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BENJAMIN FRANKLIN GOLD AWARD WINNER
“Fraser Harrison is among the best truth-tellers. He has written a thoughtful, tender, and funny guide, a book that is an arresting journey at the center of a nation and goes deep into the human heart.”—Tim Dee, BBC Radio
"Traveling through South Dakota as a foreigner gave Fraser Harrison a unique perspective on our great state, but everyone, whether a born-and-raised South Dakotan or a first-time visitor, will find his observations thought-provoking and enjoyable. His words leap off the page, painting vivid and exciting pictures of South Dakota and its history."—James D. Hagen, South Dakota Department of Tourism
"Fraser Harrison has learned well the error in overlooking the history under his nose. The Englishman's connection to the Harrisons who died at the Alamo led him on a powerful journey that pays homage to the frontier history of the Badlands, Wounded Knee, Hickok's Deadwood and more."—True West Magazine
An "interesting and entertaining exploration of a state that the author had first 'discovered' for himself while on a family holiday some twenty years earlier. . . . Harrison is often perhaps more charming, more laconic, and more willing to put more of himself into the book than [travel writer Bill] Bryson is."—Goodreads reviewer
"I really enjoyed Harrison's writing style. It's rare that I can finish a piece of non-fiction without being bored half of the time. I had quite the opposite experience with this book."—Goodreads reviewer
In his homage to the infinite west that is South Dakota, both past and present, Englishman Fraser Harrison tours the state observing well-known locations such as the Badlands, Mount Rushmore, and Deadwood. But there is far more to South Dakota. He also spent time in less-traveled areas such as Wounded Knee, the southern portion of the Missouri River, and Harrison, his namesake town.
The author’s witty, conversational, and detailed commentaries are paired with brief historical accounts to form a travel memoir comparable to those of Bill Bryson, Dayton Duncan, and Paul Theroux. Harrison paints pictures with his prose that let the reader share his experiences on the roads, in the cities, and among the people of small communities that make up the Land of Infinite Variety.
Cities and towns visited by Fraser Harrison on his Infinite West journey