Red Dead's History: A Video Game, an Obsession, and America's Violent Past

by Tore C. Olsson, Roger Clark (Narrator)

A pathbreaking new way to examine US history, through the lens of a bestselling video game

Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption II , set in 1911 and 1899, are the most-played American history video games since The Oregon Trail . Beloved by millions, they’ve been widely acclaimed for their realism and attention to detail. But how do they fare as recreations of history?

In this engaging book, award-winning American history professor Tore Olsson takes up that question and more. Weaving the games’ plot and characters into an exploration of American violence between 1870 and 1920, Olsson shows that it was more often disputes over capitalism and race, not just poker games and bank robberies, that fueled the bloodshed of these turbulent years. As such, this era has much to teach us today. From the West to the Deep South to Appalachia, Olsson reveals the gritty and brutal world that inspired the games, but sometimes lacks context and complexity on the digital screen. Colorful, fast-paced, and dramatic, Red Dead’s History sheds light on dark corners of the American past for gamers and history buffs alike.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Video Games, Audiobook, Westerns, Gaming, American History

Audiobook

First published August 6, 2024

Reviews

[PamG · Rating 3 out of 5]

Red Dead’s History by Tore C. Olsson has a fantastic premise and was inspired by the author’s college history class that he taught. It covered the Red Dead Redemption games and history and drew upon years of gaming experience, research, and reflections on how video games can interest individuals in serious history. The book focused on the game set in 1899 that has been touted for its realism and attention to detail. The author looks at the game and the actual U.S. history and evaluates where the game shines and where it falls short as he explores events in the West, the Deep South, and southern Appalachia that the game introduces.

While I enjoy history, I found this book somewhat slow-paced, which is not what I expected. If you are familiar with the late 19th century U.S. history, you probably won’t learn anything new. However, it did flesh out a couple of items in more detail than I had studied. I appreciated that the author covered the social, cultural, economic, and political atmosphere, as well as the violence, of the time. There are also many footnotes with sources listed.

Overall, this is a creative, well-researched, and well-organized book that ended up a little too slow for my tastes. I was expecting history to come alive and to learn something new, but that didn’t happen. However, it may work to get someone who doesn’t already like history to engage with it; especially if they enjoy the video game.

St. Martin’s Press and Tore C. Olsson provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for August 06, 2024.
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My 2.63 rounded to 3 stars review is coming soon. Outlier rating.

[Brendan (History Nerds United) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peanut butter and jelly. Cookies and milk. To these iconic pairings, let's add video games and history. Don't believe me? Then let me introduce you to Tore Olsson and his wonderful book, Red Dead's History.

For the uninitiated, there is a video game franchise with three different games, Red Dead Revolver, Red Dead Redemption, and Red Dead Redemption II. All three are fun, but Olsson wants to focus on the sprawling, intricate, and surprisingly historically accurate Red Dead Redemption II. It follows some outlaws in 1899 on various adventures. Sure, some may ask, "Brendan, I don't play video games so why should I care?" First of all, that's a terrible attitude. Second, you have not yet lived, my friend. Finally, this game let's you be an outlaw and rob banks without the real life risk of death and jail. What more could you possibly want?

Olsson's book is compulsively readable. He calls out the good and bad of the game. For historians, I think most would be shocked how much it gets right. I've played all the games and they are immersive in a way you could only dream of back in the days of the original NES, Playstation, (or if you are super old), Atari. Olsson created a college class out of his idea and you can tell he was able to distill down the most interesting aspects and put them in the book. If you are well-read in this part of history, then you probably won't learn anything new. However, Olsson has written a book targeted at the person who doesn't realize they love history....yet. It's a triumph.

(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and St. Martin's Press.)

[ancientreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is amazingly good, a valuable history even for those of us who don't play Red Dead Redemption: it describes RDR's version of late-19th-century US history and explains where it succeeds and where it falls short without spending so much time on the game as to forfeit a non-player's interest. Excellent discussions (listed in no particular order) of, among other topics:

- western US expansion and the expulsion and genocide of Native peoples
- the environmental catastrophe that was the mass slaughter of bison
- the timber-and-coal pillaging of Appalachia, with the destruction of the subsistence-farming "yeomanry" and of the commons
- chattel slavery and the rise of King Cotton
- Reconstruction and "Redemption" (not in the game's sense -- in the "Lost Cause" sense)
- the rise of "Lost Cause" mythology and the ubiquity and propaganda purpose of Confederate monuments
- African American resistance to white supremacism
- how white advocates of women's suffrage betrayed African American women in order to get the 19th Amendment passed
- Progressivism and the undermining of potential alliance between poor whites and African Americans

All this in lively, clear prose. I wish my high school history textbooks had been even half as truthful and engaging. (Not that Red Dead's History is suitable only for any single age group; I was absorbed even as an old lady who reads a lot of history -- but gosh, it would have been nice to get less whitewashing than I did, back in the day.)

My one criticism is that the generally excellent narrator (Roger Clark, who voices the game's protagonist, Arthur Morgan) speaks too slowly -- at least, too slowly for my fast-talking Northeasterner taste. I listened at 1.25 speed.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC. Strongly recommended.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging and enlightening, Olsson delves into the historical context behind Red Dead Redemption 2 and gifts both historians and gamers a thoughtful look at the social and political constructs that defined the era depicted in the game. I learned lots about the history of the West, the South, and the Southern Appalachias, and the various factors that led to their modern-day depictions and stereotypes. This book scratched a particularly good itch and has me very excited to play through RDR2 again, now with historical context that will enhance my play through. I appreciate what Olssen does with this book, resembling what was likely his class’s outline, in tackling the various social issues that the game spotlights chronologically from the perspective of a fan of the game.
This was an exciting read, thank you Tore C. Olssen, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley.

[Netanella · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 1/2 out of 5 stars, rounded up, of course.

The author does an excellent job in using the video game "Red Dead Redemption II" as a vehicle through which to discuss the historical context of the "harnessing of the West," as he puts it. As a student and teacher of history, I found the book erudite, with primary sources and good ol' footnotes, embedded with various scenes and characters from the video game. As the author himself found out in his classes, using a video game to drive interest, discussion, and research into an academic subject is rewarding and fun. I enjoyed the read, and I hope that I can do something like this in my classes. Kudos!

My thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity of an early read.

[Andrew Steenkamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was nothing short of fantastic, easiest 5 star review ever in my short reading career. It was refreshing diving into historical nonfiction that brought me back to my high school days and reading something other than murder mysteries or sports genres as of late. Olsson provided a fun and interesting twist combining a blockbuster video game with factual contexts. This is a must read for anyone who played the video game. What a great way to start off my 2025 reading campaign!

[Alex Richey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never played Red Dead Redemption 2, but now I have to.

[naomi ☾ (abooktoberead) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 🌟


i admittedly wanted to read this because red dead redemption ll is my favorite piece of media i have ever consumed. i think learning history is crucial, but up until i played this game, i was not interested in this era of history. however, i became intrigued soon after my first playthrough. 


i have spent countless hours in the past couple years learning everything i could about red dead. including everything it got right, and what it didn't. i think tore c. olsson does a great job not shying away from the game's inaccuracies of how things really were, which, to my understanding, are few and far between.


this isn't a book about the game, but rather a book using the plot, characters, settings, etc. of red dead redemption ll as a vehicle to discuss various themes of what we know happened in the old west, the deep south, and southern appalachia. and, what a creative and engaging way to do it.


a huge bonus that roger clark, a seasoned audiobook narrator and arthur morgan himself, lends his voice to this. it made it a very easy listen. 


i think this was a bit slower paced than i would have liked, but overall, i really enjoyed this and felt like i learned a lot!

[Gilbert Pruitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was spectacular. You can tell it was written thoroughly and with great passion.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up for being a fantastic history book but only a fine video game analysis book. Obviously this is trying to be a history book, so it is weighted in favor of that point. It does a phenomenal job of introducing and linking a wide variety of topics- while the sections I was already familiar with didn't have much new information, they did present complex topics in an easily accessible way and topics I wasn't familiar with provided a fantastic jumping off point for further research, which is not only to be expected but hoped for in a text that covers so many topics. My only real comment on the history part of the book is that I wish there had been a "Recommended Reading" section at the end, though this may exist and I missed it by listening to the audio book.

