Deadwood: Gold, Guns and Greed in the American West

by Peter Cozzens

Sifting through layers and layers of myth and legend, Peter Cozzens - the award-winning author of The Earth is Weeping - unveils the true face of Deadwood, South Dakota, the storied mining town that sprang up in early 1876, and was made famous by the HBO series of the same name.


Built on land brazenly stolen from the Lakotas, Deadwood was not merely a place where outlaws lurked, but was itself an outlaw enterprise, not part of any US territory or subject to its laws or governance. This gave rise to the gunslinging, stage-coach robbing, whiskey-guzzling, rampant prostitution and gambling that has come to epitomise the town through the legendary figures of 'Wild Bill' Hickok and Calamity Jane. But this foundation also bred a self-reliance and a spirit of cooperation unique on the frontier, which made it an exceptionally welcoming place for Black Americans and Chinese immigrants at a time of deep-seated discrimination.


The first book to tell this complex story in full, Deadwood reveals how one frontier town came to embody the best and worst of the West-enduring truths about humanity's eternal quest for creating order from chaos, a greater good from individual greed, and security from violence.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History, Audiobook, Westerns, American, North American History

449 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 4, 2025

About the author

Peter Cozzens is the award-winning author of seventeen books on the American Civil War and the West. Cozzens is also a retired Foreign Service Officer.

His most recent book is A Brutal Reckoning: Andrew Jackson, the Creek Indians, and the Epic War for the American South (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2023). Cozzens's next book is Deadwood: Gold, Guns, and Greed in the American West (Knopf: September 2025).

Cozzens's penultimate book, Tecumseh and the Prophet: The Shawnee Brothers Who Defied a Nation, was published by Knopf in October 2020. It won the Western Writers of America Spur Award and was a finalist for the George Washington Prize.

His The Earth Is Weeping: The Epic Story of the Indian Wars for the American West was published by Alfred A. Knopf in October 2016. Amazon selected it as a Best Book of November 2016. Smithsonian Magazine chose it as one of the ten best history books of 2016. It has won multiple awards, including the Gilder-Lehrman Prize for the finest book on military history published worldwide. It also was a London Times book of the year and has been translated into several languages, including Russian and Chinese.

All of Cozzens' books have been selections of the Book of the Month Club, History Book Club, and/or the Military Book Club.

Cozzens’ This Terrible Sound: The Battle of Chickamauga and The Shipwreck of Their Hopes: The Battles for Chattanooga were both Main Selections of the History Book Club and were chosen by Civil War Magazine as two of the 100 greatest works ever written on the conflict.

The History Book Club called his five-volume Eyewitnesses to the Indian Wars "the definitive resource on the military struggle for the American West."

His Shenandoah 1862: Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign was a Choice "Outstanding Academic Title" for 2009.

He was a frequent contributor to the New York Times "Disunion" series, and he has written articles for Smithsonian Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, True West, America's Civil War, Civil War Times Illustrated, and MHQ, among other publications.

In 2002 Cozzens received the American Foreign Service Association’s highest award, given annually to one Foreign Service Officer for exemplary moral courage, integrity, and creative dissent.

Cozzens is a member of the Advisory Council of the Lincoln Prize, the Western Writers Association, the Authors' Guild, and the Army and Navy Club.

Cozzens and his wife Antonia Feldman reside in Maryland.

Reviews

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

There's just no way around it. You will immediately pick up this book and think, "But will this ruin my HBO Deadwood rewatch?" Great news, folks. Not only will this INCREASE your appreciation of the show, it's a damn fine book to boot! Let's review this thing.

Peter Cozzens' Deadwood knows exactly what it is and what it is up against. Cozzens leans right into it. He name checks the well-received show and reveals he is also a massive fan. Yes, they are all in here. Bullock, Swearengen, Sol Star, Wild Bill, and Calamity Jane all get their time in the sun. Don't worry, Cozzens doesn't miss a single one.

With that out of the way, Cozzens can do what he does best (read his other books if you haven't). He proceeds to tell the story of Deadwood by focusing on the people who made it what it was. You can almost feel how much fun Cozzens is having when he recounts many of the bizarre, exciting, depraved, or just fun anecdotes throughout the book. What makes Cozzens such a great author is that he finds something that he knows the reader will find interesting, but will present it in a way that isn't a diversion. Each story illuminates a part of the town which is so vital to understanding the bigger picture. It's not just Calamity Jane on another one of her drunken rants. It's a window into what Deadwood was willing to accept at that point in time that would be frowned upon as the town became well...an actual town as opposed to an illegal group of people on indigenous lands.

