As I began to read Clavin's account of the robbery, I immediately realized that this seems to be the kind of event that re-enactment aficionados love. I checked Youtube and indeed there are ongoing portrayals of the events of that day. It is amazing that so many details of the reactions and movements of involved townspeople in the gunfight are still known today. This allows Clavin to "slow down time" in his description, and deliciously draw out the tension of a 30 minute event into several chapters of very enjoyable and riveting reading.
While Calvin's research is amazing, his writing ability is unfortunately well below average. But there is ample material for those interested in the history of the American West. There was a blood relationship between members of the Dalton Gang and the Youngers of the James Gang. The mother of the Dalton brothers was Adelie Younger, a niece of the Youngers' father. She was also an in-law of the aunt of Johnny Ringo of Tombstone fame. And although the particulars of his actual life differed from his portrayal in Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove, Blue Duck was a real person.
September 3, 2023
If you live in Coffeyville, Kansas, or plan to pass through Coffeyville, then this book might be interesting. It narrates the most newsworthy event ever to happen in Coffeyville, which is the attempted robbery of two banks simultaneously on October 5, 1892. This was a last-ditch attempt at a big score by a bunch of desperate men who felt the law breathing down their necks and hoped to steal enough money to flee the country. This episode is sufficiently interesting and well-documented that they form the raw material for 40-50 pages that are fast moving and fun to read, starting at the part of the book labeled "Act IV: The Shoot-Out".
The rest of the book is not poorly written but seems a little padded with information and characters not directly related to the main event.
It's sometimes difficult to keep these characters straight, especially when one disappears for a digressive chapter or two and reappears. I think the book could have used a "Cast of Characters" at the beginning, but if you are reading on a Kindle, as I did, you can remedy this shortcoming by highlighting new names as they appear, at least for the first 50 or so pages of the book.
There were, I felt, some unnecessary sarcastic remarks, which didn't add anything to the narrative. For example,
I received a free advance review copy of this book for review from the publisher via NetGalley.
The rest of the book is not poorly written but seems a little padded with information and characters not directly related to the main event.
It's sometimes difficult to keep these characters straight, especially when one disappears for a digressive chapter or two and reappears. I think the book could have used a "Cast of Characters" at the beginning, but if you are reading on a Kindle, as I did, you can remedy this shortcoming by highlighting new names as they appear, at least for the first 50 or so pages of the book.
There were, I felt, some unnecessary sarcastic remarks, which didn't add anything to the narrative. For example,
Just as they hoped to do, the member of the Dalton Gang vanished into the night, with perhaps even their horses feeling proud of themselves.Things like this should have been removed by an editor.
I received a free advance review copy of this book for review from the publisher via NetGalley.
August 22, 2024
Another great ride into the wild west.
May 22, 2024
4.5 stars for being able to hold my attention so well
October 28, 2023
The Wild West intrigues me, so I expected to enjoy, if not love, this book. Unfortunately, I fall into the dislike category.
While I appreciate what the author attempts here, the content tackles way too broad of a scope, especially given the book is under 250 pages.
LOTS of people are introduced, most irrelevant to the story at hand. We have entire family trees and each person’s background. Too much information, with an onslaught of names and details, makes it all impossible to remember
To further tax the brain, we’re also given a brief history lesson on issues such as the conflicts between Native Americans and early settlers. At times we’re back in a different century, long before the Wild West had anything resembling outlaws. The author’s attempt to explain how the Wild West formed never quite manages to make memorable connections along a timeline.
The writing itself is uneven, sometimes clumsy, and not altogether engaging.
Overall, the content didn’t focus enough on the actual outlaws, and I never felt immersed in the Wild West.
*I received a free copy from the publisher.*
While I appreciate what the author attempts here, the content tackles way too broad of a scope, especially given the book is under 250 pages.
LOTS of people are introduced, most irrelevant to the story at hand. We have entire family trees and each person’s background. Too much information, with an onslaught of names and details, makes it all impossible to remember
To further tax the brain, we’re also given a brief history lesson on issues such as the conflicts between Native Americans and early settlers. At times we’re back in a different century, long before the Wild West had anything resembling outlaws. The author’s attempt to explain how the Wild West formed never quite manages to make memorable connections along a timeline.
The writing itself is uneven, sometimes clumsy, and not altogether engaging.
Overall, the content didn’t focus enough on the actual outlaws, and I never felt immersed in the Wild West.
*I received a free copy from the publisher.*
November 4, 2023
I really didn't know what to expect with this book as I know very little about the "wild west" and the outlaws that ruled it [except what I learned in the movie Young Bloods and its sequel and we ALL know how accurate THOSE were ;-) ], so I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this and how much I learned and how I now want to do a deep dive into this time frame.