Where this book felt short was ironically in the video game aspect. Despite revolving around a game series, the books view of video games seems to be almost condescending at points. The author states several times that he stopped playing games for a very long time, only returning to them with the Red Dead series during the pandemic, and this shows. There were several times that an aspect of the game would be lauded as an example of how video games can and should exist, and while none of these examples were *wrong*- Red Dead does many thing that should be lauded from both the historical perspective and a narrative and game play one- they often came off to me as being hollow or uninformed. It implies that Red Dead is unique in ways that it oftentimes isn't, and the only games that are ever mentioned are either extremely outdated (the narrative structures of Oregon Trail and modern story based games cannot be mapped one to one onto each other for easy comparison) or were other games made by the same developer. Ultimately this is not a book about video games, so I only dinged it half a star, but as someone who does know a thing or two about video games I felt it was slightly distracting and disappointing.

If you've played Red Dead I recommend you listen to this book instead of read it. While I usually dislike listening to historical nonfiction because I find it to easy to miss important details, and I'm never happy with how they make footnotes or endnotes work, the book is read by Roger Clark in his Arthur voice, and it's *amazing*. If you haven't played Red Dead I recommend you stop, play it, and then listen to the book.

[Katharine Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is how history should be taught.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have spent more hours than I am proud to admit finding myself fully immersed in the Red Dead video game series. My introduction to the series starts all the way back in 2005, when my love of westerns led me to buy an oddball game titled Red Dead Revolver. While the world of the van der Linde gang in Red Dead Redemption and its follow-up Red Dead Redemption 2 bear little resemblance to that of Red Harlow, the technical evolution from the first entry of the series to the most recent is astounding. But despite the technical prowess of the series, it is the story, the characters, and attention to the minute details that create the surrounding environment that capture the imagination and render the gameplayer hooked from the moment they are introduced to John Marston and again later to Arthur Morgan.

So naturally when I stumbled upon this book title, I immediately had to read it. Right from the start I find a kindred spirit in Tore Olsson. Like the author, I am not a regular gamer, but have a deep love for history. Reading along in this book not only explains the historical context of the game’s setting, but also reveals why myself, and many others enjoy it so much. History itself is the greatest of storytellers, and the fact that the creators of RDR2 represented actual history so well, while creating a fictional tale, is a key driver to its massive success. In this book we find a detailed look at the expansive environment of Red Dead Redemption 2. Olsson neatly divides the book into three sections, one for each part of the country the player encounters in the game.

We begin with the west, where Olsson examines a multitude of themes and circumstances that shaped what the west would have looked like during the time period of RDR2. Olsson touches upon the backdrop and makeup of the West itself, while also sifting the cliches of Cowboys and Indians from the facts of who these people really were. He also provides insight into the real-life people and groups, like the Wild Bunch and the Pinkertons, that inspired the characters and events of RDR2.

In the next section Olsson move to the Deep South, noting that it is a rarity for a video game to use such a setting. In this section Olsson provides an in-depth look at how race, both before and after the Civil War shaped the South in 1899. I personally found the chapters examining Jim Crow and the Lost Cause to be the highlight of this book, as they provided excellent context into how and why both came into existence, what that meant for 1899 Red Dead Redemption, and what that meant for 1899, and even present day, USA. Olsson also looks into the role of immigrants in the US at this time as well as Women’s Suffrage, again both topics rarely touched upon in a video game, and hence worthy of mention by the author.

Finally, the third section studies Appalachia, and the race for mining and felling its resources, which profited few and impoverished many. I found this particularly interesting in both the dispelling of the “hillbilly” stereotype, and the circumstances behind the economic exploitation of the region and its inhabitants that have remained even today.

