The Santa Fe Trail Book

A quick and fun read, written originally in 1930, so the tone is pre hermeneutics of suspicion. Though written by a professional historian, the text avoids footnotes and arcane historical references. The first part of the book sets out early explorers who traveled the Trail, or perhaps did. Since the stance of the author is a supra-time line overview, the day to day struggles on the Trail lack the poignancy of some of the more famous eye witness accounts (such as Susan McGoffin, Down the Santa Fe Trail and into Mexico: The Diary of Susan Shelby Magoffin, 1846-1847). But because it reads easily and quickly, I heartily recommend it to those with an interest in the history of Santa Fe, New Mexico and the high plains of Texas.