Re: Death Valley in '49 by William Lewis Manly
TOK: You found one of the classics - not just about Death Valley (although every student of DV lore should start with this book) and California, but about the American West.
One of the great things about studying this subject is the large number of first-rate, first-hand accounts. Many people in the 19th Century had an excellent education, had read good books themselves, and then wrote excellent works. I find this true of the Civil War, as well.
Which edition did you find? I like the Time-Life editions because they reprint the originals. Other editions, of course, may be more useful because the editors included maps, nice illustrations, additional information, etc.
Good luck to all,
~The Old Bookaroo
