Tim McCoy was 86 years old and nearing the end of his life when this book was published in 1977. It shows in the final chapter—one of the best wrap-ups to an autobiography you’ll ever read.
High Point: McCoy was a master story teller, and perhaps a teller of tall tales.
Low Point: Although some viewpoints held by McCoy are products of their time, they don’t always travel well into the 21st century.
Author: Tim McCoy
Publication Date: 1977
Genre: Biography
Listen to the audio version of this review
space
I hadn’t heard of Tim McCoy until I read a positive review of Tim McCoy Remembers the West in a 1978 issue of Southwestern Historical Quarterly. It turned out McCoy was a sailor, a cowhand, a ranch owner, a soldier, a wild west show performer, and an actor. His main claim to fame was taking lead roles in B westerns in the 1920s and 1930s as a compatriot of Tom Mix and Hoot Gibson—first in silent films and then the early talkies.
McCoy shows that he was a master storyteller. His style is easy—as though he is simply reminiscing while taking a leisurely horseback ride around his Wyoming ranch.
The book covers the span of his life through all his various careers. But the heart of it deals with his experiences and friendships with the native Americans—especially his closest friend, an Arapahoe elder named Goes In Lodge.
McCoy was 86 years old and nearing the end of his life when this book was published in 1977. It shows in the final chapter—one of the best wrap-ups to an autobiography you’ll ever read. Until the last chapter, he mentions very little about his personal life. But now he shares thoughts about his beloved wife Inga. And then he describes his last visit with Goes In Lodge. He closes by relating a particularly poignant story from Goes In Lodge about the Great Mystery.
The autobiography by itself is fascinating. But if you read this book, consider pairing it with one of McCoy’s movies. They are readily available on free streaming services. They are not cinematic masterpieces, but they’re fun. And in a couple, you’ll even spot a young John Wayne in supporting roles. But more importantly, you’ll get a better feel for the Tim McCoy you’ve come to know in Tim McCoy Remembers the West.
Quotes
| [Regarding his parents] In the years to come, I always kept in touch with them by letter, occasionally by a visit, and their attitude can best be illustrated by a passage from one of my father’s letters to me: “Well, son, it’s your own grave you’re digging. I just hope you aren’t going to be a horse’s ass all your life…” |
Sources For This Book
Free eBook (Project Gutenberg): Not available
Free Audiobook (LibriVox): Not available
Available to Purchase: AbeBooks, Biblio, Thriftbooks
