American West Literature

The expedition of Lewis and Clark is more than just an adventure. The journey was an exploration of America, a quest that was more than just about braving unknown adventures. Read more about the Lewis & Clark Expedition.

Washington Irving was America's first international author, famous for works like "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," "Rip Van Winkle," and "The Adventures of Captain Bonneville," and other works. Read the works of Washington Irving.

Read "The Adventure of Captain Bonneville," by Washington Irving.

In this newest addition to the Library of America collection of American literature, James P. Ronda collected three of Irving's most intriguing adventure epics in one definitive volume: "Three Western Narratives." He includes "A Tour on the Prairies," "Astoria: or Anecdotes of an Enterprize [sic] Beyond the Rocky Mountains," and "The Adventures of Captain Bonneville."

SCSU English major has compiled this guide to bookstores and societies focusing on works about the American West.

Accesses Western manuscript collections, newspapers, articles, and writer's profiles.

Reader's ranks the 100 best non-fiction books written in English about, or by an author from, the Western United States.