Butler (history, Utah State U.) and Lansing (history, Augsberg College) provide a concise history of the American West, meant to complement the US history curriculum, with an aim to describe the "multi-cultural, multi-structured, and multi-contradictory elements in regional life," along with the societal factors of race, gender, and corporate capital. Covering the pre-colonial era to the present day, they draw on current scholarship and connect the volume to the inclination of the US government to extend its reach through territorial expansion, as well as emphasize the West as part of the fabric of the nation. They address five themes: the convergence of cultures that led people to compete for power and agency; the role of the West as a center for emerging capitalism; the place of the federal government as an overseer of expansion and resources; the importance of violence in the West's history; and attachments to a mythic idea of the region. Sources for the book include public records, newspapers, and secondary literature. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)