There are books that are doorstops. This one is more like a cinder block. Despite the dimensions, this is not a coffee table book. What I enjoyed was the author put in a considerable amount of research and doesn't repeat the tales that were inaccurately reported in early works by other writers. The colorful cast of old west characters are here like Calamity Jane and Soapy Smith but the gold rushes are not covered in depth. You'll enjoy it if you are into the era of the days of the wild west.