This month we are going Beyond the Book with Northfield by Johnny Boggs. It is a fictional account of the 1876 robbery of the First National Bank in Northfield, Minnesota, by the James-Younger gang. Some strong language is involved. The James-Younger gang consisted of Cole and Bob Younger and Frank and Jesse. Each chapter is told from the viewpoint of a different character involved in the raid from the robbers themselves to the lawmen to everyday citizens in the town. Including those viewpoints of the James and Younger brothers. Even though this book is considered western fiction, it is great for non western fans as well. Jesse James and his gang are fascinating historical characters and this book would be enjoyed by historical fiction or true crime stories fans also!
The author, Johnny D. Boggs, is an award winning western author. He has won a record of eight Spur Awards from the Western Writers of America and the winner of the Western Heritage Wrangler award! Booklist magazine called him “among the best western writers at work today. He also received the 2020 Owen Wister Award for Lifetime Contributions to Western Literature. Boggs grew up in South Carolina and now lives Santa Fe, New Mexico with his wife and son. He knew from an early age that he wanted to be a writer and got an interest in the West when he watched Gunsmoke as a kid with his dad.*
If you would like to discover more about the robbery gone bad of the First National Bank in Northfield from everyone involved, call the library at 515.281.1323 to request this book! Once you have read it, call or email with your review or thoughts. You might hear your words in the next Beyond the Book segment in the July Library News. We would love to hear from you! Call 515.452.1329 or email library@blind.state.ia.us.
*Source: www.johnnydboggs.com
Thanks for reading with us!