The Essential West: Collected Essays

by Elliott West, Richard White (Foreword)

Scholars and enthusiasts of western American history have praised Elliott West as a distinguished historian and an accomplished writer, and this book proves them right on both counts. Capitalizing on West’s wide array of interests, this collection of his essays touches on topics ranging from viruses and the telegraph to children, bison, and Larry McMurtry. Drawing from the past three centuries, West weaves the western story into that of the nation and the world beyond, from Kansas and Montana to Haiti, Africa, and the court of Louis XV.
Divided into three sections, the volume begins with conquest. West is not the first historian to write about Lewis and Clark, but he is the first to contrast their expedition with Mungo Park’s contemporaneous journey in Africa. “The Lewis and Clark expedition,” West begins, “is one of the most overrated events in American history—and one of the most revealing.” The humor of this insightful essay is a chief characteristic of the whole book, which comprises ten chapters previously published in major journals and magazines—but revised for this edition—and four brand-new ones.
West is well known for his writings about frontier family life, especially the experiences of children at work and play. Fans of his earlier books on these subjects will not be disappointed. In a final section, he looks at the West of myth and imagination, in part to show that our fantasies about the West are worth studying precisely because they have been so at odds with the real West. In essays on buffalo, Jesse James and the McMurtry novel Lonesome Dove, West directs his formidable powers to subjects that continue to shape our understanding—and often our misunderstanding—of the American West, past and present.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Essays, American History, Read For School, American

418 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 2, 2012

About the author

A specialist in the history of the American West, Elliott West is Alumni Distinguished Professor of History Emeritus at the University of Arkansas. He received his B.A. from the University of Texas (1967) and his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado (1971). He joined the U of A faculty in 1979. Two of his books, Growing Up With the Country: Childhood on the Far-Western Frontier (1989) and The Way to the West: Essays on the Central Plains (1995) received the Western Heritage Award. The Contested Plains: Indians, Goldseekers, and the Rush to Colorado (1998) received five awards including the Francis Parkman Prize and PEN Center Award. His most recent book is The Last Indian War: The Nez Perce Story (2009).

In 1995 West was awarded the U of A Teacher of the Year and the Carnegie Foundation‘s Arkansas Professor of the Year. In 2001 he received the Baum Faculty Teaching Award, and in 2009 he was one of three finalists for the Robert Foster Cherry Award recognizing the outstanding teacher in the nation.

Reviews

[Theleem · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the interest of full disclosure: I loved this collection of essays on the American West, but I think what might have really put it into 5-star territory for me was being able to attend some lectures with Elliot West himself while reading it. The choice to divide the essays into three sections is fine, I suppose, but what really brings this collection together is West's ability to look at his subjects from as many angles as possible, and his willingness to question and re-contextualize some of the most famous people, places, and stories in the West. Each essay in the collection is thought-provoking and written in clear, imaginative style. A must-read for anyone with an interest in American history in general, and the history of the West specifically.

[James Bechtel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elliott West is a founder of the "New Western History" along with the likes of Patricia Nelson Limerick. He is considered to be one of the most accomplished scholars. This book, published in 2012, is a collection of thirteen of his most important essays. They are diverse as well as fascinating.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific collection of essays about the West, in myth and history. Lots of specific support from diaries and journals to make the big historical ideas intelligible and human.

[Emily Sorensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. Even though it is a collection of essays, it reads like the author is telling you the story of the West.

[Lloyd Fassett]

5/8/24 Found it because I got Elliott West's 2023 history of the West and looked up what else he's written. He's a professor at the U of Arkansas. It's not available for my library to purchase.

[T · Rating 5 out of 5]

West is a genius and the sort of historian I aspire to be. As is often the case, earlier essays help one see the evolution of a remarkable scholar, perhaps before they even realized it.