history of the west... what books?

[MacEntyre]

I've been scouring used book stores for books that tell the history of the American west, from the earliest exploration to the period after the war between the states. Most of the books I've found are histories of the indian wars, one or two of which I will get. The broader histories of the US only include a single chapter, usually titled "The Wild West."

One book I might get is titled "Mountain Men" and covers the earliest fellows to go west. I've got books on Lewis and Clark's logs. I can find little on the classic western legends, such as Tombstone. I'd like to learn more about the other people, politics and events between 1800 and 1900, as well as the Spanish settlement of North America during the previous century.

What books can you suggest?

[gamekeeper]

WAGONS WEST by Frank McLynn.
WONDROUS TIMES ON THE FRONTIER by Dee Brown.

I found these interesting reading.

[tdoor]

While not broadly panoramic in coverage, a couple of books I found interesting were :

Billy the Kid- The Endless Ride by Wallis ; besides the obvious topic, there is a lot of interesting detail about life and the times in the 1880's +/- west, particularly New Mexico

Why the West Was Wild by Swanson ; This has accounts from original sources e.g. news papers, public documents etc of law men and law breakers etc from some of the Kansas the cow towns such as Dodge City, mostly in the 1870-1880

[Doc Hudson]

Anything by Robert Utley is well researched and well written.

Among other books, Mr. Utley has written excellent biographies of Custer, Sitting Bull, and Billy the Kid. His A Life Wild and Perilous is an outstanding history of the fur trade. He also wrote a good book on the life of frontier cavalrymen, but the title slips my mind.

You can Google Robert Utley and get a complete listing of his books to date.

[MacEntyre]

While not broadly panoramic...

...broadly panoramic I can get from historians like Morrison and Parker. I would rather read the detailed stories of particular people, places and events.

Great suggestions, fellas!

[Griff]

There was a series exclusively on the Mountain Men, it included both autobiographies and biographies of all of the better known and some lesser known of these wanderers. I was allowed to borrow them (one at a time) from my physician back in the '70s. They weren't new then. I have the entire Time-Life series "The Old West" that was published in the '80s (25 volumes). Another good'un would be "The Wild West" by Warner Books, edited by Time-Life and is the companion book to the television miniseries, sorta a condensed version of the earlier Time-Life full volume set.

"Exploring the West" by Herman J. Viola is also a good work and covers almost the entire 19th century as it relates to the American West.

A bit more selective in its scope is "Saloons of the West" by Richard Erodes. Entertaining as well as informative.

A work I slogged my way thru is in Spanish, it tells the tale of the CA missions. Don't have it at my fingertips, will search. Although as a youngster in CA, I studied them in school, this was an entirely different view of the same subject. It was given me by a decendent of some early CA vaqueros. Definite slant toward the good, religious order imposed by the monks on the natives. But, as they say, "history is wrote by the victors."

A vertible treasure trove can be found in the references of the Library of Congress. While you may not have access to their collection, you'll be able find specific works to search out. It really helps to be able to search for a particular title or author. As my old hisotrical research professor used to say, "NARROW YOUR SCOPE!" It makes the search harder, but once you find a reference it is on point. They have a great asset in their Guided Search of the catalog.

Recent reads of mine (still available @ some WallyWorlds) are two works by David McCullough, "Johns Adams" (which the HBO miniseries was based on, but failed in it's depth) and "1776" which takes the reader thru that year in America in great detail. I'm on the lookout for some of his other work now.

Good luck.

[TomF]

Billy the Kid by Pat Garret
Undaunted Courage-----Story of Lewis and Clark
Six Years with the Texas Rangers by Jim Gillette (sp)
Bury my heart at wounded Knee by Dee Brown
The Boy Captives by Can't remember but a story of 1869?

TomF

[Ben_Rumson]

Here's a couple of online books... about Bison hunting & Indian fighting in the 1860s& 70s by Frank Mayer & Billy Dixon
http://texashistory.unt.edu/permalink/meta-pth-29402:*
http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/resourc ... uffalo.htm

[jnyork]

From what you describe, the Time-Life series "The Old West" might be just what you need, all aspects are covered. Your best place to get them would probably be Ebay, you might search and find a whole set if you have a little patience. I have the entire series, and a whole wall full of others, the series is the cheapest way to go.

Edit: here you go, for instance:http://cgi.ebay.com/Lot-of-26-Time-Life ... dZViewItem

From reviewing previous sales, I would bid $100.00 for my maximum bid and expect it to come in quite a bit less than that.

You will have to copy the link and paste it in your browser, did not post as a link for some reason.