What I found so utterly shocking is how much time this book covers. Story after story rolls by. People show up and build businesses. Robberies, murders, and their trials occur. Halfway through the book I thought this must be 10-15 years into the life of Deadwood. Nope, it was 18 months. Deadwood was truly the quintessential Wild West mining town. Cozzens is the perfect author to spin this particular yarn.

(This book was provided as an advanced reader copy by A. A. Knopf.)

[Larry (LPosse1) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Deadwood by Peter Cozzens

This book was a fantastic trip down memory lane for a longtime fan of the HBO series Deadwood. I loved the show, and I found myself feeling the same way about Cozzens’ book. What surprised me most was discovering that so many of the characters I thought were just brilliant creations of television were actually real, flesh-and-blood people with fascinating and complex backgrounds.

As a friend reminded me, the story of the West is a uniquely American story, and Cozzens unfolds the history of the Deadwood territory with a poetic, intriguing, and deeply engaging style. Just like in the show, Wild Bill meets his tragic end far too soon. Along the way, I picked up so many wonderful details—like Seth Bullock’s friendship with Teddy Roosevelt and the fact that he even taught Roosevelt’s children how to ride horses! And of course, Al Swearengen was as ruthless and unlikable in real life as he was on the screen.

Cozzens doesn’t shy away from showing the harsh realities: like so many gold rushes, few people struck it rich, and most were left with little more than hard work and hard luck. This book had all the drama and grit of the show, but with a less cussing! A great historical read that both fans of the series and lovers of Western history will thoroughly enjoy.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's solid but was a bit of slog for me, which was surprising given the author and subject matter.

[Martin Mintman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating history of the raucous mining town of Deadwood, South Dakota and its people--some of great renown (Wild Bill Hickock, Calamity Jane) and others of lesser renown, but colorful, just the same. Cozzens does an impressive job of covering the vast history of Deadwood in its short-lived glory days and includes information to include the Native Americans who were denied their sacred land for gold seekers, Chinese and Jewish immigrants, prostitutes and criminals of all kinds. A perfect companion to the HBO series for anyone wanting the true story of this historic establishment.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative, interesting, and thorough as always. I had never seen the television series but am familiar with the town and driven by it along Interstate 90 decades ago. Cozzens focuses on the years 1876 through 1880. Lots of characters. Calamity Jane was total media misinformation. Hickok was on the way down hill when murdered. Bad girls, good girls, Chinese entrepreneurs, miners, Native Americans, and millionaires are all here.

Black Friday- September 26, 1879. A fire destroyed the town and it never bounced back as there was another place to go to- Leadville, Colorado.

Good maps and photos.

[Cropredy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book for two reasons:

1) I have really enjoyed other Peter Cozzens (Author) books, notably his series on Civil War campaigns. These were well-written.
2) I thoroughly enjoyed the HBO series Deadwood which, in my opinion, ranks up there with some of the best-written TV series ever.

Coincidentally, Cozzens was inspired by the HBO series too and decided to write a book about what "really happened". Many of the characters we were entranced by in the TV show were based on their real counterparts. For example, Al Swearingen, George Hearst, Seth Bullock, Sol Star, Calamity Jane, E.B. Farnum, Wild Bill Hickok and others.

Now, would I have read this book had I not seen the show? Maybe not. But don't let this deter you. Read the book and then watch the show.

Gold was discovered in the Black Hills of unceded Indian territory (now, western South Dakota). Needless to say, prospectors rushed in despite not having any legal right to the land. Coincidentally, Custer's 7th cavalry was wiped out the same summer and this led to the US Government getting involved that forced the Sioux off this land. More prospectors flooded in.

The story covers four years 1876-79 from when Deadwood became a town as depicted in the HBO show to its destruction by fire in 1879. This latter event occurred when Deadwood was more "civilized" as the placer miners had long since left and capital intensive quartz mine delivered substantial riches to the mining syndicates (Hearst and others).

