The American West is rich in lore, cultural, roots, and iconic images. The subject of countless movies, books, and songs, in many ways it embodies the American spirit. This lively two-volume set presents the stories of 24 of the most influential and representative Western icons - those that have captured the nation's imagination since the early days of westward exploration and that continue to do so within the environmental and technological frontier that is the modern West. This accessible treatment of the untamed enterprise of the "Old West" - including cowboys, wild west shows, and gun battles - and the continued entrepreneurial imagination of the "New West" - including environmentalists and the incorporation of national parks - elevates the reader's understanding of oft-romanticized subjects and the conflicts and cultural changes that made them icons.The narrative entries include: Crazy Horse; George Armstrong Custer; Gold Rush; Winchester 73; Annie Oakley; Frederick Remington; John Muir; Las Vegas; Bill Gates; Disneyland; Yellowstone National Park; Sierra Club; and, more.With vibrant photos and descriptive sidebars, this comprehensive set is a must-have for students of American history and culture.