"Fascinating and Exciting! A great look inside a little known aspect of law enforcement. We certainly did not realize how interesting and dangerous security on the Railroads is. Extremely interesting and informative, we recommend this book for anyone who wants to read a truly original and captivating true story. This book is a page turner and hard to put down!"
"A compelling page turner by a great first writer. Couldn’t wait to find out if next episode would bring a smile or tears. Great descriptions of places and true events. Now I can’t wait for the next book. This should definitely be on the best seller list!"
Ruth M.
"One of the finest books I have read, Dean would be a solid partner to patrol with--a good Christian example who has overcome obstacles that many would use as reasons to give up on life. God bless you, Dean--and the many others in RR public safety, past and present. You too, Henry! If you're ever in Missouri, drop me a line."
"Loved your book. It was a privilege to read about a life so fully lived. I was not only educated and intrigued by the diversity of challenges, but given a sense of how the human spirit can and must move on."
PS - I once hopped a freight train, rode about 10 miles until I met a "Yard Bull" and outran him :-)
"...This excellent piece of nonfiction is a first-hand account of the railroad police profession, a part of railroading that often goes unexplored."
Sayre C. Kos
Trains Magazine - April, 2008
"I laughed, I cried, I loved it!"
Gerrie W.
Washington State
"I couldn't put this book down! Chock full of action, and adventure, with a full dose of romance and emotions. I laughed, I cried and felt everything in between, as I turned 350 pages in 2 days. Dean O'Shea has certainly lived a life of adventure and has felt the sting of loss and betrayal. Death comes like a thief in the night when you are least expecting it and the emotions leave you struggling. Dean has handled the cards he was dealt like a true Christian and a stand-up man. Would love to see a Movie out of this one!"
"Just read your book (I collect books written by railroaders) and yours was one of the best. Not only did you have a story to tell, but you told it exceedingly well. An excellent effort."
J. Younger
Ellicott City, Maryland
"Growing up in Beverly Hills (my father was Hollywood actor, Walter Pidgeon), I loved going to the movies, watching those classic stories featuring glamorous stars. But once the golden era of Hollywood ended, I found myself drawn to books of all kinds. When I first picked up Yard Bull more out of curiosity than anything else, I found it easily held my attention and interest. Some of the situations were funny, others were touching, all were interesting."
"I started reading Yard Bull in the evening and stayed up all night. I just couldn't put it down!"
Duane S.
Washington
"As a train conductor on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway's Northwest Division, I can say that O'Shea has created a book that is an accurate representation of what we see happening around the Seattle railway yards on an all too frequent basis. You won't be disappointed!"
"I collect books about people who worked for the railroad in every type of job available, and while there are a bunch of books about engineers, station agents, etc, there are very few about the lives of railroad police. I found this book to be a great read. Interesting, and at times exciting. He is a great storyteller. I hope he writes "part 2" and continues his life as a RR cop."
D.E. Allen
Medford, New Jersey
"I finished Yard Bull in three nights as it was hard to put down! The railroad stories were fascinating and seemed to be from another world that the rest of society doesn't ever see. His flashbacks to Vietnam interwoven with the present gave the memoir depth and relevance. I found myself coming away with a sense of who Dean was and how his life had shaped that. It brought me to tears, made me laugh and made me curious of what Dean is doing now... Definitely recommend this book!"
"Dean O'Shea's Yard Bull is a well-done autobiographical novel told in the first person by a railroad detective just back from the Vietnam War..."
Marc Leepson
Arts Editor for The Veteran - Nov/Dec 2007 Issue
"I read this book to my husband on our road trip from Seattle to Denver. We laughed, I cried, and we missed some much needed Rest Areas because I couldn't wait to find out what was happening next. I had no idea what a Yard Bull was when I began but had much respect for them when we finished. It is full of adventure and even romance. I highly recommend this book, but make sure you start early or don't mind staying up late as it is hard to find a stopping place. We are hoping for a sequel soon."
Sharon & John H.
Washington
"I always read when I go to bed and started the book Saturday night but only got the first chapter read as we had a busy weekend. Last night I read a few more chapters and decided I had better turn off the light and get some sleep but after laying there for an hour thinking about the book I turned the light back on and read until 3:00 A.M. When I am reading your book I have to chuckle then the next thing I know I am crying. You really make the reader "feel" everything and I can't believe what you've been through. I hope there are more books in the making."
Candy F.
Nebraska
"A young man's journey to manhood - funny, poignant, tragic!"
Anne O.
Warrenton, Virginia
"Yard Bull is a fantastic book - once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. It held my interest all the way through. The book made me laugh and it made me cry - the romance made me swoon and the flashbacks and the vagrants freaked me out! All the time I was reading it, I felt like I was right there with Dean, watching from a corner. I couldn't believe all the different kinds of vagrants that he had to deal with - some were pretty scary, but still my heart went out to them. It was refreshing to see Dean's faith made stronger with all that happened to him. I'd recommend this book to everyone. Sure hope there is another book in the making."
"Yard Bull firmly held my attention from the first few sentences through the end of the book. Every page told more of the captivating adventure of Dean O’Shea. It was difficult to pause reading this book to do anything else. Dean’s life as a Yard Bull portrays a fascinating dimension of law enforcement that includes a great deal of working in the dark, being on foot and confronting trespassers that are often armed and have nothing to lose. Interwoven with his daring and dangerous adventures is Dean’s developing friendship with Cassie. Their humorous and romantic adventures touched a special place in my heart. This is a book I treasure. I earnestly hope Dean will write a sequel to this incredible story."
Richard W.
Washington
"The true encounters that Dean O'Shea shares are both enlightening and exciting. His walk through the "I finished it! It was terrific. It's super fun to read about someone I know. You did a great job and kept my attention the entire time. Have you started the sequel yet??????????"
Kateri S.
Sequim, Washington
"The true encounters that Dean O'Shea shares are both enlightening and exciting. His walk through the world and ultimately into a relationship with God was encouraging, knowing one can have this relationship as well. The difficult situation that he and Cassie found themselves in was both touching and heart wrenching. I felt the book's message all the way through, was clearly illustrated and captured the feelings and emotions that brought the reader along with him on a very special journey. It has been written for both men and women. You won't be able to lay it down."
"I loved the book! I found it just drew me forward into each new chapter and story, so it was hard to put down."
K. Weaver
Glen Mills, Pennsylvania
"Finding oneself, the Vietnam experience, police work, love, despair, hope and faith. Yard Bull presents the human experience through the unique perspective of a railroad detective with small town Midwestern roots. An intriguing and suspense filled chronicle of the author’s life experiences, the reader is introduced to a world most of us will never see. Dean O’Shea’s Christian faith is unobtrusively threaded throughout the book and is an inspiration regardless of one's religious beliefs. Yard Bull will leave you with a new appreciation for law enforcement, and for your own travels through life."
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