The Guardian has compiled a list of the 10 best Westerns of all time. It is well worth a look. Even if you can only watch one or two of these, it will help you access the idea of the myth of the West which is so central to the USA's understanding of itself. 

Can I highly recommend Stagecoach (no. 10) as a brilliant Western, I am not too sure about the Man from Laramie however...

Highly disappointingly, George Steven's Shane (1953) has not made the list. This is by far and away the best Western I have seen. If you have not seen Shane, what are you waiting for - go get a slice of American history!

The full list is HERE. 

Comment if you have any other good recommendations.

What exactly is the West? What on earth are Comparative Wests? And why on earth should you care? Historians Brian Codding, Douglas Bird, Ethan Blue, Jon Christensen & Richard White introduce you to the newest way of thinking about the history of the American West.

Read the introduction and key essays on what the West means today by following the link HERE

Can I particularly recommend the introduction HERE and Darren Jorgensen's comparison of the myth of the cowboy in the US and Australia HERE.

How did the lone cowboy hero become such a potent figure in American culture? 

A great little feature from the Guardian, which is also an extract from "Fractured Times", Hobsbawm's last book. Here Hobsbawm follows a trail from cheap novels and B-westerns to Ronald Reagan...


Finally a proper Marxist take on the West!!!


Thanks to Miss Devey for this find


Link: HERE

A fantastic documentary from comedian Rich Hall looking at the decline of the Western as a genre. Be warned there is some strong language but a great watch none-the-less. Also check out Rich's other documentary on Native Americans.

A fantastic series by Ken Burns and Steven Ives which explores the West through the writings of New Western Historians such as Patty Limerick and Richard White. If you have the time this is a brilliant watch from start to finish!! If not, I have put a guide on so you can pick specific parts which might be useful. There is an accompanying website which you will find HERE too.

Click READ MORE to see the videos