Exploring the life of Billy the Kid, Richard W. Etulain offers an in-depth analysis of his complex persona and enduring legend within the Old West's cultural narrative. The book delves into the historical context and societal influences that shaped Billy's identity, providing readers with a nuanced understanding of his impact and significance in American folklore.
Although Calamity Jane has probably been written about more than any other woman of the American West, fiction and legend have largely obscured the facts of her life. This biography traces the real person from the Missouri farm where she was born in 1856 through the development of her notorious persona as a Wild West heroine.
A central character in legends and histories of the Old West, Billy the Kid rivals such western icons as Jesse James and General George Armstrong Custer for the number of books and movies his brief, violent life inspired. This volume introduces readers to the most significant of these written and filmed works.