Go West (The Risk & The Reward)

Rod's knowledge of, and affection for, the topic is evident. So too, is his implementation of the "less is more" narrative. Kudos, Rod, for making the history of settling the West as inclusive and effortless to follow as you did. From Indian nations to prospectors, building the transcontinental railroad to the Homestead Act, it's there. Also documented are the hazards of westward travel on the Oregon and California Trails: cholera, accidents, starvation. Rewards envisioned at the end of the westward trails were as varied as those who traveled them. Thousands died. Those who succeeded in reaching their destinations were determined and resourceful. Only about half of the homesteaders who filed ultimately received title to their claims. As Rod notes, "Now, as then, community, companionship, and camaraderie coexist comfortably with fierce self-reliance, independence, and individuality." "Now" is portrayed in images taken by photographers who ventured off the main thoroughfares into a semi-arid land dotted with cattle, sheep, horses, wildlife, and the occasional human. Tenacious and hopeful, they inhabit the plains, mountains, and deserts, daring to call them home. As Rod notes, Wallace Stegner once wrote, "One cannot be pessimistic about the West. This is the native home of hope."