Monumental Lies

Monumental Lies: Early Nevada Folklore of the Wild West by Ronald M. James

   "Monumental Lies: Early Nevada Folklore of the Wild West invites readers to explore how legends and traditions emerged during the first decades following the "Rush to Washoe," which transformed the Nevada Territory after 1859. During this Wild West period, there was widespread celebration of deceit, manifesting in tall tales, burlesque lies, practical jokes, and journalistic hoaxes. Humor was central, and practitioners easily found themselves scorned if they failed to be adequately funny. 
   The tens of thousands or people who came to the West, attracted by gold and silver mining, brought distinct cultural legacies. The interaction of diverse perspectives, even while new stories and traditions coalesced, was a complex process. Author Ronald M. James addresses ow the fluidity of the region affected new expressions of folklore as they took root. 
   he wildly popular Mark Twain is often a go-to resource for collections of early tall tales of this region, but his interaction with local tradition was specific and narrow. More importantly, William Wright - publishing as Dan De Quille - arose as a key collector of legends, a counterpart of early European folklorists. With a bedrock understanding of what unfolded in the nineteenth century, James considers how these early stories helped shape the culture of the Wild West."

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 239