Western American Literature

234 Western American Literature obscures the cultural diversity which is the most important fact of all about California. What sensibility toward the landscape, shaped by alternative cul­ tural myths, might be found in the writings of California Hispanics and Asians, among others, we are left to wonder. CHARLES L. CROW Bowling Green State University The Oregon Trail: Yesterday and Today; A Brief History and PictorialJourney Along the Wagon Tracks of Pioneers. By William E. Hill. (Caldwell, Idaho: The Caxton Printers, Ltd., 1987. 179 pages, $9.95). William Hill presents here a profusely illustrated guide to the famous trail, designed for a novice who wants to follow' it and see where history was made. Several maps are available throughout the text. A handy fold-out map at the beginning of the book indicates the locations of key sites along the trail. Sample pages from popular contemporary emigrant guides give the reader a taste of trail life and what was required to prepare for the overland crossing. The author also includes passages from diaries kept by these Oregon Trail travelers, thus conveying to the reader the feelings of joy and hardship during the over­ land journey. Half of the book is a pictorial section featuring paintings and drawings of William Henry Jackson, Alfred J. Miller and William Henry Tappan. These illustrations of sites along the historical trail are compared to modern-day photographs of the trail taken by the author during his own explorations. Many places look the same, but other sites are on the verge of being destroyed by modern encroachments. Tourists will find use for the lists of museums and displays relating to the trail. Sites such as Scotts Bluff and Fort Laramie are preserved by the National Park Service; other sites such as Fort Kearny and Ash Hollow are administered by state park systems. If the author is successful in sharing his enthusiasm for the trail, perhaps the reader will join in efforts to preserve this important part of America’spast. Designed for tourists and history buffs, this inexpensive book includes a brief history of the Oregon Trail during the first half of the nineteenth century. Just enough information is presented to explain the significance of an event and to whet the appetite of the history buff. For those who want to read more about the trail, the author presents a short bibliographic essay about books he found useful in his research as well as an excellent selected bibliography of books, pamphlets, articles and pioneer journals. PATRICIA ANN OWENS Wabash Valley College ...