The American West: A New Interpretive History (The Lamar Series in Western History)

accuracy of condition and price

This book covers everything from Columbus’s first voyages to spaghetti westerns, and does so with great detail and aplomb. This could have very easily been a dry academic tome, and while it is dense, it’s also narratively compelling. I learned a ton about the ever-changing relationship between settlers, including the Spanish, French, and Americans, and the First Nations peoples. I learned a ton about so much else, and so can you, if you read this excellent book. My only negative is I feel it doesn’t spend enough time on the era most associated with the “Old West” (1865-1890), but it makes up for that by being excellent elsewhere.

Package was opened by a knife or other sharp object. Book had slices along the cover.

The style in which it’s written makes it tough to follow. I read often but find myself reading sentences and sometimes entire paragraphs trying to figure out what they’re talking about or if there’s a point they’re trying to make. Pompous and arrogant is how I would describe their style. Just read John T. Coleman’s comments above and you’ll understand. He’s one of the authors and is quite full of himself.