The book is filled with fascinating anecdotes of the life of the town and its citizens. This is possible because there is a rich written primary source record that Cozzens could plumb. Deadwood made national news and was well covered by newspaper stories and memoirs. And why not? - what with Calamity Jane, a frequently drunk, prolific prostitute who dressed like a man and often performed good and nurturing deeds.

And speaking of prostitution, it was rampant and enthusiastically tolerated. Back then, these women were called "soiled doves" and, for the most part, led self-destructive lives tempered by opium addiction. Some were more entrepreneurial and became madams.

And then there were stage coach robberies. Over time, Deadwood was connected to other cities (on railroads) with weekly, then thrice weekly, then daily stage service. Passengers with money would be robbed; outbound stages with gold shipments were the bigger targets. Typically, the robbers would have short careers before their demise.

Oh, there was baseball too. Who knew? And some folks had telephone lines established between their homes and places of business. Who knew?

And all sorts of struggles with water. Water was critical for sluicing (let alone providing drinking water to the town) but it was hard to get Deadwoodites to work together to fund civic improvements. This came to a head when the fire broke out.

A modern day person would find 1877 Deadwood a pigsty, literally. Pigs roamed the streets, dead animals were everywhere. Not to mention human and animal waste. It is not hard to see why miners flocked to the saloons and "theatres" to drown themselves in drink, gamble at faro, and avail themselves on the "sporting girls". Surprisingly, there were relatively few murders despite ample armament. Most everyone had a veneer of gentility despite engaging in a variety of sins.

If you've seen the HBO show, you know there is non-stop profanity. I thought this was over the top by the show's writer. But perhaps not. Cozzens goes into detail with first-hand accounts of actual language that is not far off from the show. And delivered by men and women alike.

Overall, an interesting book. A good window into post-war America in the Great Plains territories. As I read it, I couldn't help but visualize the sets of the TV show. And only twelve years away from another Great Plains true story I recently read The Children's Blizzard.

Many photos and a few useful maps including a town plan.

And, watch the HBO show -- up there with "The Wire" and "The Sopranos". It's not family-friendly though.

[Tina Panik · Rating 5 out of 5]

An impressive, vibrant biography of a town that has secured a mythic place in American history.

[CatReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Peter Cozzens is an American writer, specializing in historical nonfiction. His 2025 book Deadwood narrates the story of Deadwood, South Dakota, a canonical "Wild West" town in the late 19th century, and the various and colorful cast of characters that defined it and have entered American mythology.

These types of books are generally hit or miss for me - this one was unfortunately a miss for me as I found it difficult to keep track of all the characters and stories; I tend to prefer historical nonfiction with a narrower cluster of subjects and/or a defined event focus, rather than a broad history of a place. I DNFed at around 40% after multiple stops and starts. I'm sure it'd be an engaging read for those that love this genre more unconditionally.

Further reading: books about the American West of the late 19th/early 20th century I've read and would recommend:
The Divorce Colony: How Women Revolutionized Marriage and Found Freedom on the American Frontier by April White
The Wyoming Ranch Letters: The Collected Correspondence of a Woman Settler on the American Frontier-Letters of a Woman Homesteader & Letters on a by Elinore Pruitt Stewart
The Last Ride of the Pony Express: My 2,000-mile Horseback Journey into the Old West by Will Grant
Born of Lakes and Plains: Mixed-Descent Peoples and the Making of the American West by Anne Hyde

My statistics:
Book 291 for 2025
Book 2217 cumulatively

[Stephen Ditman · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.2 stars

[D. Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous! You won’t be surprised to learn that many of the political shenanigans that are practiced today were also quite common back then.

[Robert Tolar · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a surprise! A fascinating journey of the American frontier! The book tracks the journey of one of the United States most fabled towns. "Deadwood" explores how the "white man" made his/her way into Western territories. Yes, the book is full of accounts tracking the lives and progress of the pioneers (Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, and Sheriff Seth Bullock). At the same time, it presents the wrongs done to the Native Americans. What happened to these people is criminal. The author clearly makes his case.

Deadwood came to life from 1876-1879. In one month the area population grew from 200 pan miners to 4,000. The author fills out the activity by sharing the tales of individuals and groups who made their way to the "Western territories.".

If you value history, the growth & exploration of the United States, as well as the tragic & colorful accounts of individuals along the way, you will quickly own this book!

