ISBN: 9780806142807 - That Fiend in Hell: Soapy Smith in Legend (27 results)

Hardback. Condition: Good. Tracking down some hundred retellings of the Soapy Smith story, this book traces the efforts of Skagway's boosters to reinforce a morality tale at the expense of a complex story of town-building and government formation.

Condition: Very Good. hardcover 100% of proceeds go to charity! May have signs of use, wear and minor cosmetic defects.

Hardback. Condition: Good. Tracking down some hundred retellings of the Soapy Smith story, this book traces the efforts of Skagway's boosters to reinforce a morality tale at the expense of a complex story of town-building and government formation.

hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Good - Bumped and creased book with tears to the extremities, but not affecting the text block, may have remainder mark or previous owner's name - GOOD HARDCOVER Very Good - Crisp, clean, unread book with some shelfwear/edgewear, may have a remainder mark - NICE Standard-sized.…

HRD. Condition: New. New Book. Shipped from UK. Established seller since 2000.

Condition: New.

Hardback or Cased Book. Condition: New. "that Fiend in Hell": Soapy Smith in Legend. Book.

Condition: As New. Unread book in perfect condition.

Hardback. Condition: New. As the Klondike gold rush peaked in spring 1898, adventurers and gamblers rubbed shoulders with town-builders and gold-panners in Skagway, Alaska. The flow of riches lured confidence men, too - among them Jefferson Randolph ""Soapy"" Smith (1860-98), who with an entourage of ""bunco-men"" conned and robbed the stampeders. Soapy, though, a common enough criminal, would go down in legend as the Robin Hood of Alaska, the ""uncrowned king of Skagway,"" remembered for his charm and generosity, even for calming a lynch mob. When the Fourth of July was celebrated in '98, he supposedly led the parade. Then, a few days later, he was dead, killed in a shootout over a card game.With Smith's death, Skagway rid itself of crime forever. Or at least, so the story goes. Journalists immediately cast him as a martyr whose death redeemed a violent town. In fact, he was just a petty criminal and card shark, as Catherine Holder Spude proves definitively in ""That Fiend in Hell"": Soapy Smith in Legend, a tour de force of historical debunking that documents Smith's elevation to western hero. In sorting out the facts about this man and his death from fiction, Spude concludes that the actual Soapy was not the legendary ""boss of Skagway,"" nor was he killed by Frank Reid, as early historians supposed. She shows that even eyewitnesses who knew the truth later changed their stories to fit the myth.But why? Tracking down some hundred retellings of the Soapy Smith story, Spude traces the efforts of Skagway's boosters to reinforce a morality tale at the expense of a complex story of town-building and government formation. The idea that Smith's death had made a lawless town safe served Skagway's economic interests. Spude's engaging deconstruction of Soapy's story models deep research and skepticism crucial to understanding the history of the American frontier.…

Condition: New. 2012. Illustrated. hardcover. . . . . .

Hard Cover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition. This is a clean book with light wear and the dust jacket has light wear and is in a high quality Demco protector. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

Condition: New. In English.

Hardback. Condition: New. New copy - Usually dispatched within 4 working days.

Condition: New.

Condition: New. 2012. Illustrated. hardcover. . . . . . Books ship from the US and Ireland.

Condition: As New. Unread book in perfect condition.

Condition: Good. 8vo. Hard Cover. [ca. 250 pp.] B&W Plates Very Good. Dust Jacket (Hand Titled in Graphite) with Mylar Cover.Loosely Laid In: Typed Letter Signed in Ink.

Hardcover. Condition: Brand New. 296 pages. 9.25x6.25x1.00 inches. In Stock.

Hardcover. Condition: New.

Buch. Condition: Neu. Neuware - As the Klondike gold rush peaked in spring 1898, adventurers and gamblers rubbed shoulders with town-builders and gold-panners in Skagway, Alaska. The flow of riches lured confidence men, too - among them Jefferson Randolph ''Soapy'' Smith (1860-98), who with an entourage of ''bunco-men'' conned and robbed the stampeders. Soapy, though, a common enough criminal, would go down in legend as the Robin Hood of Alaska, the ''uncrowned king of Skagway,'' remembered for his charm and generosity, even for calming a lynch mob. When the Fourth of July was celebrated in '98, he supposedly led the parade. Then, a few days later, he was dead, killed in a shootout over a card game.With Smith's death, Skagway rid itself of crime forever. Or at least, so the story goes. Journalists immediately cast him as a martyr whose death redeemed a violent town. In fact, he was just a petty criminal and card shark, as Catherine Holder Spude proves definitively in ''That Fiend in Hell'': Soapy Smith in Legend, a tour de force of historical debunking that documents Smith's elevation to western hero. In sorting out the facts about this man and his death from fiction, Spude concludes that the actual Soapy was not the legendary ''boss of Skagway,'' nor was he killed by Frank Reid, as early historians supposed. She shows that even eyewitnesses who knew the truth later changed their stories to fit the myth.But why Tracking down some hundred retellings of the Soapy Smith story, Spude traces the efforts of Skagway's boosters to reinforce a morality tale at the expense of a complex story of town-building and government formation. The idea that Smith's death had made a lawless town safe served Skagway's economic interests. Spude's engaging deconstruction of Soapy's story models deep research and skepticism crucial to understanding the history of the American frontier.…

Condition: New. Tracking down some hundred retellings of the Soapy Smith story, this book traces the efforts of Skagway s boosters to reinforce a morality tale at the expense of a complex story of town-building and government formation.

Hardback. Condition: New. As the Klondike gold rush peaked in spring 1898, adventurers and gamblers rubbed shoulders with town-builders and gold-panners in Skagway, Alaska. The flow of riches lured confidence men, too - among them Jefferson Randolph ""Soapy"" Smith (1860-98), who with an entourage of ""bunco-men"" conned and robbed the stampeders. Soapy, though, a common enough criminal, would go down in legend as the Robin Hood of Alaska, the ""uncrowned king of Skagway,"" remembered for his charm and generosity, even for calming a lynch mob. When the Fourth of July was celebrated in '98, he supposedly led the parade. Then, a few days later, he was dead, killed in a shootout over a card game.With Smith's death, Skagway rid itself of crime forever. Or at least, so the story goes. Journalists immediately cast him as a martyr whose death redeemed a violent town. In fact, he was just a petty criminal and card shark, as Catherine Holder Spude proves definitively in ""That Fiend in Hell"": Soapy Smith in Legend, a tour de force of historical debunking that documents Smith's elevation to western hero. In sorting out the facts about this man and his death from fiction, Spude concludes that the actual Soapy was not the legendary ""boss of Skagway,"" nor was he killed by Frank Reid, as early historians supposed. She shows that even eyewitnesses who knew the truth later changed their stories to fit the myth.But why? Tracking down some hundred retellings of the Soapy Smith story, Spude traces the efforts of Skagway's boosters to reinforce a morality tale at the expense of a complex story of town-building and government formation. The idea that Smith's death had made a lawless town safe served Skagway's economic interests. Spude's engaging deconstruction of Soapy's story models deep research and skepticism crucial to understanding the history of the American frontier.…

Condition: New. Print on Demand pp. 304 38 Illus., 3 Maps.

Condition: New. Print on Demand pp. 304, 3 Maps.

Hardcover. Condition: Brand New. 296 pages. 9.25x6.25x1.00 inches. In Stock. This item is printed on demand.

Condition: New. PRINT ON DEMAND pp. 304.

Hardback. Condition: New. This item is printed on demand. New copy - Usually dispatched within 5-9 working days.