The Hatfields and The McCoys

Otis K. Rice provides a well-researched, factual account of the infamous Hatfield-McCoy feud by examining court records, documents, and evidence to distinguish fact from legend. He contextualizes the feud within the social, political, and economic landscape of late 19th and early 20th-century eastern Kentucky and southwestern West Virginia, highlighting factors such as post-Civil War tensions, weak institutions, and regional isolation. This balanced perspective offers a deeper understanding of the enduring vendetta and its complex origins.