Throughout each section, while Olsson provides the historical backdrop, he also judges what the game got right, and what was lacking. Unsurprisingly, the developers at Rockstar Games, who famously pour over the minutia of every aspect of their game environments, get far, far more right than they do wrong. Once you play this game it is easy to see how a Professor of History like Olsson could get sucked into it and end up with hundreds of pages dedicated to the history behind the game. Likewise, if you are one of the millions of people that love the game, you will find yourself getting sucked into this book. I only wish I could register for Olsson’s class!
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was well organized, well researched, easy to read, and included a personal touch from the author. A special thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read it in advance. I’m of to begin yet another play-through as Arthur Morgan

[Hobart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S RED DEAD'S HISTORY ABOUT?
Like so many people around the world, the author got back into video games in 2020 as a way to fill the hours he wasn't interacting with people in real life. Like so many others, one of the games that captured his attention was Red Dead Redemption II. Unlike so many people Tore C. Olsson is an American History professor, so while he was fun doing whatever it is exactly that you do in the game*, part of his brain was looking at the history and time being depicted in the game. Because if there's one thing the game is known for, is being the most popular and influential game set in American History since The Oregon Trail from the 80s.

* It should be obvious that I don't play video games at all, not even the one in question.

Olsson went on to make headlines—and pack lecture halls—by teaching a history course based on the games, and he's now turned it into a book.

This is not a book about the game (although he talks about it a lot), it is not a point-by-point examination of the historical details (but it comes up a little), it's primarily using the game, and the things shown/talked about/alluded to in it as a launching pad to discuss themes, movements, and particulars from post-Civil War America.

The focus for the book is Red Dead Redemption II, but Red Dead Redemption comes up from time to time—but not any of the other games in the franchise. Olsson's discussion follows the geographic order and proportions of the game—starting with adventures in the West, moving to the Deep South (for the majority of the book), and then wrapping things up in Southern Appalachia.

HISTORICAL ACCURACY OF THE GAME
From the start, Olsson is clear, he's not going to get into slicing and dicing the historical accuracy of Red Dead Redemption 2, but...he can't help talking about it every now and then. He has a lot of good things to say about the history of the game (really, he wouldn't have taught a class or written a book inspired by it without that), but the biggest note seems to be—if the game had been set 20-30 years earlier than it was, it would've been better.

There are particular points here and there where he will offer specific critiques and commendations—but that's essentially the point he keeps coming back to.

Now, I don't know enough about the storylines of Red Dead Redemption or Red Dead Redemption II to know why the developers insisted that the game takes place when it does—and it certainly seems like they did have an eye for historical detail—they just missed it. It might be a game continuity thing, there might be all sorts of explanations for it. I don't know.

Now, Olsson isn't sitting there like Neil de Grasse Tyson tweeting about the scientific inaccuracies in movies, the point of the book isn't to critique the depictions of the era. But while he's talking about the various topics, he will mention them briefly. It doesn't take anything away from the game for him.

THE WEST
The first section focused on is the one that the game is best known for (and, I'll be honest, the only thing I thought the game had)—a strong take on the West. I'd like to say that I'd read a book about the subject of each chapter were Olsson to expand them, and that's true in a perfect world, but I'm not sure I really would. But I'd be willing to.

I should note that it's probably very easy to read several books on the topics of each chapter right now. And you never know, I just might.

This section covers things as nebulous as the concept of "The American West"—and when did it start dying/disappearing (if ever). Controversial topics like The Indian Wars, the amount of violence in the West (and some of the notable persons behind it), how Justice/Laws were enforced, and so on. Olsson also covers things you'd expect (especially if you actually know the game)—the construction of and use of the railways; cowboys; The Pinkertons; Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid.

I learned so much about all of these things—and I'm very tempted to go out in search of some of the books footnoted here.

THE DEEP SOUTH
As anyone who teaches American History—particularly in a place like Tennessee—is aware, talking about the Deep South in a post-Civil War era is a daunting task. But as that's where the bulk of the gameplay takes place, the bulk of the book gets that treatment as well.

As with the rest of the book, Olsson talks about the game's portrayal of this area and the topics, how media culture(s) depict of this area and the topics, and finally looking at the history of the area itself.

In this Part of the book, Olsson talked about such non-controversial topics as: The Paradox of Race; From Old South to New South; The White-Hooded Menace; The Tragedy of Lynching; In the Fields (largely post-War); Working on the Chain Gang; Mr. Jim Crow; The Lause Cause; New Orleans, 1899; and Votes for Women.

