While many of the American frontier’s most famous arms are well known today, few have had the distinction of becoming a working classic for as long...
The Dalton Death Rifle?
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Articles
Rough Drafts 11/12
We’re approaching the end of a landmark year in Western book publishing, and the beginning of another. With so many great projects out there for us...
J.A. Johnstone Picks
Well, four from 2012, plus a timeless classic. Anytime Shane shows up on a list, the rest of the bunch has to be top-notch storytelling. 1. Wildfire...
Remembering D.L. Birchfield
The world of Western literature lost a treasured voice in the early morning hours of September 7, when D.L. Birchfield, Choctaw satirist and...
Native Performers in Wild West Shows
Devotees of the Buffalo Bill legacy will no doubt appreciate Native Performers in Wild West Shows. It explores fertile ground first recognized by...
The Stickler
“Did you sketch this picture of my daughter?” Cindy Costner, Kevin’s wife at the time, asked a Union soldier during a lull in the Dances With Wolves...
10 Myths on the Dakota Uprising
The Dakota Uprising that began in Minnesota on August 17, 1862, quickly grew into the largest “Indian War” in Trans-Mississippi American history....
The Sodbusters’ Historian
In 1886, Solomon Butcher had his eureka moment, the biggest idea of his life. He would compile a book, a photographic history of the pioneers of...
The Outrageous Climax Jim
Climax Jim was the darling of the Arizona press during the late 1890s. He rose to fame thanks to the fertile imaginations of the old-timers who knew...
The Geronimo Trap
Dating to ancient times, commanders have wrestled with communications over distances and under combat conditions. The flashing shield, drums or...
Guns, Guts & Glory
True West is setting out on a mission to help you find the best books, on a multitude of subjects, that depict this great frontier era in American...
On the Trail of Jedediah Smith
The rugged country on the west side of the Teton Range, between Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, is a wilderness area named for Jedediah...