Red Dead’s History by Tore C. Olsson looks at American history using the award-winning video game as a starting point. Mr. Olsson is a history professor who discovered the game during COVID, and is now using it as a gaming tool. This book is not only fascinating but very readable as well. One doesn’t have to be familiar with the game, to enjoy the book immensely. Dr. Olsson doesn’t set out to prove the game wrong, but he’s not afraid to call out historical mistakes and use those as a launching point for educational purposes. The game seems to get a lot of things right and mostly is inaccurate in service to overall gameplay.

This was a fun, fresh and concise look at history as well as a great opening for conversations on how we use history and pop culture to create meaning for ourselves and how we contextualize history in our lives. It was intriguing to see how a video game could inspire a good historical overview of The Old West, but that is exactly what Olsson has done. If you are knowledgeable about American History in the 1880's then you will find a well written exploration of the big themes here. But, if your knowledge is more based on what you have gleaned from videogames, movies and TV, then you will find an excellent way to build your understanding of the era even further. Olsson has a great voice and a clear, clean writing style that will draw you in and hold you. Each chapter is well developed, well researched, and well conceptualized to meet the video game player in print! This is a great book to show a person who sees history as something dry and dusty that history is really a vivacious and compelling story that, with the application of a little imagination and empathy, can easily become a way to understand who we are.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC that I read.

RED DEAD'S HISTORY by Tore C. Olsson is about the fantastically and deeply admired games of Redemption. Historian Olsson provides a clear, pithy summary of the merits and shortcomings of this game, but his own passion for the game and for using it to teach history in immersive and inspiring ways held this non-gamer ignoramus captive with his prose, questions, and probing intellect. I loved it. I loved the learning and the way I can now distinguish between different periods of American history. Thank you, Professor Olsson for a fascinating, engaging dive into a wild and wonderful world that changed my view of the world I live in today. I received a copy of this book and these thoughts are my own, unbiased opinions.

Red Dead‘s History by Tore .C. Olsson, this is not only a great book about what made the Wild West, so wild but about Red Dead and Red Dead Redemption the video games. The book talks about why the author started a college curriculum on the games the different parts the games have played in popular social media like for example the cowboy playing red dead redemption, it’s popularity on Read It. the actual racial make up in the west and much much more. I really truly enjoyed this book as much as one can enjoy a book about their favorite subject I loved it! I do think when shooting an unarmed man however you should get honor points taken away because no self-respecting gunslinger in the west would be proud of shooting a man without a gun. Love this book. #NetGalley,#St. Martin‘sPress, #toreCOlsson,#RedDead’sHistory,

Red Dead's History by Tore C. Olsson was honestly a really interesting and intriguing read.
I found myself pulled to the pages and couldn’t stop reading.
A pathbreaking new way to examine US history, through the lens of a bestselling video game.

Thanks to NETGALLEY and St. Martin's Press for eARC

“In its twenty chapters, we will use the fictional characters and plot of the Red Dead Redemption games to embark on an exploration of the violent social conflicts that convulsed the United States between 1865 and 1920. Ultimately, the book is less a verdict on the 'accuracy' of the games and more a journey through the historical worlds that they frequently allude to— but rarely flesh out.”

More books like this, please, using media mediums as catalysts into history! This was done SO well, it's fun, engaging, informative, important, well-loved, thoroughly researched...such a great book. It's told in three parts with an intro and epilogue, and covers 1865-1920 + end of Civil War. Tore writes like a teacher sometimes, which I found charming and even comforting. My only complaint, and yes, I have only one, is that my eARC didn't have the photographs! I wasn't even aware there were any until the author referenced it, and seeing a credits section for said images. Alas. I plan on purchasing this book anyway, but it would have been better to see the things Olsson brought attention to.

Top Ten of 2024 entry, easily.

If my history class in high school of college was taught like this, I might have paid attention!

Olsson takes a critical look at the video game Read Dead’s Redemption and Red Dead Redemption II’s historical accuracy, and what the historical truth is behind the video game. He is able to break down the wide open Wild West (and south) Into consumable chapters that explore the political, financial, social, and racial factors that resulted in the violence between 1870-1920.

You do not need to be a gamer or ever seen this video game to understand and appreciate the creativity and work of Rockstar Games or be fascinated by the factual representation. If you like history or this video game you may enjoy this book!

