What do you think?
Rate this book
The Mythical West: An Encyclopedia of Legend, Lore, and Popular Culture
This cultural journey down memory lane showcases how major Western figures, events, and places have been portrayed in folk legends, art, literature, and popular culture.
Ever since the days of the 49ers and George Armstrong Custer, the Old West has been America's most potent source of legend. But it is sometimes hard to separate fact from fiction. Did you know, for example, that Annie Oakley was a talented marksman who shot an estimated 40,000 rounds per year while practicing and performing for Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show in the late l800s? Or that many interpreters believe that The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is not just a fairy tale, but also a Populist allegory?
These are just two of the folk legends dissected and examined in this veritable cultural geography. The volume covers everything from billionaire Howard Hughes and composer Aaron Copeland to Aztlan (the legendary first city of the Aztecs) and Area 51, the top-secret U.S. Air Force base at Groom Lake, Nevada, that has fascinated UFO and conspiracy buffs.
Ever since the days of the 49ers and George Armstrong Custer, the Old West has been America's most potent source of legend. But it is sometimes hard to separate fact from fiction. Did you know, for example, that Annie Oakley was a talented marksman who shot an estimated 40,000 rounds per year while practicing and performing for Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show in the late l800s? Or that many interpreters believe that The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is not just a fairy tale, but also a Populist allegory?
These are just two of the folk legends dissected and examined in this veritable cultural geography. The volume covers everything from billionaire Howard Hughes and composer Aaron Copeland to Aztlan (the legendary first city of the Aztecs) and Area 51, the top-secret U.S. Air Force base at Groom Lake, Nevada, that has fascinated UFO and conspiracy buffs.
- GenresReference
Hardcover
First published November 20, 2001
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 21, 2024
The subtitle of this book claims it is an encyclopedic work. A more accurate strapline would be A Random Smattering of Articles with a Heavy Focus on Pop Culture References. This is for two reasons:
I see no rhyme or reason to which subjects the author chose to include. For example, one would assume Brigham Young, a major character in the white settlement of several western states, would warrant his own entry. He is only mentioned in articles about Porter Rockwell and Ann Eliza Young. The Pleasant Valley War, possibly the largest range war in the American West, is not mentioned at all.
Half the content was a list of media representations of events and individuals. I now know more about movies portraying Wild Bill Hickock than his actual life history.
I see no rhyme or reason to which subjects the author chose to include. For example, one would assume Brigham Young, a major character in the white settlement of several western states, would warrant his own entry. He is only mentioned in articles about Porter Rockwell and Ann Eliza Young. The Pleasant Valley War, possibly the largest range war in the American West, is not mentioned at all.
Half the content was a list of media representations of events and individuals. I now know more about movies portraying Wild Bill Hickock than his actual life history.
October 1, 2022
I'm biased since I have five entries published in this encyclopedia. I was a student at North Carolina State and took a university scholars course in 2000 with Dr. Slatta on this subject. As part of the course, the 10 or so students enrolled worked on our entries researching and editing our entries. It was a wonderful experience that I will always cherish. Very grateful to be part of this. It's also exciting that my entry on the populist allegory to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is used in the description!
April 14, 2018
essential
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews