As it is beyond the scope of this Web site to provide the depth of information many of our virtual guests request, we thought it would be helpful to provide a list of books for further reading. A few of these books are out of print and may be difficult to find, but you should be able to track down most of them without too much effort.

If you would like to order any of these books through your local book store, it will probably help the clerks there if you can give them the ISBN.

Black History
No study of the West would be complete without acknowledging the many roles played and obstacles faced by African-Americans on the frontier. Serious history buffs should have at least one of these titles on their shelves, and the casual reader may find them enlightening.

Common Wisdom
Mix one part Martha Stewart with one part Gloria Steinem, add a pinch of Spock (either Doctor or Mister will do) and simmer over low heat while stirring in an encyclopedia. The result should be akin to Lydia Maria Child, a Nineteenth Century author who wrote a remarkable series of books full of practical advice on topics ranging from preserving flowers to home medical treatments.

General Survey

Some of the books in this category are classics, some are perhaps a little off-topic, and one or two are a bit contentious, but all of them are worth reading.

Guidebooks for the Oregon Trail
You can follow tried and true directions from modern authors or take your chances with guides published in the 1800s...

Guidebooks for Other Historic Trails

If you've already explored the Oregon Trail, you might be interested in tracing the route of Lewis and Clark or looking for ruts made by Conestoga wagons on the Santa Fe Trail.

Lewis and Clark
With the bicentennial of the legendary journey of the Corps of Discovery fast approaching, you may want to get a leg up on the situation with one of these books.

Personal Narratives
There are a number of interesting diaries and reminiscences of the westward journey available both in print and online.

Women's Studies
Life on the frontier was a completely different experience when seen through the eyes of the women who helped settled it.

Young Readers
There are a number of books available which aim to make the Oregon Trail experience accessible to youngsters. Most authors chose to use fiction to this end, but Stout-Hearted Seven deserves to be singled out for being an account of a true story of seven children orphaned along the Trail. It is used as a teaching aid by many teachers in elementary schools throughout the Northwest.