If you are interested in gaming, you will enjoy this read. History lover? Yes, you are going to like this one. Enjoy history AND gaming? You will be in heaven.

I have never thought about pairing history and gaming, but the author showed it could be done. While most games are not true to history (and in many cases, this game is not always true to history), Red Dead's History does a fantastic job of linking the game and history together.

While the game focuses on one area, history shows it actually happened sooner - however, it also gives a glimpse into the past, and shares in a way that keeps viewers engaged, and perhaps learning a bit as they go.

Interesting read, with some very slow spots (not slow enough to make me stop reading), but enjoyable all around. I will have to think about sharing this pairing with my students in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I'll start off by saying I have never played RDR2 on story mode, but my cat and I thoroughly enjoyed watching my husband play and I love all things western, so I was pumped that this book was coming out!
I started this book with no expectations, but I was hooked quickly by all of the early America history that I never learned in school and how it was changed and incorporated in to the game. It is a well written and well researched book by a college professor who has a passion for gaming. The author seems to have a bias against the white race in some areas of the book and how whites took over many of the areas owned by the Indians. But people of all races have taken over areas and made the population assimilate to their customs all throughout history- it's not just white people. So that was something I wasn't really impressed by with this book. That is my only complaint though. I truly learned so much about American history and inspired me to do even more learning about it. I really enjoyed this book and I've already recommended it to all our friends who enjoy the game!

I am a 69 year old man and not a big video game player; However, my daughter and her partner both were "totally in" to this game and I heard about it, pretty much nonstop, from each of them before having the opportunity to read this fabulous book which helped me put into context what "all the fuss was about". A fabulous book for a general reader but I would think this is a MUST READ for all the many fans who play this . . . 5 Stars

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S RED DEAD'S HISTORY ABOUT?
Like so many people around the world, the author got back into video games in 2020 as a way to fill the hours he wasn't interacting with people in real life. Like so many others, one of the games that captured his attention was Red Dead Redemption II. Unlike so many people Tore C. Olsson is an American History professor, so while he was fun doing whatever it is exactly that you do in the game*, part of his brain was looking at the history and time being depicted in the game. Because if there's one thing the game is known for, is being the most popular and influential game set in American History since The Oregon Trail from the 80s.

* It should be obvious that I don't play video games at all, not even the one in question.

Olsson went on to make headlines—and pack lecture halls—by teaching a history course based on the games, and he's now turned it into a book.

This is not a book about the game (although he talks about it a lot), it is not a point-by-point examination of the historical details (but it comes up a little), it's primarily using the game, and the things shown/talked about/alluded to in it as a launching pad to discuss themes, movements, and particulars from post-Civil War America.

The focus for the book is Red Dead Redemption II, but Red Dead Redemption comes up from time to time—but not any of the other games in the franchise. Olsson's discussion follows the geographic order and proportions of the game—starting with adventures in the West, moving to the Deep South (for the majority of the book), and then wrapping things up in Southern Appalachia.

HISTORICAL ACCURACY OF THE GAME
From the start, Olsson is clear, he's not going to get into slicing and dicing the historical accuracy of Red Dead Redemption 2, but...he can't help talking about it every now and then. He has a lot of good things to say about the history of the game (really, he wouldn't have taught a class or written a book inspired by it without that), but the biggest note seems to be—if the game had been set 20-30 years earlier than it was, it would've been better.

There are particular points here and there where he will offer specific critiques and commendations—but that's essentially the point he keeps coming back to.

Now, I don't know enough about the storylines of Red Dead Redemption or Red Dead Redemption II to know why the developers insisted that the game takes place when it does—and it certainly seems like they did have an eye for historical detail—they just missed it. It might be a game continuity thing, there might be all sorts of explanations for it. I don't know.

Now, Olsson isn't sitting there like Neil de Grasse Tyson tweeting about the scientific inaccuracies in movies, the point of the book isn't to critique the depictions of the era. But while he's talking about the various topics, he will mention them briefly. It doesn't take anything away from the game for him.

THE WEST
The first section focused on is the one that the game is best known for (and, I'll be honest, the only thing I thought the game had)—a strong take on the West. I'd like to say that I'd read a book about the subject of each chapter were Olsson to expand them, and that's true in a perfect world, but I'm not sure I really would. But I'd be willing to.

