Hell, I Was There! : Elmer Keith, His Life Story by Elmer Keith (1979, Hardcover)

I cannot say enough about this book. If you think you are buying a book by a polished author then you will be really surprised but in a good way. Imagine being able to sit with Elmer Keith by a campfire and just letting him tell stories non-stop. He begins with as much as he can remember going back into his childhood up through his life and his family. The detail his memory is able to retain and recall is hard to describe. I thought I had a pretty good handle on the early 1900's but reading this book I came to understand a lot of what I thought was right just isn't. You will feel like you were there with Elmer on the hunts and with his family. I had a real hardcore cowboy for an uncle and when we would visit him he would sit around the campfire telling stories. Since his passing I have really missed him and his unreal ability to tell stories which seems to be a lost art. This book brings those memories back. Reading this book will give you a special appreciation for the generations we have lost and a better understanding of the people that came before us. It would be a shame if anyone passes this book up.

Very interesting for the first third. I like the author's down to earth, straight forward style. However, after a while the book became tedious. The constant self aggrandizement became tiring.

Had the book before; lost it; wanted another.

great price and quality.

Personally knew Elmer Keith; and have all his books and articles.
Steve

Great book, I'm not the book reading type, but Elmers' stories about his life made this book hard to put down.

Amazing book. Mr. Keith never fails to find the right combination of detail and excitement. A little pricey, but well worth it. I will keep this and let family read it and probably even pass it down.