Texas Ranger

The Epic Life of Frank Hamer, the Man Who Killed Bonnie and Clyde

By: John Boessenecker

Narrated by: Graham Winton

To most Americans, Frank Hamer is known only as the villain of the 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde. Now, in Texas Ranger, historian John Boessenecker sets out to restore Hamer's good name and prove that he was in fact a classic American hero.

From the horseback days of the Old West through the gangster days of the 1930s, Hamer stood on the front lines of some of the most important and exciting periods in American history. He participated in the Bandit War of 1915, survived the climactic gunfight in the last blood feud of the Old West, battled the Mexican Revolution's spillover across the border, protected African Americans from lynch mobs and the Ku Klux Klan, and ran down gangsters, bootleggers, and Communists. When at last his career came to an end, it was only when he ran up against another legendary Texan: Lyndon B. Johnson.

Written by one of the most acclaimed historians of the Old West, Texas Ranger is the first biography to tell the full story of this near-mythic lawman.

©2016 John Boessenecker (P)2016 Recorded Books

definitely worth your time.

This was a very interesting narrative. I'm happy I selected it. As a history buff, I've learned well that the snippets of people's lives we are in history do not paint a full picture of their lives.

I was fascinated to learn the facts about Frank Hamer.

Great history lesson of Texas

Wonderfully written and great story. Kept me interested through the entire book. Not one dull moment

Detailed history

As a retired Texas peace officer, I enjoyed this book. The writer did his research well giving a lot of detail.

Great story, solid reading

I've long been interested in Frank Hamer, and was glad to see someone finally take a deep dive into his story. Hamer is, of course, best known for leading the team that killed Bonnie & Clyde. He also is one of the storied lawmen ever, and there were a lot of stories about him, both good and bad. The author obviously did a lot of research, and spends a good amount of time on separating fact from fiction. That could tend to be dry, but he provides context and flow that makes a compelling story too. Just an excellent bio.

The only negative I'd remark is that, at times, the narrator's timing and intonation seemed off. 5-10 times while I was listening, I had to back up and think through what he'd said because it didn't make sense. Otherwise, I thought the narration was quite good.

more than you need, but excellent nonetheless

there is more information in this biography then you will ever need to know. None the less, it is an excellent biography of an excellent lawman. if you can get past some of the asides of the secondary characters, you will find a wealth of information that gives you a complete picture of Captain Hamer.

Excellent!

If you’re a Texan, this book is an absolute must read. Exciting, fascinating, and honest. Full of adventure and Texas history.

Excellent

Great story with superb research. Not a Texas Ranger hit piece or the deification of the organization itself. Maybe improve on the Texan accent. Haha

The Greatest American Lawman

Frank Hamer was the greatest lawman in American history, this book should be mandatory reading for all Law Enforcement officers, Deputies and Agents. Today’s law enforcement personnel can learn from this man’s dedicated life.

Frank Hamer. They don't make men like him anymore. Tough, honest, smart, confident without arrogance and above all, fair.

I liked the way the author told the story of Frank Hamer, warts and all. While he clearly admired him, he did not shy away from his poor decisions or rare bad behavior. All in all, his was a remarkable life,well worth learning about.
The narrator was perfect.

I had no clue what a bada#* legend he was!

Great book! So much Texas history, social history, Wild West history, Texas Ranger history and even National political history. What an insight into America. Bonnie & Clyde were a blip in this man's life.