The Mythical West: An Encyclopedia of Legend, Lore, and Popular Culture (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781576071519)

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.

Author: Richard W. Slatta
ISBN-10: 1576071510
ISBN-13: 9781576071519
Publisher: ABC-CLIO
Language: English
Published: 11/20/2001
Pages: 446
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 2.29lbs
Size: 10.16h x 7.10w x 1.33d

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 01/01/2002 pg. 90
Booklist 03/15/2002 pg. 1277
Choice 04/01/2002 pg. 1404
American Reference Bks Annual 01/01/2003 pg. 525