Wild WestBook review by Dave Shultz
Insight Guides is publishing a new series of guidebooks called Discovery Travel Adventures.� I was fortunate to receive a copy of Wild West from the series and found everything I�ve come to expect from the Discovery Channel and more.� I grew up in the west, the son of a professional rodeo clown and I love the history and romance associated with the wild west lifestyle.� The editors and writers that contributed to Wild West have captured more than the idealized version of the old west.� They managed to portray in and words, the soul and passion of the west.� This isn�t Saturday afternoon at the theater with John Wayne, this is the real west as only a true native could view it.� The book is organized in three main categories, Western Lives, Experiencing the Old West and Wild West Destinations.� Each section contains fascinating stories and essays by a variety of writers with in-depth knowledge of the history of the west.� You'll find expert advice and travel tips as well as historical background. The photography that accompanies the stories gives us an intimate view into the lives and lifestyles of both old and modern characters of the west.� Western LivesThis section details the fantasy and myths of the western characters as well as the reality.� It�s a detailed narrative of the lives of the men and women of the west; white, black, Chinese and Indian.� Slaves, homesteaders, miners and laborers are all given a fair and accurate portrayal as to their part in shaping the new frontier west of the Mississippi. Experiencing the Old WestGhost towns, rodeos and ranches, both old and new are explored through the eyes of adventurous travelers eager to understand why one place thrives and another dies.� Why men and women risk life and limb to match skills with each other and wild stock and what part ranching played yesterday and today in the west. Wild West DestinationsThe largest section in the book, Destinations covers the pueblos, missions, gold camps, battlegrounds and ghost towns that are the history and legacy of the Wild West.� Visit huge ranches and small outposts.� Drive cattle and brand steers.� Wear war paint and high top boots.� Everything you ever wanted to know about the most glorious exploration in American history is here.� The people, places and character of the Old West are covered in splendid detail. If all that doesn�t leave you totally satisfied, there�s a great Resource Directory in the book with both fiction and non-fiction sources for further exploration.� Somehow, I doubt if you�ll have time for that for quite a while.� This is full volume of fascinating reading that�s hard to put down. Insight Guides Distributed by: |
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TM
The Discovery Channel on television has always been know for it�s outstanding photography, historical accuracy and fascinating narrative and now you can get all that and more in a guide book.