This reader explores the differences between the Canadian and American West. Designed to engage the imaginations of students who are new to the subject, this volume examines the problems, importance and results of comparing the Canadian and American West. It critically examines how we conceptualise the history and development of the West and how that influences our perceptions. This reader is the result of the conference, One West, Two Myths, which was sponsored by both the Canadian and American Donner Foundations, among others.