John Turner Radmore dreams of a life in the wild American West, far from the cold, dark mining tunnels of South Wales where he works hauling coal. But when he finally gets the opportunity to immigrate to America in 1868, he must first survive a near-shipwreck to begin his quest: to become a cowboy, and write a book about his adventures and the stories he hears along the way.

From the great Mississippi River to the Treacherous Montana landscape, John meets legends such as Mark Twain, Porter Rockwell, and mountain man Osborn Russell and makes his way west as a teamster, rides messenger on a stagecoach, and joins a fall roundup. He faces a midnight stampede, a madman holding a knife to his throat, and stands trial as a horse thief.

As he struggles with the many challenges before him, John discovers the importance of working hard, keeping promises, and holding on to his dream. And he learns his grandfather’s words that his decisions determine destiny are true.

Coal Miner to Cowboy is the fictionalized story of one man’s journey from boyhood to manhood set among the real characters, places, and events of the Old West. Written by famed Old West storyteller Kenneth Turner, otherwise known as Dr. History (dr-history.com), Dr. Turner’s podcasts have been downloaded worldwide more than 1.6 million times.