Hi all,
I come to /r/askhistorians looking for reading recommendations on the history of the American West. After watching the tv show Deadwood I began to think about what life may have been like in the mid to late 19th century out in the western territories. In general, I'd love to learn about the West in general, but specifically social and economic history. If y'all could be so kind, I'd also like to know what themes I should be cognizant of when approaching these subjects.
Thanks!
Oh man, you came to the right place. So, in grad school, my thesis was on racial and social representations of minorities in "The West" as seen in Dime Novels, the popular literary format of the day. Some of the books that were most helpful to me (and from your question, might be to you as well) were Richard Slotkin's 'Gunfighter Nation', Michael Denning's 'Mechanic Accents', & Patricia Nelson Limerick's 'The Legacy of Conquest: The Unbroken Past of the American West'.
I hope this helps!!