A short history of Denver /

Leonard (Metropolitan State Univ. of Denver) and Noel (Univ. of Colorado, Denver), two of the most authoritative and prolific writers on the history of Denver, have joined forces to produce a useful and highly readable volume. Their "short history" covers the total expanse of the city's history from early Native American settlement to the present day. In their preface, the authors explain that their book will remind readers of what they may already know and illustrate what they don't know about Denver. Additionally, the authors made a decision to reduce "a Pikes Peak of information to a climbable hill." Leonard and Noel do not sacrifice academic credibility in the name of brevity. They do an admirable job of explaining the evolution of Denver to a city with many subcommunities. This is an excellent volume for visitors, or for new residents wishing to learn about the city. For readers seeking greater knowledge, this book can be coupled with Josh Dinar and Jeffrey Steen's 2014 work Denver: Then and Now. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels/libraries. --Martin William Quirk, Rock Valley College