description Wild Times Overview
Wild Times is a 1978 novel by Brian Garfield, structured as the fictional memoir of frontier showman Hugh Cardiff, a character closely modeled on William F. 'Buffalo Bill' Cody. The book follows Cardiff from his youth as a Pony Express rider, buffalo hunter, and Army scout through his later career as a Wild West entertainer in a travelling spectacle. Garfield uses Cardiff's life to examine the gap between the historical West and the mythologized version marketed to Eastern and European audiences.
The novel was adapted into a 1980 television miniseries starring Sam Elliott.
help Wild Times FAQ
Who wrote Wild Times?
Wild Times was written by Brian Garfield. The western novel was published in 1978.
Who is Hugh Cardiff in Wild Times?
Hugh Cardiff is the fictional frontier showman whose memoir forms the structure of the novel. The character is closely modeled on William F. Cody, better known as Buffalo Bill.
What parts of the frontier does Wild Times cover?
Cardiff's life includes work as a Pony Express rider, buffalo hunter, and Army scout. These stages give the 1978 novel the shape of a fictional frontier autobiography.
Is Wild Times written as a conventional third-person western?
No. Brian Garfield presents it as the fictional memoir of Hugh Cardiff, a showman modeled on Buffalo Bill Cody.
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