He Hanged Them High - A Book Review

Who isn't a fan of the old west?  Cowboys and Indians, pioneers, gunfight at the O.K. Corral, fur trappers - it's enough to get anyone's imagination going.  While I have a thing for teaching legal research, every now and again I stop with the research and check out other resources in our library.  One of those "other" resources is the book by Homer Croy entitled He Hanged Them High: An authentic account of the fanatical judge who hanged eighty-eight men.

What with this being the season of all things death and dead stuff - this book is great.  It talks about the life and times of Judge Issac C. Parker who was the only judge over western Arkansas and the Indian frontier in the 1800's.  In great detail, He Hanged Them High walks readers through the Judge's style of justice during the old west and talks about the men Judge Parker sent to the gallows as if the writer was an eye witness to events as they unfolded.  Thing is, Mr. Croy should be the hero of every District Attorney in the land as it makes Lone Wolf McQuade look like a rank amateur.

While I mostly like reading legal stuff, this was a fun read.  If you're looking for a historical and seasonal read, take a look at He Hanged Them High and you all have a Happy (and safe) Halloween!