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RED DEAD'S HISTORY: A VIDEO GAME, AN OBSESSION, AND AMERICA'S VIOLENT PAST

Tore C. Olsson


 

A pathbreaking new way to examine US history, 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?


In this engaging book, award-winning American history professor Tore Olsson takes up that question and more. Weaving the games’ plot 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, Red Dead’s History sheds light on dark corners of the American past for gamers and history buffs alike.

 

PUBLICATION DETAILS

LANGUAGE

BINDING

EDITION

ISBN

YEAR

PAGES

English

Hardcover

9781250287700

2024

288

English

eBook

N/A

2024

288

AUDIOBOOK DETAILS

LANGUAGE

LENGTH

VERSION

NARRATORS

YEAR

English

8.5 hours

Unabridged

Roger Clark

2024

OTHER NAMES

Red Dead's History: A Video Game, an Obsession, and America's Violent Past

 

TAGS


Authors: #ToreCOlsson

Publishers: #StMartinsPress (St. Martin's Press)

Languages: #English

Year: #Year2024


Companies:

#Rockstar (Rockstar Games)


Public Figures:

#RogerClark (Roger Clark)


Games:

#RedDead (Red Dead Redemption 2)


Misc:

N/A

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