I rate the book as four stars because the ending could have come a little sooner. Still, it is worth the read!

[Olivia Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

interesting and entertaining look at Deadwood's first three years. if you liked the TV show, you will see familiar faces in this nonfiction book

[Luc Laurita · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beaut of a book.

[George · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing. Cozzens has long been one of my favorite History Authors, with his emphasis on the Civil War and the American West. Alas, his origins as a swamp denizen seem to be reasserting control, and this narrative leans heavily to the lefty point of view.

[Mal Warwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

For three seasons early in this century, HBO aired Deadwood, which won more than two dozen Emmy Awards. The series starred Timothy Olyphant as businessman and lawman Seth Bullock and Ian McShane as Al Swearengen, the violent criminal proprietor of a saloon and brothel.

Other leading characters included Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, George Hearst, and Wyatt Earp, names familiar to anyone with even a smattering of the history of the Old West. And it was great TV! (It’s available today on numerous streaming services.)

Most viewers, emphatically including me, rank Deadwood on a par with other HBO standouts such as The Sopranos and The Wire. At the time, I assumed it was largely based on historical fact. But I didn’t realize how closely it hewed to the record until I read Peter Cozzens’s remarkable new book about the real Old West, Deadwood: Gold, Guns, and Greed in the American West.

The HBO series got the history mostly right

Of course, David Milch, who created, directed, and wrote most of the series, had no choice but to compress certain events and somewhat simplify the historical record. Nor did he have the opportunity to tell the extraordinary backstories of the people he portrayed on the screen. But in the book, Peter Cozzens fills that bill. Following are some of the most significant historical facts missing or glossed over in the series. More importantly, he devotes considerable attention to the several Lakota leaders who also played pivotal roles in Deadwood’s history: Black Elk, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Red Cloud.

What comes to light in this book

The myth of the town
When word reached Eastern newspapers in 1873 that gold had been discovered in the Black Hills of South Dakota, hopeful miners established several rough camps in the hills. One, founded that year, was Deadwood. Unlike some of the others, though, Deadwood grew explosively when rich veins of gold turned up nearby. Newcomers flooded into the town. First, the miners. Then the prostitutes, confidence men, card sharps, and unscrupulous businessmen who fed off them.

Taken as a whole, they were a motley lot. Former Union soldiers and Confederates alike. Democrats and Republicans. Black and White and Chinese. And the town gained a well-deserved reputation for tolerance. The violence that often erupted there was almost always about money or competing mining claims, not ethnic or political differences. Which was rare during the years of Reconstruction.

Wild Bill
Wild Bill Hickok (1837-76) was not the noble force for law and order that mythology has sometimes featured. He was, in fact, a ruthless and impulsive killer, who had gained a reputation for having murdered more than 100 men by the time he arrived in Deadwood and met his death. But his murder there by a drunk and dissolute killer much like himself became the stuff of legend, exploded onto the national consciousness by the authors of the era’s ubiquitous dime novels. In fact, much of the lore about Deadwood that has entered the literature about the town was the product of the dime novelists’s imagination. And they made a lot of stuff up.

Calamity Jane
Calamity Jane (1852-1903) was born Martha Canary to a prosperous family in rural Missouri. She arrived in Deadwood in 1876, three years after its founding, at the age of 24. She was a drunkard, so Milch got that right. But she was best known in the town as an indiscriminate prostitute who would sleep with any man who paid her enough to keep her in liquor. Milch portrays her as bisexual, although there doesn’t appear to be any evidence that was the case. However, she was fond of wearing men’s clothing. Like Wild Bill Hickok and the town of Deadwood itself, her legend was largely the creation of the dime novelists. But her own fanciful, publicity-seeking autobiography played a part, too.

Seth Bullock
Seth Bullock (1849-1919), like his hardware store partner Solomon (Sol) Star (1840-1917), was, above all, a Republican politician. He and Sol moved to Deadwood in 1876 to advance their careers in politics. In the HBO series, he appears to be reluctant to take on local office. But in fact, both he and Sol campaigned actively for prominent positions in town. And, although the majority of the men in Deadwood were Democrats, they won elections again and again to a succession of public offices. The citizens regarded both as honest and effective. And Bullock was so well connected that, on more than one occasion, he called in favors from the President of the United States, Rutherford B. Hayes.