Obviously, there's far, far too much to say about any of these topics than he has time for in a book of this size and scope—but what's there is provocative (in a good way), thoughtful, and well-footnoted so curious readers (and there will be many after these chapters) can do some follow-up reading. Yes, that's a sentence that applies to the book as a whole, but it seems apt to emphasize it here.

SOUTHERN APPALACHIA
This part feels very timely considering how much Appalachia, Appalachia, and portrayals of the area/its residents in the media have been in the last few weeks.

Olsson only gives three chapters to this part of the book (about 11%) as much as he might be kicking himself for that now. Like with Part I: The West, he starts by discussing "The Appalachian Myth." Just what makes up this part of the country? Why has it captured the imagination the way it has? How much of what we think of when we think "Appalachia" is true now or ever was?

He then looks at the race to claim parts of it after the Civil War and how that shaped the culture and history of it. Then he spends a chapter looking at Blood Fueds—obviously focusing on the Hatfield/McCoy feud, what lies at its root—and the surprising ways it actually broke along family lines.

I was a little too tired while reading this section to get as much out of it as I think I ordinarily would've—and really should revisit it once the book is released, I think I missed some good stuff.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT RED DEAD'S HISTORY?
I had some really good history professors and teachers over the years, so I really don't want to say that Olsson is the professor I wish I had—but really, I don't imagine many will read this book and not want to take a class or two from Olsson.

The writing is engaging, witty, and insightful. He has a real knack for making you care about something you really didn't care about just a few pages earlier—for that matter, you may not have been aware it was a thing you could care about/be interested in just a few pages earlier. I'm not going to suggest you'll agree with him all of the time, because you won't. But you'll almost certainly enjoy his perspective as well as his presentation of the facts.

I'm not really the target audience for this book—I figure that's game players who want to dive in to get more depth about the context of the game. To learn the stories behind the game's stories. Or those who now have an interest in American History and don't know where to go get more information outside a stuffy-looking textbook. Given that, I think it says a lot when I tell you that I had a great time reading this, and am more curious the game than I had been before. Not so curious to actually play it (or buy the game, a console to play it on, etc.)—but enough to talk to my son who has played through it—and has spent a lot of time doing sidequests and whatnot, and maybe even to watch some gameplay videos online. And that's more than I typically am interested in doing.

This is a great way to approach American History; it's a good way to approach this type of media (games or otherwise); and it's just an entertaining read regardless. It moves a little slower than a novel—but not much (for those who are daunted by non-fiction reads). Really, there's not much to not commend about this book. You really should check it out.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley—thanks to both for this.

[Riley · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a cash grab for admirers of the Red Dead Redemption.

[Patrick SG · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good book aimed at the general reader on the major topics of the American West as told through the perspective of the video game series "Red Dead Redemption." The chapters are largely grouped around themes that make up the history of the West, for example interaction between Natives and Settlers, rail expansion and frequency of violence. The book is amply footnoted and contains an extensive bibliography. I was pleasantly surprised to see a number of books I had used in my studies (which began in the 1970s) as well as a reference to my first college history professor, Richard Maxwell Brown, whose focus of study was violence in American history.

The author does a good job of showing where the gameplay of the video game differs in time and place from the historical record. Some scenarios in the game did not fit with what was going on in the actual history, for example battles with Natives that extended into the early 20th century.

The author makes an effort to praise the developers of the video games for hewing as closely to actual history as they do. It's encouraging in our current video-obsessed world to see this occurring. I recall a visit to the Indianapolis Children's Museum in the 1980s where the computer game "Oregon Trail" was supplementing an exhibit on westward expansion. Those who have played this game will know that whatever the historical shortcomings of the game it often did encourage the players to learn more about the times. I could see that in the groups of children who after a turn on the computer actively entered the rest of the exhibit with enthusiasm.

This book does a good job of doing that as well and expanding a player's knowledge. I would hope that all players of this video game series could have a companion copy of this book to supplement what they experience online. It's also a valuable reference for those wishing to learn more of the actual history of the American West.

