Johnson, Marilynn S. Violence in the West: The Johnson County Range War and Ludlow Massacre: A Brief History with Documents . New York, NY: Bedford/St. Martin's, September 18, 2008.
This book, part of the Bedford Series of History and Culture, takes a look at two instances of violence in the west and makes a convincing case as to how the growth of capitalism in the west led to these events. Included are wonderful primary sources about the violence—newspaper articles, personal memoirs, union documents, to name a few. In addition, two chronologies, questions for consideration, and a selected bibliography enrich the information provided.
Moser, Barry. Cowboy Stories. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 2007.
This book provides a compilation of excerpts of western stories including the final showdown of the hero and villain in The Virginian.
Payne, Darwin. Owen Wister: Chronicler of the West, Gentleman of the East . Dallas, TX : Southern Methodist University Press, 1985.
This full-length biography of Owen Wister chronicles his early years growing up in a prominent family in Philadelphia, his days at Harvard, his music studies in Europe, his discovery of the west, and his writing of The Virginian. Payne uses the papers of Wister to examine what prompted him to write the book as well as whom the famous cowboy most closely resembles of his acquaintances. His friendships with other famous individuals such as Theodore Roosevelt, Frederic Remington, and Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. are also brought to light.
Stokes, Frances K.W. My Father Owen Wister: Ten letters written by Owen Wister to his mother during his first trip to Wyoming in 1885. Laramie, Wyoming: , 1952.
This little booklet, published on the fiftieth anniversary of The Virginian, includes a wonderful biographical synopsis of Owen Wister written by his daughter, and, as indicated in the title, ten letters written to his mother during his first trip out west. These letters are a great personal look at events and impressions he gathered during his first trip to an area he came to love.
White, G. Edward. The Eastern Establishment and the Western Experience: The West of Frederic Remington, Theodore Roosevelt, and Owen Wister . Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 1989.
This book, part of an American Studies series, places Owen Wister’s experience and work of the west in context with a larger experience of other wealthy Easterners of his day for whom the draw of the west was equally as enticing. Wister was friends with both Frederic Remington and Theodore Roosevelt.
Wister, Fanny Kemble, ed.. Owen Wister Out West: His Journals and Letters. Chicago, IL : The University of Chicago Press, 1958.
This collection of journal entries and letters of Owen Wister during his journeys out west is a remarkable first-hand account of his experiences and impressions there. Edited by his daughter, this book is interesting to read with an eye toward comparing his experiences to those fictional events he writes about in The Virginian.
Wister, Owen. The Virginian. Lanham, MD: Roberts Rhinehart 100th anniversary edition, 2002.
This is the complete story of the Virginian, from his friendship with the eastern narrator, to winning the heart of schoolteacher Molly Wood, to the final showdown with his nemesis, Trampas.
The Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, holds Owen Wister’s writings, including drafts, poems, short-stories, speeches, family correspondence, and other material
Owen Wister-Harvard Magazine, Jul-Aug 2002 http://harvardmagazine.com/2002/07/owen-wister.html
Owen Wister, The Virginian: A Horseman of the Plains, (New York,The Macmillan Company, 1904) http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/WISTER/cover.html
Owen Wister, Western Writer. Center for Western and Cowboy Poetry. http://www.cowboypoetry.com/wister.htm
This webpage provides an excellent source of information about Owen Wister's work. It provides excerpts of his most famous lines from The Virginian, describes how Wister sees the cowboy, and offers the lyrics to a song Owen Wister created for the stage version of The Virginian, Ten Thousand Cattle Straying. Links to additional websites and books of Wister's are also provided.
The Wham Paymaster Robbery near Pima, Arizona. Legends of America. http://www.legendsofamerica.com/az-whamrobbery.html
This travel website for the historically minded gives a nice synopsis of the events of the Wham Paymaster Robbery. Some great images enhance the website-a color photograph of the geographic area and wonderful black and white photographs, including two of soldiers who received a medal of honor for their valiant fighting in trying to save the wagon's treasure and paymaster.
Wyoming Photographs-Medicine Bow, Owen Wister. Wyoming Tales and Trails. http://wyomingtalesandtrails.com/photos10.html
This site offers great images and corresponding captions of Medicine Bow, Wyoming.