Excellently researched and told, this is a great story of greed, loss, lawlessness and the consequences of all of it. Anyone who has ANY interest in the wild west period of time will absolutely love this book. Well done.
Audiobook/5 Stars
I was so grateful to receive an audiobook ARC for this book; the narrator, George Newbern, is one of my absolute favorites, and listening to him tell this amazing story was just fantastic and really brought the story to life for me. I highly recommend both this audiobook and the narrator!!
Thank you to NetGalley, Tom Clavin, George Newbern - Narrator, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for providing both the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.
Excellently researched and told, this is a great story of greed, loss, lawlessness and the consequences of all of it. Anyone who has ANY interest in the wild west period of time will absolutely love this book. Well done.
Audiobook/5 Stars
I was so grateful to receive an audiobook ARC for this book; the narrator, George Newbern, is one of my absolute favorites, and listening to him tell this amazing story was just fantastic and really brought the story to life for me. I highly recommend both this audiobook and the narrator!!
Thank you to NetGalley, Tom Clavin, George Newbern - Narrator, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for providing both the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.
October 28, 2023
What a wonderful book! Thank you to Thom Calvin for giving me a great gift idea for the men in my family. This is a must read for anyone who loves history—especially the history of the Old West.
Having preciously read about the Younger Gang and other notables from that era, such as Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp, I felt this gave another side to what all was happening during that time in history. I also loved that Clavin gave family background on many of the people mentioned in the story.
There was never a dull moment in reading this and I enjoyed all the side stories about the people involved. This was classic Old West and I enjoyed every minute of it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am pleased to recommend this to readers who share a love of history and the Wild West.
Having preciously read about the Younger Gang and other notables from that era, such as Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp, I felt this gave another side to what all was happening during that time in history. I also loved that Clavin gave family background on many of the people mentioned in the story.
There was never a dull moment in reading this and I enjoyed all the side stories about the people involved. This was classic Old West and I enjoyed every minute of it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am pleased to recommend this to readers who share a love of history and the Wild West.
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November 20, 2023I liked this book and it was one that I actually wanted to keep going back to. It's one of those that draws you in.
My complaint is that the cover says final days so I was expecting the focus to be on that with some of history and biographies. Instead the book is more focused on their lives with 22 chapters out of 35 just about their history. I lied because 2 are about Jesse's James life sincehe was kin which barely mentioned the Daltons. Then there is 3 chapters that are just biographies of 3 lawmen who go after the Dalton Gang but are not really a big part of the story until after the robberies. Another pointless thing that the author included were people's lineage in many of the biography sections. I really don't care who their ancestors were or where these ancestors lived or immigrated too. There's just a lot of pointless information in this book.
As I said though I did like but I also disliked which is pretty confusing. I do have other books from this author on my too read pile so hopefully it will be a bit better.
My complaint is that the cover says final days so I was expecting the focus to be on that with some of history and biographies. Instead the book is more focused on their lives with 22 chapters out of 35 just about their history. I lied because 2 are about Jesse's James life sincehe was kin which barely mentioned the Daltons. Then there is 3 chapters that are just biographies of 3 lawmen who go after the Dalton Gang but are not really a big part of the story until after the robberies. Another pointless thing that the author included were people's lineage in many of the biography sections. I really don't care who their ancestors were or where these ancestors lived or immigrated too. There's just a lot of pointless information in this book.
As I said though I did like but I also disliked which is pretty confusing. I do have other books from this author on my too read pile so hopefully it will be a bit better.
June 21, 2024
This book had too much information about too many people, too many places, and too much history. Everything seemed to be glossed over like bullet points (no pun intended) before moving on to the next bit of information. When I started reading this book, I primarily wanted to know what went down with the Dalton gang in Coffeyville, Kansas. That was all contained in the fourth section of the book and that’s what held my attention the most. My mind went numb with the rest of the book due to all the other information jam-packed in this book. This is more like a reference book that I could possibly pick up in order to pinpoint a person, gang, location or event and then do some research on just that particular interest point.
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November 10, 2023Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The Last Outlaws is a nonfiction account of The Dalton Gang and their robberies that reads like an epic tale of the Wild west. Before reading this book I was unfamiliar with The Dalton Gang. As someone who knew nothing about them, I found this book informative and interesting. I really enjoyed the writing style of this author.
I think this book would be a great option for anyone who enjoys western books even if they don't usually go for nonfiction.
The Last Outlaws is a nonfiction account of The Dalton Gang and their robberies that reads like an epic tale of the Wild west. Before reading this book I was unfamiliar with The Dalton Gang. As someone who knew nothing about them, I found this book informative and interesting. I really enjoyed the writing style of this author.
I think this book would be a great option for anyone who enjoys western books even if they don't usually go for nonfiction.
