Although Bill Nye (1850-1896) was America's best known humorist in the late 1880's and early 1890's, his work is little known today--his books long out of print and his columns yellowing in newspaper files. Now T. A. Larson, a dyed-in-the-wool Nye fan for more than thirty years, has assembled the best of Bill Nye's work, most of it dating from the seven Wyoming years when Nye made his name. The selections are chosen from Laramie, Cheyenne, and Denver newspapers and from six books published in the 1890's. The resulting collection is both good fun and a valuable picture of a lively period.
First published in 1988, this book contains entries on famous American Humorists. Humor has been present in American literature, from the beginning, and has developed characteristics that reflect the American character, both regional and national. Although American literature was, in the past, treated as inferior to British literature, there has always been a large popular audience for the genre, which this book shows. The figures with entries in this encyclopedia not only amuse in their writing, but also aim to enlighten- setting out to expose the foibles and foolishness of society and the individuals who compose it. It is the manner in which these authors try to accomplish this end that determines whether they appear in the volume. Indeed, the book will demonstrate that the best humor has at its base, a ready understanding of human nature.
The enduring fascination of the American West marks this collection of essays by distinguished historians, investigative reporters, a novelist, and a celebrated screenwriter. All of these articles have won Wrangler Awards—the western equivalent of the Oscars—presented annually by the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. Exciting storytelling, a hallmark of western writing, shapes every selection. C. L. Sonnichsen's 1986 revisionist account of Geronimo's life foreshadows the work of younger historians who continue to deepen our understanding of American Indian history. Jeffrey Pearson's story of the death of Crazy Horse and Greg Michno's novelistic rendering of the Lakota view of the Battle of the Little Bighorn represent history as practiced by scholars who are also powerful writers. Journalist-screenwriter William Broyles's narrative of the King family and ranch is a Texas saga as captivating as anything by Larry McMurtry. The renowned novelist Oakley Hall writes with a historian's precision about Wyoming, setting for The Virginian and site of the Teapot Dome scandal and the Johnson County range war. Focusing on Charles M. Russell, Raphael Cristy establishes the western artist's importance as a writer who overturned stereotypes about American Indians. Environmental studies are showcased in Dan Flores's essays on the demise of the great buffalo herds and the history of the horse trade. And no overview of the West would be complete without military and law enforcement history, amply represented by Robert M. Utley's work on the Texas Rangers, Paul Hutton's panoramic recounting of the Alamo, and Sally Denton's new look at the controversial Mountain Meadows Massacre, incorporating the latest forensic evidence. In what serves as a fitting coda to the violent yet inspiring history of the American West, Hutton offers a stirring account of Teddy Roosevelt's leadership at the Battle of San Juan Hill. This is a collection as pleasurable to read as it is rich with great and significant stories about one of the most enduring national epochs—the history of the great American West.
For centuries Wyoming was a land no one wanted--high, dry, and remote--more often a thoroughfare on the way to some place else than a final destination. The problem, explains T.A. Larson in this history, was people--and how to get them there.
For centuries Wyoming was a land no one wanted--high, dry, and remote--more often a thoroughfare on the way to some place else than a final destination. Many of the sweeping developments that overtook the rest of the nation simply passed it by, leaving Wyoming to sit in lonely grandeur behind its granite walls and silent snows. The problem, explains T.A. Larson in this history, was people--and how to get them there. The settlers who came to Wyoming stayed to build a special way of life. It is with them that important choices now rest. "The country where the wind blew in primeval purity will now breathe new odors," says author Larson, unless short-term profits can be balanced by long-term gains. If the right decisions are made, he concludes, it should be possible for Wyoming to "emerge from its primitive isolation in such a way that its greatest values are preserved and its old way of life left for those who choose to follow it."
Briefly describes life in the West, and discusses the ephemeral nature of the region, western towns, the tourist industry, agriculture, fiction, and the ecology movement.
Forget Doris Day singing on the stagecoach. Forget Robin Weigert’s gritty portrayal on HBO’s Deadwood. The real Calamity Jane was someone the likes of whom you’ve never encountered. That is, until now. This book is a definitive biography of Martha Canary, the woman popularly known as Calamity Jane. Written by one of today’s foremost authorities on this notorious character, it is a meticulously researched account of how an alcoholic prostitute was transformed into a Wild West heroine. Always on the move across the northern plains, Martha was more camp follower than the scout of legend. A mother of two, she often found employment as waitress, laundress, or dance hall girl and was more likely to be wearing a dress than buckskin. But she was hard to ignore when she’d had a few drinks, and she exploited the aura of fame that dime novels created around her, even selling her autobiography and photos to tourists. Gun toting, swearing, hard drinking—Calamity Jane was all of these, to be sure. But whatever her flaws or foibles, James D. McLaird paints a compelling portrait of an unconventional woman who more than once turned the tables on those who sought to condemn or patronize her. He also includes dozens of photos—many never before seen—depicting Jane in her many guises. His book is a long-awaited biography of Martha Canary and the last word on Calamity Jane.
