The New Encyclopedia of the American West (The Lamar Series in Western History) [Hardcover]

Professor Howard R. Lamar (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 23, 1998 | Series: The Lamar Series in Western History

The American West is an evocative term that conjures up images of cowboys and Indians, covered wagons, sheriffs and outlaws, and endless prairies -- as well as contemporary images ranging from national parks to the oil, aerospace, and film industries. In addition, the West encompasses not only the past and present of the area west of the Mississippi but also the frontier as it moved across each of the fifty American states, offering the promise of freedom and a better life to pioneers and settlers in every era. This authoritative, comprehensive, and lavishly illustrated single-volume encyclopedia is a rich source of information about these many American Wests -- real and imaginary, old and new, stretching from coast to coast and throughout the country's history and culture.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Did you know that when Annie Oakley was not performing her sharp-shooting skills, she preferred a quiet Quaker lifestyle and an embroidery needle to a rifle? That gunman John Wesley Hardin killed more people than either Jesse James or Billy the Kid? Or that Frederick Law Olmsted was once commissioned to manage the Yosemite Valley and was instrumental in the national-park movement? The New Encyclopedia of the American West is full of such interesting information. This weighty volume, compiled by Sterling Professor Emeritus of History at Yale University Howard R. Lamar, contains over 2,400 entries by more than 300 contributors on all aspects of the American West, from prehistory to the present. Types of entries include brief biographical sketches of important men and women, extensive descriptions of the physiogeography of the continent, pieces on art and literature of the West, and histories of the area's transportation systems. Over 600 illustrations and maps complement the text and help make this book a joy to read. Lamar provides a brief timeline of Western history to help put things in perspective, and the individual entries are extensively cross-referenced. A detailed index provides a comprehensive list of every person mentioned in the book, and most articles provide bibliographic citations to point the interested reader to further sources. The tone of the book is authoritative yet accessible--and refreshingly jargon-free. So whether you're interested in Sacajawea, Sasquatch, or Santa Fe, The New Encyclopedia of the American West will please scholar and casual reader alike. --C.B. Delaney

From Library Journal

Twenty years ago, LJ praised Howard Lamar's one-volume Reader's Encyclopedia of the West (LJ 4/15/78) as not only "a useful reference tool, but [also] a delight to browse in." Now Lamar (history, Yale) presents a new, completely revised edition of his encyclopedia, also a useful reference tool and a browser's delight. Lavishly illustrated, the book contains over 2400 entries by some 600 historians of the West?and not just the popular West of cowboys and Indians; subject entries range from the labor movement and women's suffrage to music about the region. Intelligently written and edited, with competent bibliographic listings, this encyclopedia is highly recommended as a replacement for the older work, and libraries with a Western collection or a strong interest in U.S. history in general should buy it as the general encyclopedia on the West.?Charles V. Cowling, Drake Memorial Lib., SUNY at Brockport
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1344 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press (September 23, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300070888
• ISBN-13: 978-0300070880
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.7 x 2.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #535,455 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a very comprehensive history of the West, December 28, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The New Encyclopedia of the American West (The Lamar Series in Western History) (Hardcover)

Although primarily a reference book, it is the kind I would like to read page after page. I wish it had been printed in two volumes. The type is extremely small and tiresome to read at any length

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars OUTSTANDING REFERENCE BOOK, December 14, 2009

By 

Olivier Comte (Neuilly FRANCE) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The New Encyclopedia of the American West (The Lamar Series in Western History) (Hardcover)

Indispensable for us, ignorant Europeans.
I needed some informations abut the early organization of the Texas Rangers, and it was there.
The printing is very clear, and the paper very nice, as most American editions, so I have no quarrel with that book, except for its
unavoidable weight which makes it awkward for in bed browsing.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good content, small print, May 1, 2007

By 

Tom Langston "westdoc" (austin, tx) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The New Encyclopedia of the American West (The Lamar Series in Western History) (Hardcover)

I'll agree with the previous critque...great content, though the small typeset detracts from the readability