Americans have had an enduring yet ambivalent obsession with the West as both a place and a state of mind. Michael L. Johnson considers how that obsession originated, how it has determined attitudes toward and activities in the West, and how it has changed over the centuries.

Popular blogger Danyiah Jackson is known for finding the humor in anything—until some of her fan mail turns threatening and a stalker makes it clear he’s been watching her. She grudgingly accepts the advice of a threat assessment expert and disappears from the online world, taking temporary refuge at a family friend’s quarter horse ranch in the country. Head horse wrangler Adam Cooper isn’t thrilled about the smart-mouthed young woman suddenly living and working at the ranch—even if she’s drop dead gorgeous. But their verbal sparing sets his body ablaze and gets his heart racing, and he’s drawn to her despite his misgivings. As Danyiah and Adam fight their attraction, however, her stalker draws near, putting not only their fledgling love but their lives on the line.

When the Spanish explorers brought horses to North America, the horses were, in a sense, returning home. Beginning with their origins fifty million years ago, the wild horse has been traced from North America through Asia to the plains of SpainÕs Andalusia and then back across the Atlantic to the ranges of the American West. When given the chance, these horses simply took up residence in the landscape that their ancestors had roamed so long ago. In Wild Horses of the West, J. Edward de Steiguer provides an entertaining and well-researched look at one of the most controversial animal welfare issues of our timeÑthe protection of free-roaming horses on the WestÕs public lands. This is the first book in decades to include the entire story of these magnificent animals, from their evolution and biology to their historical integration into conquistador, Native American, and cowboy cultures. And the story isnÕt over. De Steiguer goes on to address the modern issuesÑ ecology, conservation, and land managementÑsurrounding wild horses in the West today. Featuring stunning color photographs of wild horses, this extremely thorough and engaging blend of history, science, and politics will appeal to students of the American West, conservation activists, and anyone interested in the beauty and power of these striking animals.