I should note that it's probably very easy to read several books on the topics of each chapter right now. And you never know, I just might.

This section covers things as nebulous as the concept of "The American West"—and when did it start dying/disappearing (if ever). Controversial topics like The Indian Wars, the amount of violence in the West (and some of the notable persons behind it), how Justice/Laws were enforced, and so on. Olsson also covers things you'd expect (especially if you actually know the game)—the construction of and use of the railways; cowboys; The Pinkertons; Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid.

I learned so much about all of these things—and I'm very tempted to go out in search of some of the books footnoted here.

THE DEEP SOUTH
As anyone who teaches American History—particularly in a place like Tennessee—is aware, talking about the Deep South in a post-Civil War era is a daunting task. But as that's where the bulk of the gameplay takes place, the bulk of the book gets that treatment as well.

As with the rest of the book, Olsson talks about the game's portrayal of this area and the topics, how media culture(s) depict of this area and the topics, and finally looking at the history of the area itself.

In this Part of the book, Olsson talked about such non-controversial topics as: The Paradox of Race; From Old South to New South; The White-Hooded Menace; The Tragedy of Lynching; In the Fields (largely post-War); Working on the Chain Gang; Mr. Jim Crow; The Lause Cause; New Orleans, 1899; and Votes for Women.

Obviously, there's far, far too much to say about any of these topics than he has time for in a book of this size and scope—but what's there is provocative (in a good way), thoughtful, and well-footnoted so curious readers (and there will be many after these chapters) can do some follow-up reading. Yes, that's a sentence that applies to the book as a whole, but it seems apt to emphasize it here.

SOUTHERN APPALACHIA
This part feels very timely considering how much Appalachia, Appalachia, and portrayals of the area/its residents in the media have been in the last few weeks.

Olsson only gives three chapters to this part of the book (about 11%) as much as he might be kicking himself for that now. Like with Part I: The West, he starts by discussing "The Appalachian Myth." Just what makes up this part of the country? Why has it captured the imagination the way it has? How much of what we think of when we think "Appalachia" is true now or ever was?

He then looks at the race to claim parts of it after the Civil War and how that shaped the culture and history of it. Then he spends a chapter looking at Blood Fueds—obviously focusing on the Hatfield/McCoy feud, what lies at its root—and the surprising ways it actually broke along family lines.

I was a little too tired while reading this section to get as much out of it as I think I ordinarily would've—and really should revisit it once the book is released, I think I missed some good stuff.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT RED DEAD'S HISTORY?
I had some really good history professors and teachers over the years, so I really don't want to say that Olsson is the professor I wish I had—but really, I don't imagine many will read this book and not want to take a class or two from Olsson.

The writing is engaging, witty, and insightful. He has a real knack for making you care about something you really didn't care about just a few pages earlier—for that matter, you may not have been aware it was a thing you could care about/be interested in just a few pages earlier. I'm not going to suggest you'll agree with him all of the time, because you won't. But you'll almost certainly enjoy his perspective as well as his presentation of the facts.

I'm not really the target audience for this book—I figure that's game players who want to dive in to get more depth about the context of the game. To learn the stories behind the game's stories. Or those who now have an interest in American History and don't know where to go get more information outside a stuffy-looking textbook. Given that, I think it says a lot when I tell you that I had a great time reading this, and am more curious the game than I had been before. Not so curious to actually play it (or buy the game, a console to play it on, etc.)—but enough to talk to my son who has played through it—and has spent a lot of time doing sidequests and whatnot, and maybe even to watch some gameplay videos online. And that's more than I typically am interested in doing.

This is a great way to approach American History; it's a good way to approach this type of media (games or otherwise); and it's just an entertaining read regardless. It moves a little slower than a novel—but not much (for those who are daunted by non-fiction reads). Really, there's not much to not commend about this book. You really should check it out.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley—thanks to both for this.

For more reviews and bookish posts visit: https://www.ManOfLaBook.com

Red Dead’s History: A Video Game, an Obsession, and America’s Violent Past by Tore C. Olsson looks at American history using the award-winning video game as a starting point. Mr. Olsson is a history professor who discovered the game during COVID, and is now using it as a gaming tool.

