This is a comprehensive encyclopaedia to the more than 100 radio programmes portraying the American West, in fact and fiction, to generations of listeners from the Great Depression through the Cold War era. Both the popular and lesser known series, as well as would-be offerings that never made it past the audition stage, are included.

Each entry describes the series, the extent to which it was based on actual facts, the audience it was written for, and its broadcast history. The descriptions also examine how the programs reflected society's changing social and cultural attitudes towards racial and ethnic minorities and the role of women. The availability of surviving audio copies and original scripts is noted. An extensive bibliography and several appendices provide additional sources of information about Western programming during the Golden Age of Radio.