{"product_id":"red-deads-history-a-video-game-an-obsession-and-americas-violent-past-9781250287700","title":"Red Dead's History: A Video Game, an Obsession, and America's Violent Past","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Innovative and highly engaging... an inspiring example of what can be done to bring the past to life in all its weirdness and complexity.\" --\u003ci\u003eThe Wall Street Journal\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"This work is a trifecta - the perfect book for fans of the Red Dead Redemption series, Westerns and history alike. It is a privilege and a joy to be trusted with Tore Olsson's words and to see audiences gain new academic insight into the creation of this iconic series.\"\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003e--Roger Clark, actor of Arthur Morgan, \u003ci\u003eRed Dead Redemption 2\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eRed Dead Redemption \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eRed Dead Redemption II\u003c\/i\u003e, set in 1911 and 1899, are the most-played American history video games since \u003ci\u003eThe Oregon Trail\u003c\/i\u003e. Beloved by millions, they've been widely acclaimed for their realism and attention to detail. But how do they fare as re-creations of history? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn this engaging book, award-winning American history professor Tore Olsson takes up that question and more. Weaving the games' plots and characters into an exploration of American violence between 1870 and 1920, Olsson shows that it was more often disputes over capitalism and race, not just poker games and bank robberies, that fueled the bloodshed of these turbulent years. As such, this era has much to teach us today. From the West to the Deep South to Appalachia, Olsson reveals the gritty and brutal world that inspired the games, but sometimes lacks context and complexity on the digital screen. Colorful, fast-paced, and dramatic, \u003ci\u003eRed Dead's History\u003c\/i\u003e sheds light on dark corners of the American past for gamers and history buffs alike.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTore C. Olsson \u003c\/b\u003eis an award-winning historian of the United States since the Civil War, and a professor at the University of Tennessee. He has devoted much of his career to making serious history relevant and accessible to the public. In 2021, he taught the first-ever college history class on the \u003ci\u003eRed Dead Redemption \u003c\/i\u003egames, which provided the inspiration for this book. Born in Sweden, Olsson emigrated to the U.S. in 1990, where he misspent much of his youth behind a video game monitor.\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"St. Martin's Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50874831077650,"sku":"9781250287700","price":21.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_2c33ebf8-2acb-4920-9607-4842580da52c.jpg?v=1763538783","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/red-deads-history-a-video-game-an-obsession-and-americas-violent-past-9781250287700","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}