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The Wild West: History, Myth & the Making of America
Book by Nolan, Frederick
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
49 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Frederick Nolan
89 books6 followersFrederick William Nolan is an English editor and writer, mostly known as Frederick Nolan, but also using the pen names Donald Severn, Daniel Rockfern, Christine McGuire and Frederick H. Christian.
He was educated in Liverpool and Aberaeron, Wales. At the age of twenty one, he began the researches that established him as one of England's leading authorities on the American West. In 1954 he was co-founder of The English Westerners' Society.
He was educated in Liverpool and Aberaeron, Wales. At the age of twenty one, he began the researches that established him as one of England's leading authorities on the American West. In 1954 he was co-founder of The English Westerners' Society.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 13, 2020
I loved this book, it explains everything you need to know about the wild west in a way that you can can keep a chronological order of the events, making it easier for the reader. All the most infamous or celebrated characters are included.
February 11, 2023
This book gets off to a rough start with its short description of King Philip’s War. I’ve read two other books on the subject and Nolan’s account seems to be biased. His treatment of the Sand Creek Massacre is also troublesome as it fails to include the fact that the commission that reviewed the event was headed by a rival of Chivington and several of the witnesses were not even there to witness the massacre, according to other sources.
In his discussion of the Lincoln County war, he uses the word Hispanic which didn’t exist until the 1960s or 70s.
He also states the local native New Mexican population was described by Texans as “greasers” and “hardly higher in the evolutionary scale than pond scum.“ Who exactly said that? Or did all Texans say it? How often?
I would take this as a short recounting of major events in the Old West from the Lewis & Clark expedition to the death of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He talks about mountain men, bandits, cattle thieves, Jesse James, Calamity Jane, Belle Star, Tombstone, the Northfield, Minnesota Raid, the Sand Creek Massacre, The Battle of Little Big Horn and the Massacre at Wounded Knee. There are many other events and people he mentions.
How much of this can be trusted? The old accounts nowadays are discounted out of hand as exaggerations motivated by racism towards the Indians. The new accounts swing the other way. My inclination is to stick to the accounts closest to the events but to look at the motivations of the re-tellers. But there is so little to see from the Indian side.
The Old West is problematic. The immigrants did not always know what they were in for nor what was going on behind the political scenes. They came to make a life, not to displace anyone of fight them. The Indians made treaties which they broke or were broken by the US Gov’t when it found it convenient. It was unjust for Indian chiefs to act on behalf of their youth and future generations. It was murderous for young braves to go off the reservation and kill undefended homesteaders. I am against claims of collective guilt. It is a century of tens of thousands of individual decisions made by thousands of people, both white and Indian. I would have liked for him to have discussed the creation of the reservation system. I guess I’ll have to research that on my own.
In his discussion of the Lincoln County war, he uses the word Hispanic which didn’t exist until the 1960s or 70s.
He also states the local native New Mexican population was described by Texans as “greasers” and “hardly higher in the evolutionary scale than pond scum.“ Who exactly said that? Or did all Texans say it? How often?
I would take this as a short recounting of major events in the Old West from the Lewis & Clark expedition to the death of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He talks about mountain men, bandits, cattle thieves, Jesse James, Calamity Jane, Belle Star, Tombstone, the Northfield, Minnesota Raid, the Sand Creek Massacre, The Battle of Little Big Horn and the Massacre at Wounded Knee. There are many other events and people he mentions.
How much of this can be trusted? The old accounts nowadays are discounted out of hand as exaggerations motivated by racism towards the Indians. The new accounts swing the other way. My inclination is to stick to the accounts closest to the events but to look at the motivations of the re-tellers. But there is so little to see from the Indian side.