I recently started playing Red Dead Redemption, several years behind everyone, I know. I enjoy the game very much and like historical-based games like Assassin’s Creed, and a fan of Westerns so this game seemed like the was made for me.

Red Dead’s History by Tore C. Olsson is not only fascinating but very readable as well. One doesn’t have to be familiar with the game, to enjoy the book immensely. I am in the middle of part I, but I already bought the bundle of both games.

Prof. Olsson doesn’t set out to prove the game wrong, he’s a fan after all. However, he’s not afraid to call out historical mistakes and use those as a launching point for educational purposes. That being said, the game gets a lot of things right, and many other aspects are erred on the side of gameplay.

The author provides context within and outside the game. It includes not simply raw history, but political and social constructs and implications at the time to give the reader and gamer a better understanding of the history, the game, and sometimes what the developers alluded to.

The time the game takes place, 1890s, is one that Prof. Olsson considers critical to the United States, and he makes a very valid case as to why. Formative years after the Civil War where African Americans got their freedom, but not equality, immigrants arrived, Native Americans were massacred at Wounded Knee, the land runs in the West, women’s right to vote was a hot issue(an enlightening discussion in the book), and let’s not forget the Robber Barons’ era, among others.

I’m glad I read this book before playing Red Dead Redemption II. I feel it will enhance my immersive experience and give me a sense of time and place I wouldn’t have had otherwise.

Have you ever started a book thinking it was one thing, and then finding out its completely different? Yep, that just happened to me.

To be fair, I had no idea that Red Dead [Revolver, Redeption, and Redemption 2] was a video game [as I don't play video games and never have], so I'm actually not really sure what I thought this book was about, but a book about a video game and its historically accurate narrative was not it.

Thankfully, this is a compulsively readable [and amazing] book, just what a history-nerd like me loves - a book filled with history that is also played out within the game of Red Dead Redemption 2 and how they work together [which was fascinating]. And it is some amazing history. The author breaks down each section of the game and what the history that is presented means. Much of the history talked about I already knew [thogh a refresher is always a good thing], but there were definitely thing I did NOT know [the Southern Appalachians part was fascinating, eye-opening and VERY illuminating and I learned a lot], and I reveled in the learning.

A truly excellent, well-written and researched book, that I truly enjoyed every second of [wellllll, maybe not the video game parts that I just didn't understand - I am just so clueless there], and even though it was not what I expected, it was a very worthwhile read.

Roger Clark gives voice to a major character in the game [Arthur I think?] and he now narrated this book, and does an excellent job at it. He truly brings the history to life, and helps to engage the listener to the very history he is speaking. For the full experience [whether you play the game or not], I highly recommend the audiobook and his excellent performance.

I was asked to read/review this book by the publisher St. Martin's Press, and I would like to thank them, Tore C. Olsson, Roger Clark - Narrator, and Macmillan Audio for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

Red Dead’s History by Tore C. Olsson has a fantastic premise and was inspired by the author’s college history class that he taught. It covered the Red Dead Redemption games and history and drew upon years of gaming experience, research, and reflections on how video games can interest individuals in serious history. The book focused on the game set in 1899 that has been touted for its realism and attention to detail. The author looks at the game and the actual U.S. history and evaluates where the game shines and where it falls short as he explores events in the West, the Deep South, and southern Appalachia that the game introduces.

While I enjoy history, I found this book somewhat slow-paced, which is not what I expected. If you are familiar with the late 19th century U.S. history, you probably won’t learn anything new. However, it did flesh out a couple of items in more detail than I had studied. I appreciated that the author covered the social, cultural, economic, and political atmosphere, as well as the violence, of the time. There are also many footnotes with sources listed.

Overall, this is a creative, well-researched, and well-organized book that ended up a little too slow for my tastes. I was expecting history to come alive and to learn something new, but that didn’t happen. However, it may work to get someone who doesn’t already like history to engage with it; especially if they enjoy the video game.

St. Martin’s Press and Tore C. Olsson provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for August 06, 2024.

I think many readers are turned off to historical nonfiction based on the assumption that it is dense and not fun to read. However, if you have any interest in American history, gunslinging outlaws and cattle drives, and RDR, this book is honestly thrilling. Turning a popular game into a syllabus was a brilliant idea and well executed.