A brief review by Claude-AI

I asked the chatbot Claude-AI, version Sonnet 4, to write a 300-word review of this book. What follows is the result, verbatim, except for the two subheads I’ve added. It’s an excellent review, far more comprehensive than what I’ve written.

A masterful corrective to the mythology
Peter Cozzens delivers a masterful corrective to the mythology surrounding one of America’s most legendary frontier towns in Deadwood: Gold, Guns, and Greed in the American West. Rather than simply rehashing familiar tales of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane, Cozzens presents a nuanced historical portrait that spans seven decades, from the pre-gold rush era through the early 20th century.

What sets this work apart from typical Western histories is Cozzens’ commitment to showing Deadwood’s ordinariness alongside its transgressions. Busting myths can enhance our enjoyment of them, and Cozzens achieves exactly this paradox. The author’s meticulous research brings to life not just the famous gunfighters and gamblers, but the everyday miners, merchants, and families who built a functioning community in the Black Hills.

Deadwood was founded on stolen Indigenous land
Cozzens doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of Deadwood’s story, particularly the theft of Indigenous Lakota land that made the gold rush possible. His portrayal of figures like Crazy Horse provides necessary context often missing from romanticized Western narratives. The book effectively demonstrates how this remote South Dakota town became a microcosm of American ambition, greed, and expansion.

The writing is vivid and accessible, allowing readers to experience the gritty reality behind the legend. Fans of the HBO series Deadwood will find their appreciation deepened, as many fictional characters were based on real people Cozzens expertly profiles, including Seth Bullock and Al Swearengen.

Deadwood succeeds brilliantly as both rigorous history and engaging storytelling. Cozzens reminds us that America’s frontier past was simultaneously more complex and more recognizably human than popular culture suggests, making this essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the forces that shaped the American West.

About the author

Peter Cozzens is an historian and retired US Foreign Service Officer. He has written more than 17 books on the Civil War and the Indian Wars. Cozzens was born in 1957 and graduated from Knox College in Illinois, near the small town where he grew up. He has received major awards for both his career in foreign service and for his military history. He lives with his wife in Kensington, Maryland.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the Civil War to the American West, Peter Cozzens does a bang-up job every time.

So, yes, it's no surprise that 2025's Deadwood is excellent; it's thorough, well-organized, and well-told, just like all the handful of other Cozzens books I've read. Here he sorts through the myths and the tall tales to get to the real history of a town that, as an illegal settlement on land given to the Native American Lakotas, initially was not part of America at all. Deadwood came to be part of the U.S. Dakota Territory once the shameful machinations of the U.S. government, including outright war, forced the Lakota to give up their claim to their sacred land.

Like some other Western towns, Deadwood was founded on a mineral rush: Gold in the Black Hills was the lure that led to a rapid influx of miners, gamblers, businessmen, pioneers and prostitutes that in three short but eventful years made the town a Wild West legend.

Cozzens starts with a brief history of the area's native population, with the Lakota and their Northern Cheyenne Indian allies and the tribes' increasingly troublesome relationship with white settlers. When gold is found, the U.S. government's initial intent to keep the Lakota land free from white encroachment gradually crumbles.

Cozzens chronicles Deadwood's growing pains and the early days of notoriety produced by Easterners' fascination with the West and the few months Wild Bill Hickok spent there before his violent, colorful death. The myth-making started almost immediately, with splashy reporting and fantastical accounts in dime novels that led to the fame of the town and its denizens, such as Calamity Jane, a real person but one who became hard to separate from the highly fictionalized version Americans were told about.

There was filth, gambling, prostitution, and violence in Deadwood, to be sure. Though Cozzens' telling underscores that the town's reputation was somewhat exaggerated, that doesn't necessarily make Deadwood less interesting. Here we have colorful lawmen and lawbreakers; immoral "businessmen" such as the notorious Al Swearingen; miners; rogues; minorities who were treated reasonably well (considering the times), with a Black woman winning a Deadwood vote as the most popular woman in the Black Hills; and, yes, ordinary folk, many of whom were valuable, productive citizens trying to do good. Even in a place that was overwhelmingly male and whose women were mostly (but not all) "soiled doves," as its whores were called, there were plenty of folk who contributed to the rise (and fall) of Deadwood. Cozzens mines a huge number of sources from all walks of Deadwood life. He's also conscientious in writing about the towns surrounding Deadwood and the Black Hills area itself.

The book also nicely balances a roughly chronological history of Deadwood's early existence with various themes and subjects, including its vulnerability to fire. What I like about Cozzens' writing and approach is his ability to be thorough without exhausting the reader; that's an underrated gift — even if I wouldn't have minded if Deadwood were longer and more detailed, plenty of fascinating details come to light (as an Iowan, I didn't know Swearingen was born and buried in Oskaloosa).

Cozzens has written a long list of books about the Indian Wars, Native American history, and Civil War campaigns. This history of Deadwood is but a little sidestep in his typical chronicling of 19th-century America. It's not my favorite of his books, but it upholds his consistently high standards.

[BethFishReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really 4.5

A well-researched and easy-to-read history of the gold-rush town Deadwood.

In this book, Cozzens covers the first three years of the settling of Deadwood, from the initial influx of gold seekers to the major fire that destroyed the town about three and half years later. Although the Black Hills were supposed to remain in the hands of the Lakota, once early scouts (including Custer) found traces of gold, there was no stopping the thousands of (mostly white) men from seeking their fortunes.

The book is arranged roughly chronologically, but each chapter focuses on a different aspect of Deadwood. We learn about daily life, dance halls and gambling, changes to treaties and federal laws to take the territory away from the Lakota people, current affairs (economic depression, end of Reconstruction), the establishment of law and order, outlaws and murder, and sickness and medicine.

Throughout, we meet familiar Wild West characters like Seth Bullock and Calamity Jane as well as savvy businessmen like George Hearst and get a sense of who these people really were outside of legend. We also learn of the surprising diversity of Deadwood, whose citizens seemed accepting of non-WASP neighbors (Chinese, Jews, Blacks), except, of course, Native Americans.

The author's writing style is conversational and engaging. I liked the way the material was organized and the way Cozzens tied what was happening in Deadwood to what was going on in other parts of the world and country. The epilogue fills us in what happened to major players after the fire and the rebuilding of Deadwood.

I appreciate that Cozzens remembers the Lakota and discusses Washington's broken treaties. I wish there had been more from the Lakota perspective, but perhaps confirmed and documented materials don't really exist.

All in all, highly recommended for people interested in American history. If you've watched the HBO series Deadwood, you'll enjoy comparing the fictional account to the real people and town.

Thanks to Knopf for the galley.

[Martin Petersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Cozzens is the author of numerous books on the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. The HBO series Deadwood sparked his interest in the history of that boomtown, and he has done a wonderful job of exploring its history, legendary characters, and society. All the people in the HBO series are here--Seth Bullock, Al Swearingen, Wild Bill, Clamaity Jane, Sol Star, Langrishe, Hearst--and many more colorful and troubled individuals. (And it turns out that the HBO series is mostly accurate although it did take liberties like any good entertainment with timelines and specific incidents.)

Cozzens is a serious historian with the ability to tell a good tale in lively prose. Deadwood focuses on history of the town from the first discovery of gold to when the placer mining played out (1876-1879) but takes the reader into the early 20th century. Cozzens also focuses on the Lakota and Cheyenne tribes as they tried to protect the Black Hills and deal with the double dealing of the Grant administration. Cozzens has also produced a social history, one that includes discussion of the "soiled doves," the Chinese, and the civilizing elements of society as well as the notorious.

And there is a lot of the notorious. Bullock and Calamity Jane in particular led complex and fascinating lives. In an Epilogue, Cozzens tells us what happened to Bullock and all the other legendary figures associates with Daedwood, many of whom lived into the 20th Century.

[David Mc · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a thoroughly fascinating and well-researched book, Peter Cozzens strips away much of the myth of Deadwood and its more famous, as well as infamous, inhabitants. Even so, the actual story was riveting and near-impossible to put down. In this regard, I don’t think a novelist could have dreamed up a better cast of colorful characters that filled the history of the town; from the unsavory Wild Bill Hickok and despicable Al Swearingen to the industrious Sol Star and unforgettable Calamity Jane. In addition, the story of Deadwood includes an endless array of such unforgettables as Crazy Horse, Custer, Seth Bullock, Soapy Smith, Black Elk, etc. Even so, amidst the color and excitement that could always be found in Deadwood and the Black Hills, Cozzens makes a point to remind readers that this land was actually owned by the Lakota Indians….and, that the miners, gamblers, prostitutes, and everyone else who rode in on wagons and horses were “trespassers.”

