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Biographical Note: Review Quotes: One of LitHub's Most Anticipated Books of 2026 "American identity was born of myth, forged in fireside tales of frontier heroism and endless abundance. But insofar as that identity was largely and intentionally anchored in whiteness, many of the real stories--just as mythic, just as legendary--went untold or ignored, simply because the heroes didn't have the right skin color...Megan Kate Nelson seeks to redress those elisions, uncovering a diverse and magnificent cast of characters whose lives are just as important to the story of the west as any blue-eyed cowboy: from Cheyenne chiefs to biracial fur traders to women ranchers, The Westerners makes room for everyone." --Jonny Diamond, LitHub Review Quotes: "A richly layered portrait of the 19th-century frontier....Nelson weaves her subjects' lives together--they often quite literally cross paths--while simultaneously showing how their stories were changed or erased in favor of a more clear-cut frontier myth of white male dominance. Along the way, she highlights moments where Americans could have achieved a more just future....This complicated, sprawling epic is untamed in a good way." --Publishers Weekly, STARRED review "Nelson's narrative...makes a valuable corrective. A useful survey of the 'messy, complicated lives of the real people who built the West." --Kirkus Reviews "A uniquely compelling look at the dynamism and conflict that defined the West." --Booklist Publisher Marketing: "A uniquely compelling look at the dynamism and conflict that defined the West" (Booklist), shattering the traditional frontier myth that has dominated popular American culture. "A richly layered portrait of the nineteenth-century frontier" ( Publishers Weekly, starred review), The Westerners is an epic counter-history of the American West told in two interwoven stories. The first reveals the captivating lives of women and men moving through the American West--Indigenous peoples, Black Americans, Mexican Americans, and Canadian and Asian immigrants--in the 19th century. The second tracks the attempts of many Americans to erase these westerners from history, through the formation of a national mythology that lionized individualism and conquest and celebrated white settlers traveling west in search of prosperity. This vivid, eye-opening account is a new history of the frontier, told through the lives of seven extraordinary individuals: Sacajawea, not just Lewis and Clark's guide but an explorer who forged her own path; Jim Beckwourth, a biracial fur trader whose sharp cultural insight made him an important player in western geopolitics; María Gertrudis Barceló, a Hispana gambling saloon owner who broke every stereotype to become the wealthiest woman in Santa Fe; Ovando Hollister, a gold miner, soldier, and newspaperman who championed western expansion; Little Wolf, a Northern Cheyenne chief whose courageous leadership secured his people's future; Canadian immigrant Ella Watson, who strove to become a rancher in a male-dominated world; and the defiant Polly Bemis, a Chinese immigrant who carved out a life in Idaho despite federal expulsion efforts. Highlighting the perseverance and ingenuity of communities that have otherwise been forgotten or erased, this important book challenges us to reimagine who we are and where we came from. "Nelson's deft hand at writing draws the reader in with heartfelt and engaging storytelling" ( The Colorado Sun). Review Citations:
Contributor Bio:Nelson, Megan Kate |
