Gunsmoke and Saddle Leather: Firearms in the Nineteenth Century American West - Tapa dura

"A handsome tome that would work as a coffee-table book if you enjoy heated discussions about things like muzzle velocity." "This is a book not only for gun fans, but also for anyone interested in the Western frontier as it advanced and the people who pushed it west during a violent time." "This massive book with expert text and a vast number of photos is a 'must have' for gun collectors, historians of the American West and fans of western stories, movies, and TV shows." "This book is a compelling look at the history of firearms usage in the trans-Mississippi West, often told in the words of the men and women for whom the firearm was an essential part of daily life." "Worman's attention to detail, use of a surprisingly large number of primary sources, and encyclopedic coverage of firearms in the West would benefit even the most knowledgeable 'gun guy' in a search for information." "This is a most impressive work. It is a huge volume, yet the binding is solid, photographs reproduced clearly, captions clear, type not too small-those elements that sometimes mar large books are here to benefit us all. . . This is a very worthwhile addition to our NOLA library, whether an avid gun collector or just appreciate the weaponry used by outlaws and lawmen, and virtually all other populations who lived in the west." "This is not a book to be taken lightly..but one that will literally provide hours of reading pleasure...It is representative of extensive detailed research, great writing and all that a fine book should be. It is a tremendous addition to anyone's library, or living room!"

The gun, like the axe and the plow, was an essential tool in the exploration and settlement of the trans-Mississippi West. It provided food for the cooking pot as well as protection against two- or four-legged marauders. As the century progressed, firearms also provided various forms of recreation for both men and women, primarily target and competition shooting. Of course the employment of the gun, whether for good or evil, depended upon the user. The men and women who lived the nineteenth-century western experience sometimes described in detail the role firearms played in their lives. Such accounts included a trapper in the 1830s, a woman crossing the plains by wagon in the 1850s, a drover ("cowboy" in modern terminology) enduring the dangers of a long cattle drive, a professional hunter engaged in the slaughter of the once seemingly endless herds of bison, or a soldier campaigning against American Indians. Each account adds to our knowledge of firearms and our awareness of the struggle faced by those who were a part of the western experience. Gunsmoke and Saddle Leather describes the gun's impact on the lives of those in the West--men and women, whites and American Indians--using their own words to tell that story wherever possible.