GREAT LIVES

Continuing the Great Lives series, Calvert (Glennis, Before and After, 1996, etc.) offers an intimate introduction to the men and women who tamed the American West with this engaging and friendly history. Each of the 26 chapters (19 men, 7 women) focuses on a single person: A capsule entry gives the facts, followed by a narrative. Readers learn that although the legendary Daniel Boone's reputation brought him fame in Europe and the US, he was always strapped for cash. John Deere, the man whom Calvert cites as the individual most responsible for revolutionizing American agriculture, is also shown as a perfectionist who couldn't run his own business successfully. Perhaps even more fascinating are the frequent chance meetings of mythic figures: Even though the territory was so vast, many of these folks crossed paths more than once. (index, not seen, b&w photographs and illustrations, further reading) (Biography. 11- 14)