West Like Lightning: The Brief, Legendary Ride of the Pony Express

I have always loved history and the West, not to mention stories set in the West. What I enjoyed mostly about this work, aside from accurate history, is that it Tessa is the story not just of the Pony Express but the story as seen through the eyes of one of their riders. As we all know, the Express was the brainchild Majors Russell and Wardell. Their goal and accomplishment were to get the mail from Saint Joseph to California in 29 days. The book does give an accurate account and, yes, it does mention the notable men Cody and Hickock, who were younger when they were riders, but I like the fact the author chose a real rider—a young boy—to tell us his story through his eyes.

I remember watching a movie back in the early 1950’s where Charlton Heston was Cody, a bit older than William F was when a rider. Then, in the early 1980’s, once again, a series came out called the Young Riders, which gave viewers a somewhat accurate view of the Express with young Cody and Hickock and the story and exploits as see through the eyes of a young rider. 

For historical value, this is a great story. For entertainment value, I completely recommend this book.