Legends and Lies: Great Mysteries of the American West

by Dale L. Walker

Examines twelve of the greatest enigmas of the American West, from the unexplained death of explorer Meriwether Lewis to a fabled treasure in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History, Westerns, Biography

320 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1997

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good book. It's basically episodic - covering twelve incidents in the history of the American "Wild West" - though some connections between the incident occur. The book's theme, as noted in its subtitle, is "Great Mysteries of the American West", and while the author seems to stretch a bit to drag a few of the incidents (such as Custer's Last Stand) under the "mystery" banner, he does a very good job of presenting evidence on all sides of each matter and explaining how credible each witness may be.

Furthermore, except for one briefly incoherent digression about Jack the Ripper, every chapter focuses briskly and intently on its topic; the chapter on Billy the Kid, to take one random example, wastes no time on a meandering personal history of lawman Pat Garrett, who shot him. I've come to expect nonfiction histories to ramble all over the place, spending a dozen pages on irrelevant details about a minor character or the history of a pub where two characters will spend five minutes - so the crisp focus of "Legends and Lies" is a welcome change.

Highly recommended.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book Legends

You can read the real life Legends of the US and know that it is right. Great read and the true.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I greatly enjoyed this book. I learned a lot about topics I did not pay much attention to before. If you are looking for a fun historical read, I recommend this.

[Barbara Clifford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read. Some of it was a bit draggy but still good.

[Jim Bales · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love history and telling the real stories of some of the biggest legends of the west was fascinating.

[Diogenes Grief · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Legends and Lies” is a fun, affable book that while dated (1997), is part blue-collar lit review and part MythBusters©-esque discovery. Each chapter has its own subject, so I would even go so far as to call them single-sitting summaries for say, when one feels compelled to pop a squat in the bathroom after a heavy meal. While I know historical and archaeological projects have progressed on at least one topic—the battle of Little Bighorn—since this book was published (http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history...), the lore and mythologizing of the incredibly brief period of the “Wild West” still captivates many of us around the world, and for very good reasons. HBO’s “Deadwood” is one of my favorite shows of all time, and while the creator and writers used historical documents to help craft the show, they took great liberties to lionize all the main characters.

Walker’s writing style reminded me of those old Hardy Boys mysteries, and on occasion Cormac McCarthy. What’s really nice is that the author flat-out explains how many of these legendary figures and places might forever be masked in mystery. While I had no idea about so many amazing stories of conspiracies and somewhat plausible claims of survival past recorded death dates, “Legends and Lies” helps educate in an entertaining, digestible way. I’m sure there are a boatload of more academic works out there (see the aforementioned link), but for the average reader desiring enjoyment over academics, you couldn’t go wrong picking up this title at a used books store.

[Madeline Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book by random while looking through my grandfather’s old bookcase and through curiosity, I decided to give it a skim of read in due of my grandfather’s love for all things “Ol’ Wild West”. With a shock, I proudly admit that each and every chapter enamored me to research and delve deeper into the history of the 1800’s. Walker’s choice of words and detail explanations will cause the reader (including myself) to feel the need to not put the book down and to continue to just read more and more. This is a book that I would openly and honestly recommend anyone and others to just give it a chance to read as it gives the audience the opportunity of self-reflection and view of reality behind the tales and stories of the Wild West we seemed to know as.

[Matt Coleman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love history, especially learning details about stories I should already know. The problem with this book is that it is dated. It was published in 1997, and it shows. More evidence has probably surfaced in the last 15 years, and DNA technology had definitely improved. It still seemed like a new technology at the publishing date. I the preface, the author seemed to say that he would clear up the issues; he didn't. He presented all the information that has been presented since the incidents he covers, but doesn't do much more than summarize.

[Melea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Walker explores some of the mysteries of the Old West. He compiled information to "solve" some of the mysteries, while others remain unsolved, and may always be so. I enjoyed reading about these incident. I had not been familiar with some. The mysterious disappearance of Ambrose Bierce was one that I had never heard of. I am familiar of the Mountain Meadows Massacre, but it always gives me chills.

[Charolette Austin]

The information was good once you got through the crap. When reading a book like this I like to just get the facts, I found myself drifting off while reading.
It took me awhile to finish because I kept putting it down then going back hoping it would get better.
Someone else may find this a really good read but I didn't.

[Calvin]

I love iconclastic history, but this was a bit boring

[John B. Auel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

Well researched. Interesting and well written. Some of the stories were known to me but others were new. Worth your time.

[Louis C Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting here and there