The Mammoth Book of the West: The Making of the American West by Jon E. Lewis

The Mammoth Book of the West: The Making of the American West Reviews

• 
  Dimitri

  It's surprising how well the mythology of the Wild West (Lucky Luke comics included) can serve as a framework for the history of the West. The thematic approach is slightly based upon controversy. The story moves swiftly from the first centuries of European colonisation to the Lewis & Clark expedition, after which the mass migration trails for land and gold spread across the map. Out of the resulting frictions, the legendary figures of the age were born: the cowboy, the miner, the prospector, the outlaw... and oddly enough, the clash between sheep and cattle breeders over the grass of the Great Plains. Somehow, a sense of chronology is kept up, with the railways as the main breaking point between the 'true' Wild West and the West that was molded into the framework of the Reconstruction nation. This goes also for the last quarter of the story, devoted wholly to the Indian Wars. It's a shift of focus away from the 'settling' in all its forms and the native inhabitants of the land that are forever pushed to the margins. Sometimes they pushed back. Hard.
  
  What's striking when your field is 20th century wars, is how recent the West came to end, preserved only in a heavily sanitized rodeo show form; the generation that rode out into the sunset went to the grave while their grandchildren read about the sinking of the Titanic and periodical tensions among the Great Powers of Europe.
  
  What is striking for everyone is how HARD life on the frontier was : most of its romantic heroes never even reaped the benefits of their labour; that went to the men in top hats and golden chain watches on their waistcoats.
• 
  Danny Martin

  Catching up on some History, this is a good one as summaries go. yes, I said a "summary," all 500 pages. includes / buzzwords-topics: Louisiana Purchase; French Indian Wars; homsteading; pioneers; Cowboys; Cochise; Sitting Bull; George Custer; billy the Kid; Bat masterson; Doc Holiday; The Youngers; The James Brothers; rustlers; the 49's; gold rush; The donner Party; The Daltons; Pinkertons; Wyatt Earp; buffalo Bill Cody; Brothels; Deadwood; Boomtowns; Wounded Knee, and on and on and on. I can speak somewhat intelligently on the West now. lol
• 
  Julie

  Straight forward, informative history book.
• 
  Vincent T. Ciaramella

  This took me awhile but it was worth it. Everything you've ever wanted to know about the American West. It's not a book that reads like a story. It's more topical. If you want to read about cattle drives, there is a chapter for that. If you are interested in the different trails then there is plenty to read. I love the American West so this was a fun read for me. It's also great reference book for anyone wanting to explore on the surface before going into more complex scholarship.
• 
  Kat

  The Making of the American West is painstakingly researched and referenced and still manages to be an entertaining read. At over 500 pages, the book a bit of trek, but it's well worth the journey.
• 
  David Flett

  Very poor.