In this collection of coming-of-age stories, the editors carefully balance gender and ethnicity to provide readers with the first anthology to truly reflect the heterogeneity of the West. Thirty-five rich selections from 32 writers represent a wide variety of ethnic groups—their experiences and stories are told in this volume. Even within the eleven states generally considered to comprise the West, there is great diversity—diversity of culture, locale, race, experience, and attitude. All of these aspects and more are reflected in the traditional myths and legends, bittersweet stories, and humorous points of view encompassed in this book.
