Book excerpt: After just two seasons, the HBO drama Deadwood has become one of cable's highest rated series, a symbol of how great television can be when pushed to its limits. From the masterful acting to the surprisingly credible re-creation of a Western gold-rush town to the provocative dialogue, Deadwood is television made at the highest level of craft. Now, through the eyes of series creator David Milch, the Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning drama comes to life like never before. Imaginatively rendered and lavishly illustrated, Deadwood- Stories of the Black Hills is an unprecedented look at the people, places, and history of Deadwood, as seen and imagined by the show's creator, chief writer, and executive producer David Milch. Through in-depth discussions of the themes and motivations that run throughout Deadwood - from violence to gold to profane language - Milch sheds light on the characters and events of Deadwood. Fresh interviews with the Deadwood cast, never before seen photographs of the show, and dozens of historical photographs and objects vividly bring the most dangerous settlement in the West to life. Much more than a companion to the series, this book is an integral part of the show's storied mythology, as it examines, in great detail, the fascinating intersection of historical fact and inventive fiction - from Custer's opening of the Black Hills (and defeat by the Sioux), to the compelling story of the frontier Chinese, who endured years of racism in order to survive in the West. Entertaining and illuminating, Deadwood