A few years ago, I asked a couple friends this question, we came up with a list of ten books that
would cover the fur trade. Here is the list and who put in their choices:
Top Ten Fur Trade books
These books were chosen because they will give you a good overview of the western American fur trade. Some of these books you may have, others are worth the time to find if you are interested in this section of history. Jim Hardee (Fur Trade Research Center), Rex Norman (staff writer- Muzzleloader)and Mike Moore (staff writer - On The Trail)compiled this list.
William Marshall Anderson, The Rocky Mountain Journals of William Marshall Anderson, Dale L. Morgan and Eleanor Towles Harris, eds., (Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press).
James Clyman, Journal of a Mountain Man, Linda M. Hasselstrom, ed., (Missoula, Mountain Press Publishing Company).
Warren Angus Ferris, Life in the Rocky Mountains, LeRoy R. Hafen, ed., (Denver, Old West Publishing).
Charles Larpenteur, Forty Years a Fur Trader on the Upper Missouri,
the Personal Narrative of Charles Larpenteur 1833-1872, Milo Milton Quaife, ed., (Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press).
Zenas Leonard, Adventures of a Mountain Man: The Narrative of Zenas Leonard, Milo Milton Quaife, ed., (Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press).
Osborne Russell, Journal of a Trapper, Aubrey L. Haines, ed., (Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press).
Charles Larpenteur, Forty Years a Fur Trader on the Upper Missouri,
the Personal Narrative of Charles Larpenteur 1833-1872, Milo Milton Quaife, ed., (Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press).
Josiah Gregg, Commerce of the Prairies, Milo Quaife editor, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln.
Washington Irving, The Adventures of Captain Bonneville, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman.
Hiram M. Chittenden, The American Fur Trade of the Far West, two volumes.
Fred Gowens, Rocky Mountain Rendezvous, Gibbs Smith Publishing, Layton, UT.
There are many other good books out there, if you have all of these let me know.
mike.