本书30余万字，有100余幅珍贵摄影插图。全书内容涉及100余年来的湘西近现代史。书中描写了田兴恕、田应诏、陈渠珍、熊希龄、沈从文、贺龙、贺英、贺满姑、周燮卿、顾家齐、张平、瞿伯阶、“彭叫驴子”等百余名湘西正反面知名人物的传奇经历和事迹，同时对湘西土匪剥皮、剜心等残忍事件以及民间放蛊赶尸等奇特风俗传说均有记述。并披露了湘西许多鲜为人知的秘史。该书史料翔实，可读性很强，极具收藏价值。(The book is of more than 30 characters and more than 100 precious photographic illustrations. The book covers modern and contemporary history of Western Hunan of more than 100 years. The book describes legendary experiences and deeds of more than 100 famous positive and negative figures, such as Tian Xingshu, Tian Yingzhao, Chen Quzhen, Xiong Xiling, Shen Congwen, He Long, He Ying, He Mangu, Zhou Xieqing, Gu Jiaqi, Zhang Ping, Qu Bojie and “donkey” Peng. It records and narrates cruel events of bandits of Western Hunan, such as peeling and scooping out hearts, and strange folk customs and legends including spreading poisonous parasites and driving the dead. It also reveals a lot of little-known secret history of Western Hunan. The book is full of historical data and is highly readable and collectable.)