[Marc]

Look for books by George Ruxton. He was an Englishman who traveled the west in 1846. He met some of the mountain men. I have read different versions of his books because they were originally published as a serial in a magazine. I guess different editors included different chapters. One book is Ruxton of the Rockies. Here is an online bio:
http://www.d11.org/bristol/Bristol_wall ... ruxton.htm

[AJMD429]

"From Sea to Shining Sea" by James Thom (same title exists by other authors - but Thom's is an excellent read about the several generations of Clark's who were pivotal in the early 1800's. The thing that makes his books special to me is that they aren't just dry chronicle's, but rather take you inside the minds and lives of the characters. He has written many books on the Revolutionary to Civil war period, and his "Sign Talker" book about Lewis and Clark's trip is the best of a dozen books I've read on the matter - the first one to make me go to sleep at night almost feeling I was in one of the tents with those guys.

[C. Cash]

I would recommend joining the NMLRA , and you will get "Muzzle Blasts" every month. The Wilderness Writings column of John Curry and others detail early frontiersmen and mountain men, indian raids and captive stories as well as the weapons that they carried.. Gives you a good flavor of the ways things were as settlers moved West from the earliest periods.

[JimT]

The Time-Life Series "THE WEST" is by far the best for an good overview of the life and times of the West, from the scouts, the trappers to early 1900's.

There are 26 volumes .. The books themselves are quite nice... they are bound in brown leather or leatherette that's made to look like it's tooled, and have pictorial covers.

All of them have wonderful photos, stories of the life and times on the frontier right from the people who lived it.

I have them all and would never part with them.

A list of the books and their authors in no particular order:

The Alaskans
Keith Wheeler

The Canadians
Ogden Tanner

The Chroniclers
Keith Wheeler

The Cowboys
William H. Forbis

The Expressmen
David Nevin

The Forty-Niners
William Weber Johnson

The Frontiersmen
Paul O'Neill

The Gamblers
Robert Wallace

The Great Chiefs
Benjamin Capps

The Gunfighters
Paul Trachtman

The Indians
Benjamin Capps

The Loggers
Richard Williams

The Mexican War
David Nevin

The Miners
Robert Wallace

The Pioneers
Huston Horn

The Railroaders
Keith Wheeler

The Ranchers
Ogden Tanner

The Rivermen
Paul O'Neill

The Scouts
Keith Wheeler

The Soldiers
David Nevin

The Spanish West
William H. Johnson

The Texans
David Nevin

The Townsmen
Keith Wheeler

The Trailblazers
Bil Gilbert

The Women
Joan Swallow

The End and the Myth
Paul O'Neill

The photos are poor quality ones I took of The Gunfighters

[gamekeeper]

I have nine of those Time Life books, they are very good and I'm always looking for more.

[RSY]

Specific to Texas, I can't recommend highly enough Fehrenbach's "Lone Star" for a good history of the state from pre-history to mid-20th century.

Along with that, I'd definitely get Walter Prescott Webb's classic "The Texas Rangers."

Scott

[MacEntyre]

Stopped by the library and found "The Oregon Trail" by Francis Parkman. Looks like it will be a good start!

[BenT]

I've been collecting all the time life books. I get them at Goodwill for about $4 a book.

[dr walker]

Indian Hunts and Indian Hunters of the Old West, by Dr Frank C. Hibben
It is my favorite, but may not cover the era you wish. it is specific to New Mexico and surrounding areas.

[Hobie]

Anything by Robert Utley is well researched and well written.

Among other books, Mr. Utley has written excellent biographies of Custer, Sitting Bull, and Billy the Kid. His A Life Wild and Perilous is an outstanding history of the fur trade. He also wrote a good book on the life of frontier cavalrymen, but the title slips my mind.

You can Google Robert Utley and get a complete listing of his books to date.

Dittos on Mr. Utley!

[Rusty]

It's been a long time since I had this list together... Most are about the fur trade.

Benard Devoto, "Across the Wide Missouri"

Vardis Fisher, "Crow Killer" the story of Jerimiah Johnson

All books by Allan W. Eckert He writes stories that are historical novels. His first one starts at the F&I war.

[DixieBoy]

I think the book Doc Hudson mentioned about the cavalry out west (mostly about Custer) is titled Cavalier in Buckskin. Robert Utley has written a pile of books about the west. Most are good. You've gotten some really good suggestions here. I'd look for books which narrow the focus a bit if you want to really sink your teeth into this stuff, rather than have a "Whitman's Sampler" book which tries to cover too much in a single volume.

