The 13 essays collected here for undergraduates and above portray the social history of the American West between 1800 and the 1910s through the perspectives of specific groups that lived in the region. The mythology of John Wayne's West is put to the test against the stories of American Indians, Asians and Asian Americans, Latinos, Blacks, outlaws, artists, entrepreneurs, trappers and traders, soldiers, and Mormons. Unifying themes in the collection include the assumptions that people make their own histories and attach their own meanings to the circumstances of their lives; as well as the importance of economics, race, and place. Primary documents supplement the text. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)