A reader of this novel may well wonder where history ends and fiction begins. This section is meant to address that for the interested reader. Editors tell me that those will be a decided minority, so you should feel no obligation to read on.
The basis for my novel is “The Life and Adventures of James P. Beckwourth,” written by Thomas Bonner after he spent the winter of 1854-1855 interviewing Beckwourth. That work is available online for free. For anyone who wants to learn more, the edition of Bonner edited by Oswald is excellent, as he cross-references Bonner with other sources in an extensive epilogue. Oswald details how Beckwourth’s account, though rife with exaggeration, has been largely supported by other sources as they came to light over the years. Elinor Wilson’s biography of Beck