November 14, 2023
Marrying into a family with deep roots in Coffeyville made this book really enjoyable. Not everyday do you get to read books that cite your wife’s family’s accounts of the major events.
I’ve read a few of Tom Clavin’s books and while this wasn’t his best I remained interested because of my connections to the story.
I’ve read a few of Tom Clavin’s books and while this wasn’t his best I remained interested because of my connections to the story.
November 28, 2023
A very entertaining book, filled with details about the main characters in a story about famous, infamous, and un-famous outlaws, lawmen, and their escapades and adventures.
It is told in an informal, kind of sitting-in-a-bar storytelling manner, which I found enjoyable.
It is told in an informal, kind of sitting-in-a-bar storytelling manner, which I found enjoyable.
May 2, 2024
A well researched book on the final days of the Dalton gang.
My only real complaint was it was a bit dry. The history however was top notch.
Good but not great.
My only real complaint was it was a bit dry. The history however was top notch.
Good but not great.
November 7, 2023
I was given an advance reading copy (arc) of this book by NetGalley.com in return for a fair review. Tom Clavin is one of my very favorite authors. His books are always entertaining and informative. 'The Last Outlaws' was no exception. While this book focused on the Dalton Gang and their Wild West shenanigans, Clavin brought to life a colorful era of America's past. He has written several other books about the West, which were all very good, and his knowledge of this time period shines through. What makes this book so good (at least to me) is the humor that Clavin interjects throughout. He is funny, sarcastic, and a little snarky, but not in a mean way. No doubt the Dalton Gang members were a rough bunch who robbed banks, trains, and anywhere else they thought they could make a quick buck. There were shoot-outs, chases, and in-fighting all culminating on October 5, 1892 when the gang decided to rob two banks at once in the small town of Coffeyville, Kansas. It did not end well as four of the five Dalton gang ended up dead along with four others. Emmet Dalton was the sole survivor of the gang and lived to tell his story--or at least his version of it. If you like drama in the Wild West, read the book. You won't be disappointed.
July 6, 2023
This was a great book on the closing chapter of the Old West and the Old West outlaw. I thoroughly found this story of the Dalton gang to be fascinating. Clavin tells a great story of this gang and the end of an era that many Americans come to find interest in. I would highly recommend this book to those Americans!!
October 19, 2023
I grew up in Coffeyville, Kansas, where the Dalton lore looms large, so I was especially interested to read Tom Clavin's new book, The Last Outlaws. Although I have visited the Dalton Museum and attended the annual re-enactment of the Dalton Raid more times than I can count, I gained so much new knowledge from this book! Clavin really does a great job of providing context for the Dalton's most famous raid. I had no idea about the connection to the James gang, nor that the Dalton Gang lived on after the fateful day in Coffeyville. It was interesting to learn more about their family background, as well as the lawmen who sought their capture. Of particular interest to me was how fine the line was between lawmen and outlaws during this period, with many people jumping back and forth between those two roles. This book gives a complete picture of what was happening in the Wild West during its last hurrah. However, at times, Clavin seems to veer off topic, introducing characters and facts that are only tangentially related to the Dalton story, and it felt like the book could have benefitted from a bit more editing, hence my 3 star review. However, I'm glad I read it and I recommend to anyone with an interest in the subject.
November 7, 2023
I received a complimentary electronic ARC of this exceptional history from Netgalley, author Tom Clavin, and publisher St. Martin's Press. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read The Lsat Outlaws of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am always pleased to recommend Tom Clavin to friends and family. He brings the past to life for us, both the good and the bad of the past that formed our society as a whole. This account of the Younger and Dalton days of crime is a good finale to the end of the gangs who terrorized the folks of the late 18th century. I was pleased with the thorough coverage of these robber barons, and the innocence of their families. This was a good telling of a time past. Thanks!
pub date November 7, 2023
St. Martin's Press
Reviewed October 29 on Goodreads and Netgalley. Reviewed November 7, 2023 at AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, and Kobo.
pub date November 7, 2023
St. Martin's Press
Reviewed October 29 on Goodreads and Netgalley. Reviewed November 7, 2023 at AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, and Kobo.
August 25, 2023
I was excited to get this preview copy of "The Last Outlaws" by Tom Clavin from NetGalley to read and review. I have not read anything from Tom Clavin before, but have been reading numerous books set in and around this time period in the west. I found the book extremely frustrating to read. Clavin kept chasing one rabbit after another that often felt like they did nothing to add to the history or story. He also tended to write in a very unsophisticated style that I would not expect from a author seeking to reach an educated audience. Because of the uneven style of the book, I never was able to gain any sense of understanding or compassion for any of the characters in the book. I certainly did not feel like the Dalton's were the main characters. I was just thankful to have been finished with it.
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