Casey Ryan

A brash, small-framed stage driver earns a legendary reputation through reckless, skillful runs and a string of colorful adventures across Western trails. The narrative follows his youthful bravado and later routes, mixing vivid set-piece episodes of hold-ups, animal encounters, brawls and gambling with quieter moments showing his optimism, quick temper, and loyalty to passengers. Encounters with changing technology and manners, most notably clashes with motor cars, test his pride and habit-bound craft. Told in an episodic, humorous style, the work collects tall tales and reminiscences that portray a stubborn, resourceful character who meets misfortune with a grin and whose reputation persists among frontier communities.