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Thunder on the Frontier

The Life and Times of Bass Reeves

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Thunder on the Frontier

By: David G. Stone
Narrated by: Chris Bentley
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About this listen

The Most Explosive True Story of the American Frontier

What happens when an unstoppable force meets the immovable chaos of the Wild West?

Bass Reeves happened.

Like thunder rolling across an endless plain, Bass Reeves transformed the American frontier forever. This isn't just another Wild West biography—this is the story of a man who became a natural force, reshaping everything in his path through sheer will, unshakeable courage, and an almost supernatural ability to bring justice to a lawless land.

Experience the lightning and thunder of:

How a former slave became the most feared and respected lawman in America

Epic manhunts across 75,000 square miles of deadly Indian Territory

Revolutionary law enforcement techniques that changed policing forever

Incredible true stories of disguises, shootouts, and impossible arrests

The complex world of post-Civil War frontier politics and tribal relations

Personal struggles that tested even this legendary man's resolve

Why his methods and principles still inspire law enforcement today

From the courtrooms of Fort Smith to the remote corners of five Native nations, Bass Reeves brought order to chaos with the power and inevitability of a thunderstorm. He arrested over 3,000 criminals, including his own son when duty demanded it. He killed 14 men in gunfights—and walked away from every single one. He earned the trust of Cherokee chiefs and the grudging respect of the deadliest outlaws in America.

But perhaps most remarkably, he did it all while carrying the additional burden of being an African American lawman in an era when his very existence challenged everything the frontier thought it knew about power, authority, and justice.

Thunder on the Frontier captures not just the incredible life of Bass Reeves, but the entire era he helped define—a time when individual courage could reshape a continent, when one man's integrity could bring justice to thousands, and when the sound of hoofbeats could mean salvation or doom.

©2025 ELC Publishing (P)2026 ELC Publishing
Americas Historical Politicians Politics & Activism State & Local United States Old West Wild West
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