The American West was in turmoil because of the Civil War. The struggle before, during, and after the war created the environment that grew the outlaw Jesse James, among others. In this book, readers see parts of the war from a new perspective while following James's life from childhood through death, including his time viewed as a Confederate hero—whether he was or not. Historical images correlate to the intriguing text while sidebars and fact boxes offer additional information about when and where James committed his crimes.