by Lamar Underwood (Editor)

Long the dominant icon embodying the spirit of America's frontier past, the image of the cowboy no longer stands alone as the ultimate symbol of independence and self-reliance. The great canvas of the western landscape-in art, books, film-is today shared by the figures called "Mountain Men." They were the trappers of the Rocky Mountain fur trade in the years following Lewis and Clark's Expedition of 1804-1806. With their bold journeys peaking, during the period of 1830-1840, they were the first white men to enter the vast wilderness reaches of the Rockies in search of beaver "plews," as the skins were called. They feasted on the abundant buffalo, elk and other game, while living the ultimate free-spirited wilderness life. Often they paid the ultimate price for their ventures under the arrows, tomahawks, and knives of those native Americans whose lands they had entered.

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Meet the fur-clad titans of the American frontier. The mountain men were the trappers of the Rocky Mountain fur trade in the years following Lewis and Clark's Expedition of 1804-1806. With their bold journeys peaking during the period of 1830-1840, they were the first white men to enter the vast wilderness reaches of the Rockies in search of beaver "plews," as the skins were called. They feasted on abundant buffalo, elk, and other game while living the ultimate free-spirited wilderness life--and they often paid the ultimate price for their ventures under the arrows, tomahawks, and knives of those native Americans whose lands they had entered. Tales of the Mountain Men gathers our nation's finest mountain man writing into one riveting volume. Here you'll find excerpts of nonfiction classics such as Bernard DeVoto's Across the Wide Missouri, as well as selections from such acclaimed novels as A. B. Guthrie Jr.'s The Big Sky. Whether you're an adventure junkie or a history buff, you're going to love--and learn from--this amazing collection of long-forgotten lore.

Author Biography

Lamar Underwood has edited a number of anthologies for The Lyons Press, including The Greatest Survival Stories Ever Told, Greatest Adventure Stories, Greatest War Stories, and Greatest Flying Stories.

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