A monumental history of a monumental project and the man behind it.
The book tells the story of a tireless historian who saved a vast store of early North American history. It describes how one man spent years gathering thousands of books, manuscripts, and maps, then organized a team to turn that material into comprehensive, lasting histories.
You’ll read about the author’s own life—his early struggles, his move from bookseller to scholar, and the personal discipline that made such a project possible. This edition presents the spark that drove a groundbreaking method for researching and presenting history, with lessons that extend beyond one field or era.
- How a massive library was assembled and safeguarded for future generations
- The personal journey and motivations behind a landmark scholarly effort
- Practical research methods that aim for accuracy, clarity, and enduring value
- The scope and impact of the western United States histories on readers and scholars
Ideal for readers of American history and literary biographies, as well as anyone interested in the process of assembling a major scholarly project.