The Winning of the West: The Daniel Boone Edition.

"The Winning of the West remains one of the greatest works of western history. . . . [It] reflects the character of its author. It is sometimes quirky and full of prejudices and blind spots, but it is cultivated and sweeping in its learning and encompassing in its judgments" (John Milton Cooper Jr). In 1884, Theodore Roosevelt went to the Dakota Badlands "as a refuge from tragedy and disappointment. His young wife and his mother had both died on Valentine's Day that year, and in the summer his reformist faction had been defeated at the Republican national convention. The isolation and immensity of the Badlands helped him escape these misfortunes, and offered a retreat where he could pursue his interest in writing… [including his] four-volume history of the early frontier" (PBS, The West). Roosevelt was the most prolific American President and, perhaps, accomplished writer of them all, publishing over 50 books, all without the aid of staff or ghostwriters. Winning of the West covers the years 1769-1807. "Roosevelt's works helped shape the popular impression of the West at the turn of the century" (Lamar, 987).