Nat Love (Legends of the Wild West)

Bloom, Barbara Lee

ISBN 10: 1604135999 ISBN 13: 9781604135992

Publisher: Chelsea House Pub, 2010

Born in a log cabin in Tennessee in June 1854, Nat Love was the slave of Robert Love. He was about six when the Civil War began, and after the slaves were freed following the war, Love was ready to start living a new life out West, where he could find work as a cowhand. It wasn't long before he started showing his talents as a cowboy, roping and herding cattle and learning to shoot a Colt .45. He used his skill in roping contests at rodeos, where he earned the nickname Deadwood Dick and was proclaimed Champion Roper of the Western Cattle Country. Eventually Love walked away from the life of a cowboy and worked as a Pullman porter, becoming one of the most popular. Though some may be more fiction than fact, the vivid accounts in his autobiography tell tales of adventures with such characters as Billy the Kid, Buffalo Bill, Kit Carson, and the James Brothers. In this new offering, readers can discover the truth and tall tales Nat Love spun in his self-penned work.

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From Booklist:

All old cowpokes are guilty of spinning their lives into tall tales, and Nat Love was no exception, even writing an autobiography, which makes Bloom's job a bit difficult. Regardless, this entry in the Legends of the Wild West series does a fine job chronicling his exploits as a black cowboy and beyond. Beginning with his early life as a slave in 1850s Tennessee and his eventual emancipation, the narrative follows Love on his journey west, describing his day-to-day responsibilities as a cowboy and tying in other accounts of the African American experience pioneering the west. Bloom sees Love's adventurous life through to the end, telling of his decision to leave cowboy life behind to work as a Pullman porter and provide for his family. Weaving historical context throughout in related sidebars and lengthy captions, the book features black-and-white and color photos, paintings, and other illustrations. A list of further reading aimed at students is included, along with a time line, bibliography, and glossary. Grades 6-9. --Courtney Jones

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