When his picture appeared on the cover ofTexas Monthly, Joaquin Jackson became the icon of the modern Texas Rangers. He was the inspiration for Nick Nolte's character in the movieExtreme Prejudice, and he even had a speaking part of his own inThe Good Old Boyswith Tommy Lee Jones. But the role that Jackson has always played the best is that of the man who wears the silver badge cut from a Mexican cinco peso coin—a working Texas Ranger.
Legend says that one Ranger is all it takes to put down lawlessness and restore the peace—one riot, one Ranger. In this adventure-filled memoir, Joaquin Jackson recalls what is was like to be the Ranger who responded when riots threatened, violence erupted, and criminals needed to be brought to justice across a wide swath of the Texas-Mexico border from 1966 to 1993.
Jackson's incredible, dramatic story is part of the larger story of the Texas Rangers becoming a modern law enforcement agency that serves all the people of the state.
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"Joaquin Jackson's autobiographical account of his years as a Texas Ranger. A good read, especially for those interested in law enforcement in general, or the Texas Rangers in particular. Replete with true to life stories of Jackson's experiences as a Ranger until his retirement in 1993."
— Greg (4 out of 5 stars)
“The writing smacks of the truths that are hard-won from a lifetime of dealing out justice—sometimes on horseback, like the Lone Ranger used to do—in a lonesome terrain where your word is only as good as the gun and the reputation that back it up.”
— Mike Shea, writer for Texas Monthly“Rex Linn, a Texas native, voices Jackson’s memoir as the man would himself—sharing a few laughs over the light moments in his career and dealing straightforwardly with his horror at the violence he encountered. Both Jackson’s storytelling and Linn’s delivery leave listeners with the feeling that it’s been a fun ride.”
— AudioFile" This truly is the story of one Ranger it's great and his follow-up book is just as good it's a damn shame he's gone "
— driver62, 10/3/2017" Great stories, couldn't put it down. "
— Mando, 10/28/2013" Excellent book about a man who gave his life to a great legacy, organization and state. Incredible stories of modern 20th century law enforcement in Texas. Bad guys have changed over the years but the risk and dangers to enfoce the law are still the same. "
— Clint, 8/29/2013" I really liked this book, it was a wonderful memoir and most of the stories were captivating. The reason I didn't give it 4 stars is because there was a lot of technical jargon and the beginning was a bit hard to start but it ended up being a great read in the end. What a great man. "
— Kelly, 6/28/2013" Very interesting...a must read. "
— Taylor, 12/2/2012" Very interesting account of life as a Texas Ranger and experiences associated with his career. Also incorporates a historical account of Texas settlement and development. "
— Bryan, 8/17/2012" One of my favorites of all time! "
— Andrea, 6/14/2012" Fantastic book. Can't wait to read the sequel! "
— Julia, 4/16/2012" Stories of a Texas Ranger. Entertaining read. "
— Brian, 2/28/2012" This was a really interesting book about the Texas Rangers and what exactly they do "
— Sam, 1/16/2012" Both this and Jackson's second book are must reads about modern Texas Rangers. "
— Beau, 5/14/2010" Fantastic set of stories, really. Bought this on a whim at the LBJ ranch in Stonewall, TX. Wasn't sure what it would be like, but I couldn't put it down. Fantastic. "
— Blixco, 9/29/2009" I read this book after reading the first installment. It was almost as enjoyable as the first, but I think there was a wider variety of stories in the first book. All in all a very interesting account of life as a Texas Ranger. "
— Bryan, 7/6/2009
H. Joaquin Jackson retired from the Texas Rangers in 1993. Today he lives in Alpine, Texas, where he is the owner and operator of Ranger Investigations, a private investigative company.
David Marion Wilkinson is an award-winning writer whose most recent books are Oblivion’s Altar, The Empty Quarter, and Not between Brothers.
Rex Linn, a winner of the prestigious Audie Award for best narration in 2014, is an American film and television actor best known for his role as Frank Tripp in the television series CSI: Miami. Besides numerous other television roles, he has had roles in Django Unchained, Trial by Fire, and other major films. He was born and raised in the Texas panhandle and earned a BA in radio, television, and film from Oklahoma State University.