The Old West in Books. Real or Myth?

Author Jim Meyer, author of Shoshone Pass, talks about the real West and the lives of ranchers as depicted in his books with host, Mark H. Newhouse, How To Sell Your Books Checklist in this chat that discusses gunslingers, racial stereotypes and the hard life of post-Civil War Wyoming.

What is our fascination with Westerns that makes these books so popular? Is it the guns, the independence of its heroes or something we no longer possess, but still dream of?

Or was it myth or reality, dream or nightmare?