The Old West is problematic. The immigrants did not always know what they were in for nor what was going on behind the political scenes. They came to make a life, not to displace anyone of fight them. The Indians made treaties which they broke or were broken by the US Gov’t when it found it convenient. It was unjust for Indian chiefs to act on behalf of their youth and future generations. It was murderous for young braves to go off the reservation and kill undefended homesteaders. I am against claims of collective guilt. It is a century of tens of thousands of individual decisions made by thousands of people, both white and Indian. I would have liked for him to have discussed the creation of the reservation system. I guess I’ll have to research that on my own.
February 8, 2018
This book is about myths and making of America. It talks about Lewis and Clark and Billy the kid and stuff like that. I read about John Hardin and his murderous life. He first killed a man when he was 15. He stabbed another black youth in I think a school yard. After that I think he ran for most of his life. He got married to a woman I don't the name of and had babies I don't know the name of. He took them to Alabama and Florida. One day he was on an errand and was recognized and they tried to take him back to jail but he killed one of them and made his escape. After that he was confronted many times by police and the army. By the time he was 18 he had killed 27 people. He went to jail and tried to escape many times I think they let him out and his wife died and he started gambling without any luck. He married a fourteen year old girl, people think he won her in a game of poker.
The cause of all this was that first time he killed. The effect of that was years of running and killing innocent people. This I believe in conclusion, brought him to his death.
In my opinion I thought it was a good book (even though I don't really remember it). I like stuff about cowboys and Shootists' (not the John Wayne movie although that was good). I liked that it also had stuff about Indians and other stuff. I only read about the cowboy so I don't know about the other stuff even though it is in there.
The cause of all this was that first time he killed. The effect of that was years of running and killing innocent people. This I believe in conclusion, brought him to his death.
In my opinion I thought it was a good book (even though I don't really remember it). I like stuff about cowboys and Shootists' (not the John Wayne movie although that was good). I liked that it also had stuff about Indians and other stuff. I only read about the cowboy so I don't know about the other stuff even though it is in there.
March 13, 2020
I loved this book, it explains everything you need to know about the wild west in a way that you can can keep a chronological order of the events, making it easier for the reader. All the most infamous or celebrated characters are included.
July 15, 2018
A little book that tries to cover a bit too much ground. Full of interesting stories and characters, but stories are often left superficial because they are dealt with in at max 3 pages. A good starting point if you want to get an overall picture of the most iconic people in the history of the Western frontier. Prepare yourself for looking for more throughout books if you are looking for more detailed information.
October 18, 2024
Fascinating and sobering
A very good read, enlightening, factual and very interesting story of the wild and often very wild west. It was heartening to read of the women involved in various crimes too. Everyone had to be hardy to even survive but my sympathies lie with the Indians robbed and slaughtered, by a race who thought themselves superior, beggars belief.
A very good read, enlightening, factual and very interesting story of the wild and often very wild west. It was heartening to read of the women involved in various crimes too. Everyone had to be hardy to even survive but my sympathies lie with the Indians robbed and slaughtered, by a race who thought themselves superior, beggars belief.
January 14, 2021
A decent enough primer that jumps around and details some of the key events and people of the era. Does the job from a top level point of view though let down by the author's occasional sweeping statements against women of the time and Native Americans.
September 9, 2024
Note: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
A brisk and fun introduction to a subject as vast as its landscape. I'm sure more serious scholars of the period will baulk at its focus on the famous legends rather than the more prosaic forces of history, but Nolan's trick is to use the former as a way into the latter. He remembers why people are fascinated by the Old West and doesn't tell them off for it.
A brisk and fun introduction to a subject as vast as its landscape. I'm sure more serious scholars of the period will baulk at its focus on the famous legends rather than the more prosaic forces of history, but Nolan's trick is to use the former as a way into the latter. He remembers why people are fascinated by the Old West and doesn't tell them off for it.
March 18, 2024
A fascinating and detailed history of the Wild West through a wide range of stories. I knew little of American history and these stories have inspired me to read more o the subject. That you to Net Galley for an audio arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 1, 2019
Disappointing- not a serious piece of work.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews