The Wild West: a term that conjures up pictures of wagon trains, unspoiled prairies, Indians, rough 'n' ready cowboys, roundups, and buffalo herds. Where did this collection of images come from? Paul Reddin exposes the mythology of the American frontier as a carefully crafted product of the Wild West show. Focusing on such pivotal figures as George Catlin, Buffalo Bill Cody, and Tom Mix, Reddin traces the rise and fall of a popular entertainment shaped out of the "raw material of America." Buffalo Bill and other entertainers capitalized on public fascination with the danger, heroism, and courage associated with the frontier by continually modifying their presentation of the West to suit their audiences. Thus the Wild West show, contrary to its own claims of accuracy and authenticity, was highly selective in its representations of the West as well as widely influential in shaping the public image of life on the Great Plains. A uniquely American entertainment--colorful, energetic, unabashed, and, as Reddin demonstrates, self-made--the Wild West show exerted an appeal that was all but irresistible to a public hovering uncertainly between industrial progress and nostalgia for a romanticized past.

A selection of 333 works of art representing masterpieces of the sacred and court traditions as well as their urban, folk, and tribal heritage.

The book’s structure blends history and geography. A good world atlas or a world historical atlas will be helpful in the reading. The historical arrangement of contents has six Parts” Classical, Mediaeval, Early Modern (Lands), Early Modern (Ideas), Late Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries, Twentieth Century. Although this sequence of periods and categories fits Western/European history best, it is also reasonably appropriate for Central Asia, India, and China. For other regions it is more arbitrary, and Classical and Mediaeval periods are merged. Because the Parts overlap and involve imprecise categories, in the List of Contents and Summaries no attempt is made to give dates for their beginning and end.

In keeping with its reputation for size and spectacle, Texas has produced a staggering number of stars. Although many hailed from towns too small to have a post office, they occupied the spotlight on the largest of stages. Roger Miller's songs made him the "King of the Road," and Howard Hughes stretched his vision across the skies of the silver screen. Gene Autry won fame as a singing cowboy and Van Cliburn wore a tuxedo to international piano competitions, but both hailed from the Lone Star State. Texans penned Old Yeller and voiced Daffy Duck. From Buddy Holly to Ginger Rogers and Joan Crawford to Jimmy Dean, Bartee Haile charts the brightest constellations of Texas entertainers.