Publisher's Synopsis
Our most important primary accounts of early western adventure are brought together in this series of eight volumes. The authors were some of the frontier's first European travelers and explorers. Independent in spirit and background, the individuals who penned these reports collectively gave us our first Western images.
An introductory Perspective to each section provides historical context. Each original narrative is supported with explanatory text by the editor presenting the significance of the report, a biography of its author, and the adventurer's itinerary along with highlights of the journey. The legacy resulting from the narrative, contemporary critical statements about the text and modern evaluations of the reports are included for deeper study.
Each of the 167 narratives in the series has been selected by the editor from the premier bibliography on Western exploration and travel: The Plains & the Rockies, by Wagner, Camp, and Becker. Each account--25 pages or less-- provides a fundamental record which, in total, creates a comprehensive eight-volume record of exploration.
Immediate, inspiring and insightful, these shorter contributions from The Plains and Rockies list are ephemeral and scarce. They are often the first printed reports of specific incidents and discoveries, having appeared in obscure newspapers and periodicals, and impart an immediacy and vitality often lost in later reflective narratives. This set of volumes is essential to researchers. News of the Plains and Rockies is a welcome addition to the shelves of all who have an interest in the opening of the West.
The volumes are printed on acid-free paper and bound in tan linen with two color foil stamping on spine and front cover. The text is supported by facsimiles, maps, and appendices. A comprehensive index for the series is included in the final volume.
See individual volumes for contents list. Price for series reflects a 25% discount off the list price of the individual volumes
