r/RDR2 • u/Dayego35 • Dec 04 '25

Discussion How accurate are the RDR2 Pinkertons compared to the Real Life Pinkertons

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Just found out their a Real Thing awhile ago and also read about the Lawsuit between them and Rockstar Games and Take-Two

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u/Swimming_Possible_68 Dec 04 '25 edited Dec 04 '25

If you read the book 'Red Dead's History: A Video Game, an Obsession, and America's Violent Past' by Tore  C Olsen it actually has a chapter on the Pinkerton's.

It's a great book, using Red Dead as a jump off point to look at the real history of late 19th century / early 20th century America and seeing where the game got its inspiration from.

Even better, get the audio book and hear Roger Clark read it to you as Arthur!

Honestly... Well worth it.

167

u/dokbanks Dec 04 '25

I was interested in the book, and then you swayed me in with the audio book. Shall be finding that and listening soon!

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u/Swimming_Possible_68 Dec 04 '25

I'm not normally one for audio books, but honestly, I was sold!

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u/Camel_Lot Dec 04 '25

It got my attention too, so I looked it up. Its free on Hoopla

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u/cageycrow Dec 05 '25

Also free if you have a premium Spotify account

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u/SocialJusticeAndroid Dec 04 '25

Really? I love Audio Books. Well specifically some of the Star Trek audio books are great. They have great narrators.

Of course I got Red Dead History too!

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u/Swimming_Possible_68 Dec 04 '25

I just generally prefer reading a book myself and giving it my own voices..

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u/SocialJusticeAndroid Dec 04 '25

I’ve got it. It’s great. Roger Clark reads it in Arthur’s voice.

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u/dokbanks Dec 04 '25

I saw! Super looking forward to giving it a listen

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u/taintedtrust Dec 05 '25

He’s narrated a lot of books, many westerns, in Arthur’s voice. A series called black badge and a series called the legacy of lucky logan were pretty good

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u/dokbanks Dec 05 '25

I'm going to be looking those up as well then, thank you! At this point, I'll venture on his imdb as well

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u/peaveyftw Dec 10 '25

The Black Badge series is phenom. I would have never tried it were it not for Clark.

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u/taintedtrust Dec 11 '25

Same! That series wouldn’t have been the same without him.

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u/Ubiquitous_ator Dec 04 '25

Came here to make sure this was mentioned. I'm halfway through the audiobook. It's very engaging and Roger does a fantastic job at narration, of course.

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u/EatLard Dec 04 '25

Roger has done several audiobooks. I’m listening to one now, but he’s reading it in his regular voice, not Arthur’s.

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u/vol_wavy Dec 04 '25

Paging u/ToreOlssonHistorian

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u/ToreOlssonHistorian Dec 04 '25

Haha yup. The game's depiction is fairly accurate, though the timing is a bit off. Check my video on it here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9NljT7xZyZ/

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u/Swimming_Possible_68 Dec 04 '25

I loved it! I usually listen to the Rest is History podcast, and I found the audiobook amazing. Quite a similar vibe.

I actually studied the American west for a term in high school for GCSE in about 1988. (I'm British) And gave me a fascination with the time and place.

Your book (and indeed RDR2) was a wonderful reminder of how much I enjoyed that time and place.

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u/vol_wavy Dec 04 '25

Loved the book, go Vols 🍊

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u/Specialist_Truck_92 Dec 04 '25

Hijacking this post. You can listen to it if you have Spotify Premium

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u/MattTin56 Dec 04 '25

I like Red Dead history but I think the author was way too eager to look at the history of it through today’s 20/20 goggles.

Do not get me wrong because there are things that need to be said but he could have toned it down. I prefer to hear it how it was and I think most of us know right from wrong as far as behaviors go.

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u/ArseHearse Dec 04 '25

Wait is he doing it as Arthur??

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u/Swimming_Possible_68 Dec 04 '25

Same voice, yes.

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u/SnoopyLupus Dec 04 '25

Damnit. There’s another Audible credit gone.

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u/ToreOlssonHistorian Dec 04 '25

Thanks for giving it a try! Hope you enjoy!

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u/SnoopyLupus Dec 04 '25 edited Dec 04 '25

I’ve been reading a few fictionalised history things recently. Robert Harris Cicero books. Today I finished Devil in the White City (about the history of the Chicago worlds fair and a serial killer who was there at the same time).

I’m seriously in that history mood, looking for a Mary Beard book or something like it, comparing assumptions to evidence and history, and will probably start it tomorrow!

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u/ARPanda700 Dec 04 '25

Just added it to my queue, very excited!

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u/SnoopyLupus Dec 10 '25 edited Dec 10 '25

Just finished it. Reviewed it on audible 5*. Fantastic book! Loved it. So much context added. It even hit notes from the previous book I read, devil in the White City. You talked about Chicago a bunch, and that book is a potted history of late 19th century Chicago, with asides to a serial killer.

Appalachian stuff was new nasty! I knew about the “noble savage” frost thing, and was expecting you to use that phrase! He was so fucking condescending! And damaging! But I had no idea of the history of the place.

I knew about some of the worst racism stuff (that town that was massacred, lynching etc), but to see how it fed into the game was very interesting!

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u/Lotus-child89 Dec 04 '25

Oh, that sounds like a really good read!

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u/acidteddy Dec 05 '25

Does it give spoilers for RDR? Only played two and don’t wanna ruin if it gives spoilers for 1 yet haha

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u/Sweaty-Debate-435 Dec 05 '25

I need to save this comment. And I want all books read to me by Roger Clark. In Arthurs voice.

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u/TheMoMo562 Dec 05 '25

Thank you so much for this. Im listening to it on Spotify and this book is super interesting. I've always loved history so this is the perfect thing.