SOCIAL SCIENCES

The Feud: The Hatfields and McCoys; The True Story

by Dean King
Little, Brown. May 2013. 448p. illus. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780316167062. $27.99; ebk. ISBN 9780316224789. HIST
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The feud between the Hatfields and McCoys has been clouded by a century of yellow journalism, contradictory accounts by participants, and the development of a national myth. King (Skeletons on the Zahara) draws on a range of sources to dispel those fables and reconcile the differing versions of the events that tore two families apart for a generation. The result is a riveting yet nuanced retelling, discussing the two families, their neighbors, their allies, and the state governments, detectives, and lawmen who tried to stop the bloodshed. Though the book aims at objectivity, it does read as sympathetic to the McCoys. The large cast of participants may at times confuse readers (a biographical list of all major players would have been helpful).
VERDICT This readable, engrossing book is for those with an interest in the events leading up to, during, and after the feud. Less biased than Lisa Alther's Blood Feud, it also breaks some ground that Otis K. Rice couldn't when he wrote The Hatfields and McCoys 30 years ago. Highly recommended, especially for those whose interest in the topic has been piqued by the recent TV series.
Reviewed by Claire Houck, New York , Mar 15, 2013
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