[.ca] Tale of the Western Plains (ISBN 1890623008)

The True Wild West Revealed:
My family and I read this book together, and found it to be a very captivating western mystery. The reality of real cowboy life presented in the book, makes the Hollywood cowboy look like a romticized story character. The wild, wild west will never be the same for us. Henty has the ability to paint colorful pictures in the mind, without going into unnecessary, gory detail. A wonderful book for the whole family.

A Wonderful Tale:
When it seems that tales of the old west just keep on repeating themselves, this wonderful tale gives the American West a new light. G.A. Henty (the boy's historian) gives this tale a unique twist but yet keeps it within historical boundaries. Some may say that this book is a work of fantasy like most western tales. In one sense this is true as Henty uses fictional characters, but the story itself is based off of the experiences of a relative of Mr. Henty (as he stated in the preface). When one reads this tale full of gunfights, wildfires, horse races, round ups, Indian raids, and daring rescues, one would say it still sounds way too impossible. Henty understood this and stated in the preface, "in treating of cowboy life, indeed, it may well be said that truth is stranger than fiction." The tale is one worth reading largely to the sacrifice that men made for women in those days. In some instances within the book, the hero and many others are faced with the situation of saving women and children from a band of Indians, and later two young ladies from a group of outlaws. In both cases many men put their lives at stake, knowing there was little chance of survival, for those who were weaker than them. This is true Godly manhood at its fullest! Some may find a problem with the cowboys mention and use of liquor and tobacco. Let me say that tobacco was generally accepted in the days of Henty, and no one knew what it could really do to a person. Secondly the use of liquor was common in the days of the west, and Henty wanted to keep his tale accurate to the time of the work. It can also be said that Henty mentions many times the negative benefits of the drink. This story is one that you and all those who will come after you will enjoy. I highly recommend this tale for anyone wanting to read a western that is not only profanity free, but historical in setting as well.