British Bart

About the Book

Bartholomew Cunningham, son of a British viscount, flees from trouble in England and finds even more trouble in America’s Old West. “British Bart,” as he quickly would be called, joins a wagon train to California around 1880, seeking adventure. Exceptionally skillful with guns, he can shoot the ears off a mouse, and he faces hostile Indians, comancheros and assorted other bad guys, often in defense of the “Railroad Chinee,” the exploited Chinese workers who lay rails at this time in the American West. But trouble is not all he finds in his exciting new world. He also finds love. British Bart by Don Lipman was published posthumously. The author, a lifelong student of Old West lore, died in 2003 at age 73. His first western novel, Easter Sunday, in which gunfighter Billy the Kid plays a role, was published in 1999. His second western, 2004’s British Bart, features the legendary Wyatt Earp and a cast of other colorful characters. Also, British Bart contains a long but charming back-of-the-book section called “Down Home.” This is Don Lipman’s recollection of his boyhood in the small East Texas town of Jefferson, which also offers colorful characters.

About the Author

A Texas native and longtime student of Old West lore, Don Lipman indulged his fascination with gunfighters such as William Bonney, Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp and Wild Bill Hickok, to name but a few. After forty-plus years as a newspaper reporter and editor, he retired from the Los Angeles Times and wrote western novels in Scottsdale, Arizona. His first was Easter Sunday in which Billy the Kid plays a role. Lipman died in 2003 at age 73. His second western, British Bart, through which Wyatt Earp strolls, is published here posthumously. ----------- For Web Don Lipman, a newspaper reporter and editor for more than 40 years, was born in Jefferson, Texas, in 1930, grew up there and attended North Texas State College in Denton, graduating in 1952, just in time to get drafted for Korean War service. After separation from the Army in 1954, Lipman worked in various capacities on newspapers in Texas, Louisiana, Oregon, Kentucky and California. He retired from the Los Angeles Times in 1992 after more than 20 years as an Orange County city editor, copy editor and makeup editor. After retirement, he and his wife Jerelaine moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, where he settled down to write books. He was a student of Old West lore and was fascinated by gunfighters such as William Bonney, Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp and Wild Bill Hickok, to name but a few. In his first western, Easter Sunday, Billy the Kid plays a role. His second western, British Bart, features Wyatt Earp as a prominent character. Lipman died in 2003 at age 73. He is survived by his wife Jerelaine of Irvine, Calif., his daughter Linda of Newport Beach, Calif., his daughter Kay of Brussels, Belgium, and two grandchildren, Lily and Sascha, also of Brussels.