All in all, Cozzens chronicles how a small group of gold-hungry miners and misfits banded together on Indian land to slowly form a community. By the end of the book, the soiled doves, gunslingers, gamblers, drunks, and small merchants had been replaced by a respectable town made up of doctors, teachers, lawyers, bankers, and families of all ethnicities. Although the town was burned to the ground in 1879, it was rebuilt with brick and stone, which has continued to exist into the 21st century.

[Ryann · Rating 5 out of 5]

“They talked and talked for days, but it was just like wind blowing in the end. I asked my father what they were talking about in there and he told me that the Grandfather at Washington (Grant) wanted to lease the Black Hills so that the Wasi’chu (white man) could dig yellow metal and that the Chief of the soldiers had said that if we did not do this the Black Hills would be just like melting snow held in our hands because the Wasi’chu would take that country away.” -Black Elk recalling the Allison Commission

Upon the discovery of gold in the Black Hills, the Allison Commission, headed by Senator William Allison, was the attempt and failure of the US Government in 1875 to lease or purchase this Dakota territory from the Lakota Sioux. The Sioux believed it to be sacred land, therefore without a successful negotiation the Government would eventually seize the land and open the Hills for prospectors. This Gold Rush would birth the town of Deadwood and attract some of the most memorable characters from the American West.

Peter Cozzens did an incredible job telling the story of this unique town, from its rough and lawless beginnings to its taming. I loved revisiting some of my western favorites like Wild Bill Hickok, Black Elk and Calamity Jane, while learning about its famous inhabitants like Seth Bullock, Al Swearengen and Boone May. Some of the best stories were from the more obscure figures that resided there.

An excellent and well researched account of Deadwood! I look foward to revisiting the series.

[Richard Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very entertaining book about a notorious town built on the prospect of striking it rich though gold prospecting and mining. Mr. Cozzens is thorough in his research starting with the original inhabitants of the area; the indigenous peoples. He describes how the lands was stolen from them during the Grant administration desperately seeking a means to jumpstart the economy following a major depression through the possibility of mining gold in the Black Hills. Many notables including George Custer, Wyatt Earp and Calamity Jane make an appearance. Cozzens tells the whole story of Deadwood through to the 20th century including the gambling, prostitution, development of the town commerce through banking, retail and service industries in minute detail. It was also of interest to read about how the Chinese and Blacks were treated considerably better by the community than was the norm for the nation at the time. My guess is the current population of about 1500 does not have a greater sense of their history than does the author.

[K Ogie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't often read nonfiction books unless written in a story like format, narrative style with intriguing events to keep my interest peaked. Deadwood as a town was entirely full of dramatic events, far beyond that of what the HBO writers could invent. Although the show took many liberties with the characters, most of the characters had very eventful lives in reality. I cannot believe how quickly I read this and how vastly interesting this town ended up being. I highly recommend this book to all other readers usually not interested in nonfiction. Peter Cozzens does an amazing job of moving the story along at a fast pace, his writing is strong enough to challenge a reader but not overly academic to lose anyone. Cozzens writes as if he is telling you the story of this magical place over cocktails one night. Some of it seems so far fetched but his sources back up the facts. Wow. Truly entertaining and full of new information to brag about!

[Daniel Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The South Dakota mining town of Deadwood is explored from its creation in 1876 through to a devastating fire that occurred in 1879.

Equal parts entertaining and informative. As an ardent fan of the HBO series Deadwood, picking up this book was a certainty. This was my first time reading Peter Cozzens. I came away impressed with the depth of his research as well as his ability to balance the history of Deadwood proper with the larger events occurring in America in the last quarter century of the 19th century. Seth Bullock, Al Swearengen, Sol Starr, Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane are all brought vividly to life. There are a whole host of other figures who played roles both minor and major in Deadwood's creation that are also given time on center stage throughout the course of the book. I would have preferred giving this 4.5 stars.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been to the Black Hills in South Dakota several times and the town of Deadwood is situated in the scenic Black Hills of South Dakota, offering access to stunning landscapes and outdoor recreation. The town serves as a gateway to other popular South Dakota attractions, Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, and the Crazy Horse Memorial. The town of Deadwood has a "lush history" deeply rooted in the 1876 Black Hills Gold Rush. When this book came out recently, I knew I had to read it.

