Life in the Old West

My Name is Yip by Paddy Crewe

A Western in the true sense – complete with a father that runs off, a mother that runs the general store, and a mute boy with big thoughts. He is shunned by all until a stranger enters his life and teaches him to read and write, then he befriends an unlikely companion. After gold is discovered in the creek near town, his life changes in many unexpected ways. There's adventure, friendship, some suspense -- a very good read. This title is available in hardcover and as an e-book. 

Traces by Patricia L. Hudson 

Traces is the story of the women in Daniel Boone’s life – his wife Rebecca, their daughters, her sister and their niece. And what a life they had – settling the west, encounters and capture by Indians (Jemima), and more. Compounding the daily struggles, the men, especially Daniel, were away most of the time, and sometimes for months at a time. For a non-fiction version, read the story of Jemima Boone’s capture by Native Americans in The Taking of Jemima Boone by Matthew Pearl.  Both titles are available in multiple formats.

Kit McBride Gets a Wife by Amy Barry

 The title says it all, but how it happens is the fun of this combo rom-com, western, family novel. It’s 1886 in Montana and young Junebug McBride is tired of cleaning and cooking (and not doing either very well) for her family of brothers, so she has the bright idea to advertise for a wife for one of them.  Available in paperback and as an e-book. After you finish this one, you'll want to continue the series with the follow up, Marrying Off Morgan McBride, which is a similar story, but a lot steamier.

One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus 

When the U.S. Government advertises for 1000 white women to live among the Native Americans, in order to increase the population (babies "belong" to their mothers, thus adding to the White population) and also improve relations between Whites and Native people, May Dodd jumps at the chance to leave the insane asylum her family committed her to, and head west. As you can see, this novel is twenty years old and sometimes shows its age with dated ideas, but it's still a good read.

West by Carys Davies

When John Cyrus Bellman reads a newspaper article about the discovery of very large, unknown creatures, he decides he must travel the country to see them for himself. Leaving his young daughter with his spinster sister and asking a neighbor to help them out, he sets off on his quest with trinkets to trade with any Native Americans he might encounter. This gem of a novel shows a different view of the unsettled West. 

The Madstone by Elizabeth Crook

A new (2023) addition to the canon of Westerns, The Madstone starts slowly, then picks up speed and becomes a page-turner. This is the rare (for me) book that I had to force myself to put down. It's the story of what happens when someone decides to help someone out, and ends up on a life-changing journey. Also available in electronic formats.

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