One of the best books that I've come across about the Apaches is David Roberts' "Once They Rode Like The Wind." There are many other really good ones; this one covers a fair amount of ground and made me feel like I was there.

An awesome book about a young white captive of the Comanches is "The Captured" by Scott Zesch. That one's truly haunting. I've been caught up in this genre of western history for a couple years now and there are some awesome stories out there.

Another good one is titled "Dog Soldier Justice" by Jeff Broome. Very truthful, un-PC, and brutal stuff. Those were really tough times.

Frank Dobie's old books are fun, and you can find them used and cheap.

Be careful, this is all highly addictive, and if you don't watch out, you'll be in the Betty Ford Clinic for Chronic and Habitual Readers of Old West History (with the rest of us!)
- DixieBoy

[Cimarron Red]

I would second the recommendation of DeVoto's 'Across the Wide Missouri' and add 'The Course of Empire' also by DeVoto. And 'Journal of a Trapper' by Osborne Russell and 'Blood and Thunder' a recently published bio of Kit Carson by Hampton Sides.

[Cowboy1]

I am just finishing reading 'Blood and Thunder' the true story about KitCarson. The author's name is Sides. Even though it is historically accurate, and highly informative, it also reads like a novel - very hard to stop reading it once you start. I am near the end now, and may just start over when I do. I live in the Southwest and have an active interest in its history and archeology - I learned a great deal about the Southwest, its peoples and history from this book.
Regards,
Cowboy 1

[sgtgrinche]

just fininished "doc holliday the life and legend " by gary l. roberts very good read covers tombstone very well

[Ron Macy]

I agree on the Time Life Series. Collectively, they give a touchstone of most facets of the western development.

[Rusty]

Thanks Red, I knew there was something about an "Empire" but I couldn't remember what it was in one of those tittles. That was two concussions ago.


I don't know if there are copies still available but there was a fellow named Leighton Baker who at one time owned Paterson's Gun Shop in Mt.Dora, Fl. Leighton is a descendant of the mountain man named Baker and I'm drawing a blank on his first name after 580 miles today. But you might call the gun shop and see if they carry it.

[gamekeeper]

The Last Comanche Chief, The life and times of Quanah Parker by Bill Neeley was a good read.

[gregg]

WE POINTED THEM NORTH
BY TEDDY BLUE ABBIT

DAKOTA COWBOY
BETTER READ THAN IT SOUNDS

PRAIRIE AND SKY
NOTHER GOOD ONE

[Cimarron Red]

Sure thing, Rusty.

I confess that I have not yet read "1846 -- Year of Decision" by DeVoto, I understand that it's a good one, too. I need to get to it.

[DerekR]

I am just finishing reading 'Blood and Thunder' the true story about KitCarson. The author's name is Sides. Even though it is historically accurate, and highly informative, it also reads like a novel - very hard to stop reading it once you start. I am near the end now, and may just start over when I do. I live in the Southwest and have an active interest in its history and archeology - I learned a great deal about the Southwest, its peoples and history from this book.
Regards,
Cowboy 1

+ 3 on Hampton Sides "Blood and Thunder". One of the best books I've ever read.

[Big Bore 94]

I have found recent enjoyment on train and railroad books. Very nice prices. I could make a great list. I have enjoyed the history photos and the new knowledge. All are great old towns old abbandoned lines. The hardships of the workers the moguls being moguls. Power and pride. I was laid up a few months on an injury and thought I would study something new. I read and scaned about 40 books on my down time. So far.... This is my favorite. Stepen E. Ambrose. He is the same author as Band of Brothers among many history books. The whole title is "The Men Who Built The Transcontinetal Railroad 1863-1869" Nothing Like It In the Whole World. Copywright 2000 Simon & Schuster. But many an intersting story are in these train and railroad books with historic photos. Check used book store just next to free nowadays.

[Steelbanger]

My collection of books on the old west is but a single unit, "George Catlin and the Old Frontier" by Harold McCracken. Catlin was originally from Northeastern Pennsylvania and painted the various Indian tribes in the early 1800's. The book contains many portraits of both Indians and white folk of the period, along with text detailing the lives of Indians.

[jd45]

JimT, thanks for the pics............I've seen the set you're talkin about...........great! I wish you'd've taken a pic of Doc Holliday's sawed-off 10 guage Meteor "street howitzer"........tho I'm not complainin! jd45

[jd45]

I read a book several years ago at the Oak Park, Illinois library, (a western Chicago suburb), entitled, "Before Barbed Wire", in which there was a lot of detail. I'm sure it's long since out of print, but I'll go & see if it's still there & get as much info on it as I can & get back to ya. jd45