Cozzens's book "Deadwood," details the town's volatile founding on stolen Indigenous land, driven by greed for gold, and its subsequent development as a chaotic but self-reliant hub of vice and commerce. It offers a vivid, historically accurate account of the infamous Wild West town, debunks myths surrounding it, and explores timeless American themes of greed, lawlessness, and the creation of order out of chaos. Cozzens provides an immersive, experience of frontier life, details the lives of historical figures like Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane, and reveals the town as a microcosm of the broader American experience, making it a compelling and relevant read for history enthusiasts.

Cozzens excels at bringing the past to life, detailing the sights, smells, sounds, and tastes of frontier life in Deadwood, creating a deeply immersive experience for the reader. Keep in mind that the "Wild West" narrative is more legend than reality. While the town's history is gritty, modern Deadwood is a safe tourist destination. Today, the town remains in the same gulch and looks much the same as it did back in the 19th century. Cozzens book sifts through that layer of legend and myth to uncover the actual history of a unique town that has a deep rich Wild West history. Highly recommended.

[Sean Dugan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever since I was a kid I have been obsessed with the Wild West. The HBO series Deadwood only fueled that obsession further. We took a family trip to Deadwood this year with our kids for spring break and enjoyed the history of the town. Cozzen’s book is a fantastic history of place and time that has captivated many people’s interest of the Wild West. This book is not just an excellent history of Deadwood and the Black Hills, but the characters and their true stories. The author does a terrific job of displaying the facts and dispelling a lot of myths about the people and events of the history of Deadwood and the Wild West. An excellent book I would recommend to any interested in Deadwood or the west in general.

[Donald Paulsrud · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding book! A great written history of the town of Deadwood. Well researched and well written. Deadwood was a roaring mining town, but only for a short while. There were many famous and infamous people who walked the streets of Deadwood. Cozzens does a great job of touching on all of them. It is a great story of the "wild" west. Wild Bill Hickock, Al Swearengin, Calamity Jane, Preacher Smith, Seth Bullock, Sol Star and a few others all are discussed in this book. If you enjoyed the HBO show Deadwood you will enjoy this book. This is the true story of Deadwood which is a bit different than the HBO show.

[John Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty much everything one needs to know about one of rowdiest towns form the West. Beginning with the take over of the Black Hills by the government swindling the Lakota tribes, to the discovery of gold and the rough and wooly days of its founding. Visits from people like James Butler Hickok, Calamity Jane, Seth Bullock, Al Swearingen and all the cast of characters be they gamblers, prostitutes, outlaws and upright people as well.

The author was captivated by the HBO series of Deadwood so much so that he dug deeper into the real town. His research took him to all facets of the old town to the 1879 fire and rebuilding. Highly recommended

[Paul Szydlowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a huge fan of HBO's series Deadwood, I was anxious to read a real history. Most of the TV characters are here, though often presented a little less glamorously, which if you've watched the show you know is hard to fathom. Not all the stories align, but the true history is no less entertaining. It is hard to imagine a crazier cast of characters, from losers to roustabouts to schemers and dreamers, than gathered for a few short years in Deadwood, Dakota territory. I wish I could have visited - but I most certainly would not have wanted to live there.

[Stephen Goldenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating account of the formation and growth of Deadwood which includes all those classic Wild West characters like Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane, but doesn’t dwell too long on them. Instead, we get a huge range of equally interesting characters who were central to the growth of the town. It’s only weakness is that it tells you far more than you need to know about the processes of mining for gold.

[Daniel Visé · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend watching the Deadwood TV series while reading Peter Cozzens's terrific book. The show tells a rich Hollywood story based, rather loosely, on facts. Cozzens gives you the facts. And it turns out the real Deadwood requires little embellishment. What a fun read. I love, too, the way Cozzens channels written and spoken English of the era. You'll feel you're reading an account written in Deadwood by a Deadwoodite (or -woodie, or whatever they're called). This is a great book.