Monumental Lies: Early Nevada Folklore of the Wild West opens the door to understanding how legends and traditions emerged during the first decades following the Rush to Washoe, which transformed the region beginning in 1859.
With a bedrock understanding of what unfolded in the nineteenth century, it is possible to consider how these Early stories shaped the modern popularized image of the Wild West..
More importantly, William Wright--publishing as Dan De Quille--arose as a key collector of legends, a counterpart of Early European folklorists.
Mark Twain, often a go-to source for collections of Early tall tales of this region, cannot be overlooked, but his interaction with local traditions was specific and narrow.
James addresses how the fluidity of the region affected new expressions of Folklore as they took root.
Author Ronald M.
The interaction of diverse perspectives, even while new stories and traditions coalesced or simply appeared, was a complex process.
The tens of thousands of people who came to the West, attracted by gold and silver mining, brought distinct cultural legacies.
This ethos became central to the way Folklore emerged during the formative years of the Nevada territory and state.
Humor was central to these endeavors and practitioners easily found themselves scorned if they failed to be adequately funny.
During this Wild West period, there was widespread celebration of deceit, manifesting in tall tales, burlesque lies, practical jokes, and journalistic hoaxes.
Monumental Lies: Early Nevada Folklore of the Wild West opens the door to understanding how legends and traditions emerged during the first decades following the Rush to Washoe, which transformed the region beginning in 1859
