The Legend of Bass Reeves is another excellent book by Gary Paulsen. This book is a fictional autobiography that has bits of fiction and bits of non-fiction. According to Gary Paulsen, there are few documents available for research about Bass Reeves. Gary Paulsen spends a considerable portion of his book on the "early" undocumented years of Bass Reeves' life.
Bass Reeves was born into slavery. He ran away in his late teens because of an incident that occurred between Bass and his owner. Bass escaped into "The Territory". He lived there, traveled every mile, and met many native Americans.
For a number of years, Bass lived with a Native American family deep within the Indian Territory. As the story goes, Bass saved a Native American girl from the mouths of several hungry wolves. In doing so, he was badly injured and nearly lost his life. The Native American family brought him back to health and declared him a member of their family.
In the late 188's, Mr. Bass Reeves became a marshal within the old Indian Territory. This territory was rough, raw, and lawless. He was one of a few marshals who took on the job to help "tame" this territory. Also, he was one of a very small number of African Americans who took on the challenge enforcing the law within the old Indian Territory. He took on the job in his late thirties, early forties and held it for 32 years. At the young age of 70, he brought in his son who had killed his wife. It was said that bringing in his son, was the most difficult thing he ever did. Bass died on Wednesday, January 12, 1910. According to the Muskogee Times Democrat, Mr. Reeves' death was caused by Bright's disease and complications.
For those readers who enjoy early American, western heroes, and semi-biographies, reading this book will bring a smile to your face. Gary Paulsen brings out and celebrates an unsung hero of our American past. Bass Reeves truly was a man who knew what was right, strived to do what was right, and lived the character traits of honesty and integrity.
On a side note: Gary Paulsen is my all time favorite author. After some time thinking about it, it is due to the fact that s to he was the one author that literally "pulled" me into reading. I hated reading up until I picked up a book he wrote entitled "Hatchet". I was a struggling reading in elementary school, I think I read a little in middle school, struggled through high school as well as in college. I picked up Hatchet when I was teaching 7th grade. I had to read because I made my students read daily as well as read aloud in class. They were going to love to read and not turn out like their teacher and hate reading. Reading is the key to a new future. The one thing that I noticed as I began to read book (specifically those by Gary Paulsen) and talk about them, many of my students began to pick up the same books and read them. We need to share the joy of reading with others, especially our young adults.
Bass Reeves was born into slavery. He ran away in his late teens because of an incident that occurred between Bass and his owner. Bass escaped into "The Territory". He lived there, traveled every mile, and met many native Americans.
For a number of years, Bass lived with a Native American family deep within the Indian Territory. As the story goes, Bass saved a Native American girl from the mouths of several hungry wolves. In doing so, he was badly injured and nearly lost his life. The Native American family brought him back to health and declared him a member of their family.
In the late 188's, Mr. Bass Reeves became a marshal within the old Indian Territory. This territory was rough, raw, and lawless. He was one of a few marshals who took on the job to help "tame" this territory. Also, he was one of a very small number of African Americans who took on the challenge enforcing the law within the old Indian Territory. He took on the job in his late thirties, early forties and held it for 32 years. At the young age of 70, he brought in his son who had killed his wife. It was said that bringing in his son, was the most difficult thing he ever did. Bass died on Wednesday, January 12, 1910. According to the Muskogee Times Democrat, Mr. Reeves' death was caused by Bright's disease and complications.
For those readers who enjoy early American, western heroes, and semi-biographies, reading this book will bring a smile to your face. Gary Paulsen brings out and celebrates an unsung hero of our American past. Bass Reeves truly was a man who knew what was right, strived to do what was right, and lived the character traits of honesty and integrity.
On a side note: Gary Paulsen is my all time favorite author. After some time thinking about it, it is due to the fact that s to he was the one author that literally "pulled" me into reading. I hated reading up until I picked up a book he wrote entitled "Hatchet". I was a struggling reading in elementary school, I think I read a little in middle school, struggled through high school as well as in college. I picked up Hatchet when I was teaching 7th grade. I had to read because I made my students read daily as well as read aloud in class. They were going to love to read and not turn out like their teacher and hate reading. Reading is the key to a new future. The one thing that I noticed as I began to read book (specifically those by Gary Paulsen) and talk about them, many of my students began to pick up the same books and read them. We need to share the joy of reading with others, especially our young adults.
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