The Way To The West: Essays On The Central Plains

by Elliott West

This history of the great migrations of the Cheyenne Indians and Anglo pioneers onto the arid Central Plains tells a complex story of the relationship between people and the environment. Elliott West turns his attention here to land, animals, families, and stories. Focusing on a region embracing parts of present-day Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, and Wyoming, he examines both the facts and myths of the migrations.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

244 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1995

About the author

A specialist in the history of the American West, Elliott West is Alumni Distinguished Professor of History Emeritus at the University of Arkansas. He received his B.A. from the University of Texas (1967) and his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado (1971). He joined the U of A faculty in 1979. Two of his books, Growing Up With the Country: Childhood on the Far-Western Frontier (1989) and The Way to the West: Essays on the Central Plains (1995) received the Western Heritage Award. The Contested Plains: Indians, Goldseekers, and the Rush to Colorado (1998) received five awards including the Francis Parkman Prize and PEN Center Award. His most recent book is The Last Indian War: The Nez Perce Story (2009).

In 1995 West was awarded the U of A Teacher of the Year and the Carnegie Foundation‘s Arkansas Professor of the Year. In 2001 he received the Baum Faculty Teaching Award, and in 2009 he was one of three finalists for the Robert Foster Cherry Award recognizing the outstanding teacher in the nation.

Reviews

[Lucio A. Bianchi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes I am biased. Since this book navigated me through my thesis and facilitated the road towards being a historian it deserves 5 stars. Beyond that, it is an excellent treasure-trove of knowledge regarding the Central Plains during the 19th century or the “Great American West”. You’ll find settlers braving the frontier looking for a new place to call home; Native American tribes and nation fighting the white man to preserve the sacred land they still hold; and intriguing stories regarding families, migration and the fauna littering the open country. Give it a read!!

[Kelsi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is comprised of four essays concerning perspectives on the West. It focuses on land, animals, families and stories. My favorite essays were animals and stories. Animals dealt with the eradication of the buffalo, and stories looks at how we conceive of the West today.

My reasoning for 3 stars is that some of the essays were a little longwinded and lacked a cohesive point.

[Tom Darrow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Went to a conference on the Great Plains hosted by the author. The conference was great, but his book was not. Very dense.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very easy read that opens new ways of looking at the American West. A must read for anyone interested.

[Laura Jean]

I read this back in graduate school for a "history of the west" survey course. I LOVED it. Granted, I was a Yankee who went to undergrad in Memphis, so my understanding of the history of the west was pretty scanty. Everything in this book was new to me and it was told in such a entertaining manner that it was by far the most fun school read I had that year.