A Big Chuck Book Review: A Local Author Hits With “Grandpa’s Tale”

"Grandpa's Tale" echoes the words of George Manning who wrote copiously of his time in the real Old West (George was born in 1874).

The people, the horses, the landscape ( a colorful region near the Jack Fort Mountains), the escapades, the good guys and the bad dudes all come to life in this true telling of the saga of George Manning's life.  He was a messenger between the U.S. Marshal Service and Charlie Wilson, a wounded man found not far from Manning's ranch.  He is the nexus of the story.

The author describes meeting Charlie "Tug" Wilson for the first time this way:

"Big, buzzing and hungry flies swarmed at the dark stains on the outlander's blue shirt.  His hands were stained dark red and his clothes were covered with trail dust.  This mortal was in death's grip, and his spirit was close to being ushered to its next home.  He groaned aloud as I scooped him gently beneath his knees and shoulders and carried him to the shade of the willow oak tree next to his mount.  I don't think he weighed more than a hundred pounds when I picked him up, but it felt like two hundred pounds by the time I eased myself onto one knee and carefully lowered him to the cooler ground.  

"Stay with it my friend, I'm goin' for more water and a wagon."

And thus begins this exciting adventure through the Wild West of America a hundred and a half years ago.

The author, Gary L. Manning, lives in Upstate New York and has a real eye and ear for the spoken word.  The words are his grandfather's, George Manning.  I really enjoyed this book a lot, and give praise to one of the best local authors in our listening area that I have come upon in a long time.

"Grandpa's Tale" is available at the Green Toad Book Store in Oneonta.