[Ramiro Guerra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book which I judged by its cover and I wasn’t disappointed. The author begins by telling the personal story about him coming back to gaming after over a decade away, and the first game he chose was this epic western game by Rockstar Games. I was immediately drawn in because that was my experience as well…big difference is I’m the history nerd and this book was written by a history academic. Sign me up, bruv

Admittedly, I didn’t learn” a whole lot with this. humble brag: I’m a pretty big nerd when it comes to American History, so a lot of the facts weren’t new to me. With that said, the author did a great job of weaving the gaming experience and connecting it to real life, violent and ugly, American history

If nothing else, it was a wonderfully honest crash course course of American History, post Civil War.

It also goes without saying that I absolutely LOVED the video game, and would encourage all gamers of all levels to indulge. This book made me love the game even more, and I’m probably going to do another play through very soon now 😎

[Emily Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never found 19th-century Southern and Western history interesting, but learning about it through the lens of one of my favorite video games was fantastic. Who knew so many weird stereotypes began in this period, or that our perception of Reconstruction was largely due to rich white politicians who wanted to maintain control over everything!

This book made me realize that the history I learned in grade school was whitewashed and mediocre, uh oh! While this book was primarily about America's violent past, I'd be interested to learn more in the future.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tore C. Olsson has written a history textbook that has informed me of the past without putting me to sleep. I was already planning on replaying RDR2, but this makes me want to replay it even more (and with greater context).

[Colleen Rodgers · Rating 5 out of 5]

have been lucky enough to watch both erin and tom play this game for a combined total of maybe 5 hours so wasn't sure if this book would mean anything to me- but i loved it! reminded me how much i love learning about this era of history. what a treat!

[Mari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible book. Very well researched. 10/10

[Nicole LaManna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love HISTORY and I love VIDEO GAMES !!! 5 stars.

[tess pocrnich · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ super interesting and approachable look at the history of the us in the late 1800s/early 1900s

[Ben Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok admittedly your boy has not been reading a lot lately but we are so back with a banger. Red Dead Redemption 2 (the best video game ever made) meets American History podcast???? Can’t believe I didn’t find this sooner. I was listening to this as an audiobook on the way to work and wanted it to be like double the length but all good things must end. Also the audiobook is literally read by Arthur Morgan which is insane

[Eugene Korostylov · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great overview of the US history during 19th century

[Alissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

extra half star for getting roger clark to read for the audiobook

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

An Uneven Ride.

Olsson's 2024 Red Dead's History offers a moderately engaging, though overly broad, exploration of the history behind the popular video game. However, the book quickly overstays its welcome as it drifts further from both the historical context and the game itself.

The standout feature of the book is the audiobook edition, narrated by Roger Clark, the voice of Arthur Morgan. Clark's performance, especially when he recreates iconic lines from the game in his full Arthur “mah boah!” glory, adds a delightful layer of nostalgia. Without this unique draw, however, the book's appeal diminishes significantly.

Beyond the novelty of Clark's narration, Red Dead's History does touch on some intriguing topics, including the dynamics of cowboys versus outlaws, the Pinkertons, cattle ranching, the open range, and Appalachia. Yet, while much of the game is set in a fictionalized American South, Olsson disproportionately focuses on the antebellum South, neglecting the more pertinent post-war, Reconstruction, and post-Reconstruction periods that align more closely with the game’s setting. This overemphasis on the antebellum era feels more like padding than a meaningful engagement with the game’s historical timeframe.

The term "Gilded Age" is liberally thrown around in the text, but the book struggles to connect the defining traits of the era to the game. The shallow opulence symbolizing the Gilded Age was largely absent in the game’s portrayal of the American South, Southwest, and Plains. Moreover, characters like Leviticus Cornwall embody the traits of earlier industrialists, rather than the monopolistic magnates of the later Gilded Age like Carnegie or Rockefeller.

