I've recently finished the book "Blood Meridian" and loved it. It's also helped me develop an interest in the Wild West, and I suppose the real Wild West. As a non-American much of what I know of the subject comes from stuff like Deadwood or Spaghetti Westerns, the latter I know has little standing in reality (the former I'm not sure how to to life it actually is). I'm having trouble finding non-fiction resources on the subject. Any suggestions?
I recently read Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History by S. C. Gwynne.
Great non-fiction book about life on the western frontier, mostly in Texas. It's a snapshot into westward expansion and the fall of the last remaining Indian tribes. Really fascinating and brutal glimpse of life during that time.
Richard Slotkin has a magnificent series that traces the origins of the American "Old West" myth in conjunction with its rise in popular culture, and as a hallmark of American identity in the 20th century. It does a great job educating the reader about the mid-to-late 19th century while also connecting that history to modern pop culture and the notion of the "cowboy" as a touchstone of 20th century American culture and identity. Maybe start with his "Gunfighter Nation" and go from there to see if it interests you?
I found a book this year called :
Black Pioneers - Images of the Black Experience on the North American Frontier
This book has heavily reshaped the way I look and think about the western expansion of the U.S.A . Black Pioneers were an important and otherwise ignored part of American history.
I've been starting to read Blood and Thunder: An Epic of the American West (Doubleday, 2001) by Hampton Sides, and it might interest you in the sense that it provides a good overview and is written in a way that is really fun to read and not dry at all.
I'll offer up a couple memoirs that I have found fascinating talking about life on the Frontier. Since you mentioned the Deadwood series I will include Pioneer Days in the Black Hills by John McClintock. He talks about the early history of Deadwood and the Black Hills region.
The Red Blooded Heroes of the Frontier by Edgar Beecher Bronson. His book talks about his time as a Nebraska rancher and his involvement with Cheyenne and Black Hills Stage during the 1870s and '80s.
The last book I'll include is a little controversial among some because the author misremembers some details, but by and large he gets things right and offers a rare look into frontier life from a working man's perspective. Hard Knocks: A Life Story of the Vanishing West by Harry Young includes so many great stories and notes of his travels, leaving home at 14 to be an Indian fighter to his times freighting in Wyoming and Dakota Territory until he ends up in the Pacific Northwest.
Hope these help get you started in the right direction.