Book Review: Bill O'Reilly's Legends & Lies

Book Review: Bill O'Reilly's Legends & Lies by David Fisher, Fox News, Henry Holt and Company, New York, 2015. This book, among other things, explores our perception of the Old West and where it comes from. Among other things he talks about dime novels, Wild West shows, movies and television.  It is interesting how our perception of the West differs greatly than the actual experience. Dime novels often glorified western characters, including badmen.  Then there was the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show and others like it which attempted to bring the West to people, but could not replicate things exactly.  Early television and movie included the often racist depictions of those in this industry.  Native Americans were rarely showed in a good light, and most often played by White actors.  This book tries to cut through some of this misperception.  It is able to accomplish this but no book could truly correct our entire misperception and bias.