Book review - Story of the Great American West.

Story of the Great American West is a 371 page book put out by Reader's Digest in 1977. The book actually starts in the East shortly after the arrival of the first colonists and follows the frontier as it moves westward. The final chapter concludes in the early 1900's.

Because of the length of time covered in the book most events are summarized. Very few things are covered in detail. Although the book was well-written I found myself somewhat distracted by this. It seemed that several times stories were left open as the narrative moved on. A few more details would have been nice.

In spite of the shallow level of information, the book was an interesting read. I found it to be a decent overview of the expansion of the United States. While it is hardly a reference book, it will be well worth the while to read for those unfamiliar with anything beyond cowboys and Indians in the American West.