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.

An indispensable atlas of the best cocktail recipes—each fully photographed—for classic and modern drinks, whether shaken, stirred, up, or on the rocks. How do you create the perfect daiquiri? In what type of glass should you serve a whiskey sour? What exactly is an aperitif cocktail? A compendium for both home and professional bartenders, The Essential Cocktail Book answers all of these questions and more—through recipes, lore and techniques for 150 drinks, both modern and classic.

The journals of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark remain the single most important document in the history of American exploration. Through these tales of adventure, edited and annotated by American Book Award nominee Landon Jones, we meet Indian peoples and see the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and western rivers the way Lewis and Clark first observed them -- majestic, pristine, uncharted, and awe-inspiring.

Welcome to the Essential Western Novels book series, where you will find a selection of endless tales about deadly shootouts, gunslingers seeking revenge, love stories with beautiful women, in peril, and of course, cowboys and their trusty steeds.For this book, the literary critic August Nemo has chosen the 5 novels by authors who created memorable stories that shaped the foundations of Western fiction.This book contains the following novels:- The Deputy Sheriff of Comanche County by Edgar Rice Burroughs.- A Son of the Middle Border by Hamlin Garland.- The Heritage of the Sioux by B. M. Bower.- Gabriel Conroy by Bret Harte.- Black Jack by Max Brand.If you appreciate good books, be sure to check out the other Tacet Books titles!

Welcome to the Essential Western Novels book series, where you will find a selection of endless tales about deadly shootouts, gunslingers seeking revenge, love stories with beautiful women, in peril, and of course, cowboys and their trusty steeds.For this book, the literary critic August Nemo has chosen the 5 novels by authors who created memorable stories that shaped the foundations of Western fiction.This book contains the following novels:- Son of the West by Ernest Haycox. - Johnny Nelson by Clarence E. Mulford. - Wells Brothers by Andy Adams. - Apache Devil by Edgar Rice Burroughs. - The Range Dwellers by B. M. Bower. If you appreciate good books, be sure to check out the other Tacet Books titles!