Olsson also displays a tendency toward ideological imprecision. The frequent use of "conservative" to describe post-war racial supremacists is historically inaccurate; "Democrat" would have been a more time-appropriate descriptor. Similarly, the occasional references to "social justice" feel both anachronistic and out of place, as does the unnecessary inclusion of a poorly articulated defense of critical race theory, which awkwardly disrupts the narrative flow.

One of the book’s most glaring missteps comes in its coverage of the game’s Appalachian chapters. While Olsson’s effort to challenge the game’s Appalachian stereotypes is commendable, the extended focus on the Hatfield-McCoy feud feels gratuitous. His claim that the game’s feuding Gray and Braithwaite families serve as stand-ins for the Hatfields and McCoys is equally unconvincing. The aristocratic, Southern feud depicted in the game clearly echoes Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, with the "star-cross’d lovers" trope at its heart. The Hatfields and McCoys, for all their notoriety, were nothing like the "two households, both alike in dignity" described by Shakespeare.

A more compelling approach would have been a closer examination of the game’s unique characters and their historical inspirations. Instead, Olsson increasingly drifts into general commentary on the game’s themes or digresses into unrelated filler material. As the book progresses, its connection to the game weakens, leaving readers with little more than scattered historical musings.

In the end, much like an overhyped video game, Red Dead's History starts strong but falters in the midgame and limps toward a lackluster conclusion. Thankfully, Roger Clark’s narration salvages some enjoyment, but the book as a whole falls short of its potential.

[Dylan Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting and creative approach to the history of the Old West. Seeing American history through the eyes of Red Dead Redemption was fascinating and I would definitely recommend this to other Old West buffs,

[Eric R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved this book! It picks up around the end of Civil War to talk about things that take place during reconstruction and guilded age but in areas outside major cities in the east. What you get instead is a discussion of social issues and origin explanations of some aspects of the American West. What you get then is far more interesting than sheriffs, gunslingers, and outlaws; you get a discussion of how capitalists established and defended their projects and fascinating chapters on roles of women and formerly enslaved people. I bought this book because I find the game neat, but the history behind it is way more fascinating. Highly recommended for fans of the game or anyone interested in better contextualizing the American West.

[hyper saline · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Gamer's Introduction To Racism

[Veronica · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Out of 5 Stars

In 2021, IGN put Red Dead Redemption II as number 8 in the best 100 video games of all time. This popular 2018 game is the only history-based game to make it into the top 100. Historian Tore C. Olsson examines the setting and contents of the game and compares it to actual historical events to show how well the game does in accuracy.

From the West to the Deep South and finally to Southern Appalachia, Red Dead’s History: A Video Game, An Obsession, and America’s Violent Past explores each setting and examines how the video game presents it and how the real locations looked historically. Olsson argues that violence (known as the most toxic and problematic part of video games) is a way to begin comprehending the crucial features of modern American history.

Olsson’s exploration of Red Dead Redemption II is thorough and covers a lot of ground. He examines large swaths of the US, and although he only looks at a few decades of history, there is a tremendous amount of material to cover. Because of this, some areas do not receive the same amount of attention. Part Three of the book, Southern Appalachia, does not receive the same detail as the West and the Deep South. While this could be for numerous reasons, it leaves the reader wanting more.

Even though the book has some cons, the writing, analysis, and other aspects are well done. Part One is the most engaging section of the book. It focuses on the West and stands out amongst the other parts because it closely resembles how Red Dead Redemption II is advertised: as a Western. Another excellent part of the book is how well the thesis carries through the chapters. Violence in the game and American history is the star of the work. Each chapter compares the violence in the game to violence in history and discusses how well the game shows historical events. It also explores how audiences today would handle the subject matter. Olsson speculates that some iconography or specific events are excluded from Red Dead Redemption II because it might alienate audiences.

Overall, this book is very well-written. It provides a more mainstream way to examine modern American history. I highly recommend this book. Whether you are a fan of Red Dead Redemption II or an American history fanatic, this book is a great choice. It does an excellent job showing late nineteenth-century American history and highlights aspects of that history that many people may not be aware of. It also contributes to the larger histography through modern-day stereotypes that started during the turn of the twentieth century. It is time that historians start looking more closely at pop culture media and how it lets more people learn about history, even if it is just an opening to learning more.