I really enjoyed reading the history of how the American frontier was settled. The only reason I didn't give this a 5 star rating was the editing. I got the Kindle version and there were many editing errors throughout the book. Getting past that, the history was great!

I have lived my entire life in the West and still learned much about the true development of the west. Covers not only the social development but also the economic developments how the economy impacted the exploitation of the west. Editing needs work in many sections but is generally a minor issue.

One of the most fascinating periods in American history is explored in depth and with insight in this book. Paxson takes readers on a fascinating trip through the growth and transition of the American frontier using painstaking research and an engaging narrative style.

Paxson carefully analyzes the significant incidents, people, and forces that shaped the American frontier, covering everything from the aftermath of the French and Indian War in 1763 through the closing of the frontier in 1893. The settlement of the western lands, the wars with Native American tribes, the effects of the American Revolution, the growth of the United States, and the social and economic changes that went along with westward migration are all covered in great detail in this book.

Paxson's writings excel in presenting a fair and nuanced perspective on the challenges of frontier life.

A wide spectrum of readers will be able to understand the intricate historical narrative thanks to Paxson's entertaining and approachable writing style. This level of academic discipline guarantees the book's accuracy and objectivity, making it a great tool for historians, students, and anyone else trying to comprehend the complexity of the American frontier.

This book is a must-read for anybody interested in comprehending the evolution and significance of the American frontier due to Paxson's painstaking research, compelling writing style, and thorough methodology. It makes a significant contribution to the study of American history by providing a nuanced and thorough examination of this crucial era in the country's history.

Let me start out by saying that this is a beautifully laid out book, and looks great. This is a reprint of the original work published in 1925, and is far more beautiful than any vintage copy I've seen.
I would recommend this book to just about anyone "“ it's a true marvel of American history and a rare glimpse of the Wild West, written by someone who was actually alive much closer to the time period he is studying. Paxson's work is unrivaled compared to other accounts of the West that I've seen. TL/DR: buy this book and give it a chance.

Now, for a more detailed review:
This won the Pulitzer in 1925. The version I read is the version that was re-published in 2022. While it looks like some other reviewers mentioned typos in the text, I didn't find many. This is likely because the editors corrected these in subsequent printings. I also found some strangely outdated words used that could be mistaken for a typo (after all, this was written in 1925).

That's my biggest issue with the book: it's a bit old, and a bit dense. Honestly, I love history and even I found it a little hard to read at times. If you love history, you'll love this "“ but it's a bit of a slow start, particularly as it focuses so heavily on detailed minutiae of the settling of the Ohio River (boring) before it gets to the more exciting stuff (The Louisiana Purchase, the War of 1812, the Jackson administration, the Civil War, etc.).

Still, once you get over the more dense parts, there are some very nuanced, insightful chapters on unique periods of American History. It's remarkable to see that this work spans from the pre-Revolutionary days all the way from the Administration of George Washington to Grover Cleveland "“ a period of 130+ years.

While I ultimately think that the view of American History has changed and evolved over the past 100 years "“ and rest assured, this work retains the original text which has some not "politically correct" phrasing in it "“ I continue to find this to be an enormously insightful and important book. A great supplement to other works including Presidential biographies, A People's History of the United States, and others that cover the same era. Highly readable!

Lots of info about the colonies' march West involving land grabs, allocation by the government, the early banking problems out side the National Bank, etc.

By the end of the century, there was little frontier left, thanks to the 1849 gold rush in CA and the Dakotas
Then came the railroads and the deal was sealed ' the country was finally united, with the Civil War behind it.

Book was a slog at times and the editing left a lot to be desired.

The author made his case but his book could have easily been 100-150 pages shorter.

Just sayin'.