Bravos of the West

Rating:
Summary: Between History and Legend
Review: Bravos of the West, (originally titled Death of the Bravos) is an informal history of the old West, from 1812 to 1878, largely mined from oral tradition. "By and large, what went on in the early days of the American West transpired while historians were looking the other way...", writes Myers, and rather than attempting a scholarly treatment of the subject, he has drawn on the oral tradition to create a rollicking tale of the mountain men, scouts, indians, bandits, fillabusters, and shootist who lived and died there during that wide open and wild time.
Following a rough chronological order, each chapter sketches the story of one of these Western bravos, some well known characters, others more obscure. A substantial portion of the book is about the various mountain men and the fur trade, covering such legends as Jed Smith, Hugh Glass, Jim Bridger, Old Bill Williams, Joe Meeks, and many others. Sam Houston and the rest of the men who made Texas are covered well, as are those who blazed the Santa Fe trail, and those who opened up and settled the Oregon Country. There is hardly a signifigant event or person in the time period that he covers that Myers does not bring to life through his lively prose. Myers skillfully weaves all of these seperate stories into a great tapestry of the claiming of the West for the American nation.
Myers knows his subject well, as most of his life was devoted to researching and writing about the American West. Yet he is primarely a story teller, not a dry academic. His writing is playful and idiomatic, and if you let yourself fall under his spell, you may find you are searching out his other books regardless of subject.
Bravos of the West falls somewhere between history and legend, and hence must at times be taken with a grain of salt if pure historical accuarcy (is there any such beast?) is what you are looking for. But to learn of the many amazing people whose stories combined to win the West and create an American mythology, John Myers Myers' fascinating book is just the thing.