When I got the opportunity to read this as a galley book, I wasn't sure what I was getting into. I have played Red Dead Redemption II but I am not a gamer per se. What I got was a college level course on the history of the 'west' portrayed in the game. I learned a ton about this important, impactful, and misunderstood era in our nations history.

While some of the material in the book might be a little polarizing, depending on your political identity, I feel the author was fair with their approach. Politics, money, and power played an enormous role in the events then, as they do today. As with most historical events, the actual reality is much more complicated than the over simplified version of the story crafted for school age consumption.

Touching on a myriad of important topics, this is a worthwhile read and one most of us would benefit from ... especially in our current political and cultural landscape.

Peanut butter and jelly. Cookies and milk. To these iconic pairings, let's add video games and history. Don't believe me? Then let me introduce you to Tore Olsson and his wonderful book, Red Dead's History.

For the uninitiated, there is a video game franchise with three different games, Red Dead Revolver, Red Dead Redemption, and Red Dead Redemption II. All three are fun, but Olsson wants to focus on the sprawling, intricate, and surprisingly historically accurate Red Dead Redemption II. It follows some outlaws in 1899 on various adventures. Sure, some may ask, "Brendan, I don't play video games so why should I care?" First of all, that's a terrible attitude. Second, you have not yet lived, my friend. Finally, this game let's you be an outlaw and rob banks without the real life risk of death and jail. What more could you possibly want?

Olsson's book is compulsively readable. He calls out the good and bad of the game. For historians, I think most would be shocked how much it gets right. I've played all the games and they are immersive in a way you could only dream of back in the days of the original NES, Playstation, (or if you are super old), Atari. Olsson created a college class out of his idea and you can tell he was able to distill down the most interesting aspects and put them in the book. If you are well-read in this part of history, then you probably won't learn anything new. However, Olsson has written a book targeted at the person who doesn't realize they love history....yet. It's a triumph.

(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and St. Martin's Press.)

Red Dead's History is US History told through the lens of a bestselling video game

Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption II , set in 1911 and 1899, are the most-played American history video games since The Oregon Trail . Beloved by millions, they’ve been widely acclaimed for their realism and attention to detail. But how do they fare as recreations of history? The author, who is a history professor and baded a class on the same idea, uses the storyline and themes of the fame to explore the landscape of American violence . between 1870 and 1920,

I have always loved history. I also love video games though I've never played Red Dead Redemption. I was very excited to pick.up this book for those reasons and because of the unique way of relating US history. This book far exceeded my expectations. It made the history lover in me very happy. I learned so many things I wish I had known before. US history is vast and there is so much to learn. Much of what we have been taught is wrong or incomplete.

This book is exciting to read. The author's writing style.is so good, he makes learning a page turning experience. I wish I could take his class because this idea for Red Dead's History is unique and fun. He also does a good job making you want to play the video game.

Read this book. It's a top read of the year for me.

Given the title of this book, you would think it simply tells the history of the video game Red Dead Redemption II, but it's much more than that. It actually compares the history as it is depicted in the game, which is set in 1899, and the true history of that year. I don't play video games but I do love history, so I was curious to see what the author had to say about this. It turns out that Red Dead Redemption II is more accurate historically than most video games, even though it does slip into stereotypes on the rare occasion. Red Dead's History reads like a history textbook, but much less dry. I learned quite a bit about that time period and enjoyed reading this book very much.

All in all, this was a very interesting read from start to finish, and I highly recommend it.

5/5 stars.

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Tore C. Olsson for the opportunity to read and review Red Dead's History.

This is a must for fans of Red Dead Redemption 2 looking to delver further into the historical context surrounding the game's outlaw gang and their enemies (namely Pinkertons and brutal industrialists.) There were chapters relating to the Indigenous people of the era, post Civil War reconstruction, Appalachia mining towns and more. I loved learning about the reality of "cowboys" - way more likely to be striking for workers' rights than robbing trains and the way capitalism has shaped our country. Olsson has an extremely easygoing, approachable language for such serious topics and kept me engaged. I only wish the audiobook was available for review. Having Roger Clark, the actor behind the game's protagonist, read the audiobook will be a real treat.

(I am writing about this book and have interviewed the author for a forthcoming feature in Den of Geek. When I saw this book existed, I had to be the one to cover it because I'm a big fan of the games)