First published 2025
Paul Andrew Hutton dismantles the romantic mythology surrounding westward expansion to expose the brutal realities beneath America's founding legend. The author of The Apache Wars examines how national ambition collided with violence and exploitation across the continent. Hutton follows seven key figures across multiple generations: Daniel Boone, Red Eagle, Davy Crockett, Mangas Coloradas, Kit Carson, Sitting Bull, and Buffalo Bill Cody. Their intertwined stories span from Pennsylvania's forests to California's mountains, from southwestern deserts to the Great Plains buffalo country. The narrative stretches from Braddock's crushing defeat in 1755 through the tragedy at Wounded Knee in 1890. Hutton reveals how conquest and environmental destruction went hand in hand with sacrifice and wonder. He shows readers the complex truth behind the frontier myth that has captivated global audiences through books, films, and television for generations.
Genres: biography, historical-fiction, 20th-century, non-fiction, 19th-century, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-allies, historical-figures
Setting: Pennsylvania, California, Southwestern Deserts, Great Plains
Period: 1755, 1890
576 pages · Hardcover · Dutton
Content warnings: violence