The Kid

Reviews

“Hansen has an abiding interest in the tension between a historical figure’s publicized persona and the private, unadorned self…A skilled researcher, Hansen anchors his book in the dark waters of character. The Kid’s story has been told many times. But not like this…The real achievement of this novel is its pesky style. Like the Kid, Hansen revels in the lingo of tabloid and tale, of dime novel and detective story…The West has always been a vortex of transformation. Only the Kid remains forever young and misunderstood.

“An engrossing read…[that] comes alive thanks to a blend of history, remembrances, and the author’s knack for imagined conversations.”

“The Kid has become ‘to a great degree each person’s wild invention.’ This is Hansen’s version—a wisecracking daredevil.”

“Entertaining and lively, a portrayal of swift and deadly frontier justice…Hansen’s colorful description of the New Mexico Territory as a lawless land of lying politicians and thieving businessmen is historically accurate, resulting in an excellent, transportive read.”

“The author’s depth of research and love of the genre shine through.”

“A haunting biograophical novel about Billy the Kid and the people responsible for creating the myth.”

“The novel’s strength is its understanding of the fluidity of authority in ‘a West where judgments of legality go to the highest bidder or at the insistence of a gun.’”

“A rich tapestry [and] evenhanded literary portrait.”

“Hansen’s is a truly wondrous talent, and The Kid is a truly wondrous book.”

“Stunning…Creates a time and a place and a young man, half killer, half kid, who even in his lifetime earned the status of a myth. Mesmerizing.”

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