Students in search of information about specific people, events, and places from the old or new West will appreciate this work for assignments and for individual interest. The first volume includes an 11-page time line of key events from 1784 to 2007. The straightforward, somewhat scholarly topical essays are individually authored and range in length from 28 to 46 pages. Each is subdivided by subject, accompanied by text boxes and pull quotes, and followed by further reading suggestions. Coverage ranges from Buffalo Bill Cody, Sacagawea, and Bill Gates to Rifles and Revolvers, Ronald Reagan, and Indian Casinos. Each essay opens with a black-and-white image representing the topicregrettably the only one in the chapter. A well-organized resource.

School Library Journal

The success of each new set in this growing series relies on the strength of the topic it covers, so purchase where local interest warrants. Recommended for high school and public libraries as a supplement to subject collections.

Library Journal

What do Annie Oakley, Frederic Remington, and Bill Gates have in common? According to Greenwood, they are popular icons of the American West, pioneers in what they do, and they influence millions. Distilling a broad cultural sphere into two dozen revolutionaries is a tough act, but Greenwood's 'Icons' series has done a fine job of focusing on the legendary principals known to wide audiences.

Library Journal

Particularly interesting are articles addressing topics such as Indian gaming and the evolution of this economic/cultural phenomenon. The entries contain bibliographies and a modest number of photos, when appropriate…The contributors are well qualified. The history of the American West is a huge field; therefore, while not indispensable, this work will be a good investment for schools that can afford the price…Recommended. Lower- and upper-level undergraduates; general readers.

Choice

With special features, such as a chronology of major events in the history of the American west, shaded boxes containing excerpts from primary sources, and end-of-entry bibliographies, this set provides an insightful look at what makes the west the west, which to paraphrase the book, is as much a state of mind as a place of residence (p. 228).

ARBA