THE HERD WORD

Cowboy poets ride tradition and verse to the stage each year in Elko, Nevada, debunking myths about the Old West—and creating new ones.

THOMAS PYNCHON UNMASKED

The great California writer—if unknowingly—answers our questions about a U.S. Department of Jesus, moving back to the Golden State, and winning a Nobel Prize.

THE LIFE OF A GHOST TOWN

The abandoned settlements of the West offer beauty and solace and make us question what happened to drive everyone away—and lure others back.

To see what else is in this issue, click here.