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Forrest Carter
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The Outlaw Josey Wales Paperback – January 1, 2010

by Forrest Carter (Author)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 33 ratings
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After the Union Army slaughters his family and lures his friends into a death trap under the guise of a white flag, Josey Wales wages a personal war against the men responsible, refusing to surrender no matter what the cost. Reissue. Movie tie-in. 150,000 first printing.
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  1. Print length
    228 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Leisure Books
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 2010
  5. Dimensions
    4 x 0.5 x 6.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0843963468
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0843963465
  8. See all details
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  1. Josey Wales: Two Westerns : Gone to Texas/The Vengeance Trail of Josey Wales
  2. Josey Wales: Gone To Texas & The Vengeance Trail Of Josey Wales [Two Westerns] by Forrest Carter (1-Sep-1989) Paperback
  3. Watch for Me on the Mountain
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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Immediately familiar to many as the basis of one of Clint Eastwood’s most successful westerns, this reissue in Leisure’s Classic Film Collection was published as The Rebel Outlaw: Josey Wales in 1973. Set around the time of the Civil War, the novel tells the story of a Missouri farmer who, after his family is murdered by Union militia, joins up with a violent group of Confederate guerrilla fighters. After the war, the Union offers an amnesty to the guerrillas, but Wales refuses to sign. Now a wanted man, with a wounded boy to take care of (after a bungled bank robbery), Wales struggles to stay ahead of his pursuers as he leads them on a desperate chase across two states. The author, whose real name was Asa Earl Carter, was the center of some controversy when it was revealed that his 1976 memoir, The Education of Little Tree, was almost entirely fictional. Leaving allegations about his personal life and beliefs aside, this is a first-rate western, a dramatic character study of a man whose anger and hatred threaten to destroy him. --David Pitt

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Leisure Books; Reissue edition (January 1, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 228 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0843963468
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0843963465
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4.3 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4 x 0.5 x 6.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 33 ratings

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Forrest Carter

Forrest Carter

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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
33 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

M. Flynn
5.0 out of 5 stars Gone to Texas
Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2012
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Forrest Carter distinguished himself with this effort, no less with his other titles, but fortunately it was brought to life on film. The guerrilla wars that frame the events depicted, seemed senseless to me, but I had no attachment to that battleground and had no strong sentiment resulting from the actions that had occurred there. Carter obviously did and took his point of view to fashion a story of suffering, retribution and redemption with a unique perspective. The scenes that were translated so faithfully from book to film put the viewer and reader right down on the ground or riding high in the saddle of the action taking place. Reading the book, one might hear the whiz of the bullets or the tread of the horses brought to life by the filmaker's art; interpreting the personalities of the characters is made plain by the insight brought to bear by Carter's perspective that fills both the book and the wide-screen with understanding and compassion. The enjoyment of delving into examining the civilization being shaped on the frontier by the individuals that populate the book is a keyhole peek into man's own development. To call Josey Wales an "outlaw" defines the side of the battle on which you stand; if you can appreciate his struggle, you might not judge him so harshly. This solid book will let you decide for yourself.
3 people found this helpful
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James Parker
5.0 out of 5 stars Great movie ….better book!
Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2021
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Great Movie…better book!
2 people found this helpful
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tennessee
5.0 out of 5 stars Great great book
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2015
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Great great book. Expertly written. 228 pages and not a word is wasted. Characters are complete, three dimensional and not over drawn. The story is superb. Descriptions are brief and very effective. Great and satisfying ending. What more could we want.
2 people found this helpful
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robert shaw
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2016
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Better than the very good Eastwood movie.
2 people found this helpful
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Alan Ray Churchill
5.0 out of 5 stars Do yourself a favor and read this book!
Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2015
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I thought the movie was great until I read the book then I realized Clint Eastwood's version of "Josey Wales" did not do justice to this GREAT BOOK!
4 people found this helpful
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Labala84
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Classic
Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2012
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Just because you saw the movie doesn't mean you don't have to read the book :) Its pretty entertaining, slow starting, but entertaining throughout nonetheless.
One person found this helpful
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kenneth
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2015
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one pf the classic movies of all time book is just as good
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Brazos
5.0 out of 5 stars The Outlaw Josey Wales
Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2013
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This is a good read. And when I came to the final line of the book I roared with approval.
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Top reviews from other countries

ron
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on April 13, 2015
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Great book , price,quality
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T. J. Kaye
5.0 out of 5 stars An author with heart
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 15, 2011
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Having read The Education of Little Tree, an autobiographical novel by the same author several times I was intrigued to see that this one was similarly based on true history. I suspect that Josey Wales was the authors great grandfather.
I don't usually identify with cowboy stories as this one might be classified but I think the author's sensitivity to the real life issues of the characters puts this into a wider category, combining biography with history with adventure story.
Throughout the telling Forrest Carter pays attention to the moral choices faced by his characters and how their decisions affect others.
This does not slow the story down, it is frequently suspenseful and parts are masterfully written.
I found it a great read and recommend it to anyone interested in the diversity of human experience.
3 people found this helpful
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GeneralLee25
4.0 out of 5 stars Mature and exciting western
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 28, 2014
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Excellent western that shows maturity and developed characters. The action sequences are descriptive and exciting and Forrest Carter describes the historical context beautifully. It's hard to read without picturing Clint as Josey!
2 people found this helpful
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