The Pony Express: A Primary Source History of the Race to Bring Mail to the American West (Primary Sources in American History)

The time of the Pony Express was a brief but exciting period in United States history. As more and more people moved west in search of new opportunities, it became crucial to deliver the mail across the country. This exciting book tells of the need for the service, how the service was organized and staffed and of the difficult conditions the riders faced, and their celebrity. Once the building of the telegraph was completed, the Pony Express—legendary to this day—was no longer needed.

Grade 5-7–The majority of the primary sources in these slim titles are archival photos, average-quality reproductions of paintings, and images of documents. Two pages of excerpted transcripts from mostly treaties, acts, and declarations appear after the main texts. Nothing from the Mexican or Native point of view is presented in any of the transcripts. Brief quotes within the text are the only glimpses readers get from these perspectives. In Homestead a few short quotes are the only words from the homesteaders themselves. The captions in each book generally extend the texts; occasional repetition does occur. These books may prove useful as basic introductions; their open formats will be inviting to reluctant researchers. However, students looking for eyewitness accounts will have to search further.–S K Joiner, Brazoria County Library System, Angleton, TX
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