Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents vii
3. Preface xiii
4. Introduction: Stardust xvii
5. 1. An American Journey 1
6. 2. Between Winter’s Chill Brackets 13
7. 3. Ascending the Plains 31
8. 4. Exhumed Mountains and Hungry Rivers 51
9. 5. Black Hills and Bent Rock 69
10. 6. To the Backbone of the Continent 93
11. 7. Cordilleran Upheaval 111
12. 8. Most Godforsaken Country 137
13. 9. The Bear and the Snake 155
14. 10. A Breaking Up of the World 179
15. 11. Most Miserable River 205
16. 12. The Worst Desert You Ever Saw 229
17. 13. Into the Land of Gold 251
18. 14. Contingent History 275
19. Epilogue 279
20. Acknowledgments 282
21. Notes 284
22. Glossary 301
23. Bibliography 307
24. Figure Credits 316
25. Index 319