ENTREPRENEUERS OF THE OLD WEST

A well-researched tribute to the nation's frontier entrepreneurs who, in seeking adventure and profit, ushered a young and undeveloped America into the modern age. Dary, author of Cowboy Culture and The Buffalo Book among others, devotes most of this newest work to those who toiled west of the Missouri River; who were responsible, in large part, for the westward migration of trade and settlement throughout the 19th century. Following dreams of wealth and a thirst for adventure, the likes of Henry Comstock, Zebulon Pike and others braved various perils in plying their respective trades. Despite the inherent dangers of an untamed West, however, these would-be entrepreneurs learned some timeless business concepts--such as the advantage of volume buying and selling to cut costs and maximize profits. Primarily comprised of a wealth of diary and other firsthand account extractions, plus an intuitive commentary that's powered by an obvious fascination with frontier life, Dary's book is a definitive guide to Old West capitalism. The most notable fault is its drab, work-a-day presentation, which does, however, mirror the laboring habits of those to which it pays tribute. For those whose fascination with the Old West remains unsated, a new twist that's sure to please.