Course Description

Instructor: James Pagliasotti

Growing up in the American West is a venture steeped in mythology, the gilded lore of cowboys and Indians, the rugged individualist, taming the wilderness, prying a living from the land. That's the legacy. The modern West though is a study in conflict between that romantic notion and the practical outcomes of "settling" the region. This class is about dwelling in both worlds and making the best of it, my experience living with the Blackfeet Indians, buying movie star Gary Cooper's home, and the people, ordinary and extraordinary both, met along the way. It's the story of a city boy finding his way in the contemporary West that is presented via lecture and multi-media with discussion.

Instructor Bio: James Pagliasotti was the first rock & roll columnist for The Denver Post, where he covered music and the counterculture from 1968-74. He has written for Rolling Stone magazine and numerous other publications, and is the author of three books.