Rating: 
Summary: The Frontiersmen
Review: All I can say is "Wow". This book is a remarkable piece of literature that helps bring the saga of the settlement of the Ohio valley in to perspective. I am a native to the country that the book talks about (Dayton, Ohio) and that makes the book altogether more fascinating to imagine your own backyard as it was 250 years ago. I reccomend this book to anyone who is a lover of a good story, history, or both. My uncle loved the book so much that he named his first child Simon Kenton. I that is proof enough that this book is one you will never forget
Rating:
Summary: The Frontiersmen
Review: An outstanding and well researched work by one of the great authors of early American history. I have read this book three times over the years, and each time I read it I learned something new. Mr. Eckert has written a volume that undoubtedly tells the truth of the early conflict between the American Indians and the white settlers of this young country. Unfortunately, the information in this book is not what is taught in schools, but should be. Students of history deserve to know the truth about the settling of this country, and in this book, as well as the remaining volumes of Mr. Eckert's Winning of America Series, they have it.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Historical Fiction
Review: Despite the use of endnotes and a proclaimation by the author of the book as historical fact, "The Frontiersmen" is historical fiction. It suffers too much from conjecture, the use of legends, contrived conversations, and outright fabrications to qualify as history. The most egregious example is Eckert's perpetuation of the myth that the Shawnee war chief, Blue Jacket, was actually a whiteman called Marmaduke Van Swearingen. A few years ago DNA tests proved conclusively that the descendants of the Van Swearingens and of Blue Jacket are not related. In fairness to Eckert such evidence was not available when he wrote "The Frontiersmen." Still, the story of Blue Jacket being a whiteman had always rested on rather shaky historical foundations, but, as is typical with "The Frontiersmen," Eckert chose drama over facts."The Frontiersman" maybe fiction, but it's really well done fiction. It's purpose is to tell the story of the old Northwest Territory by narrating the story of Simon Kenton- a Virginia born frontiersman who if hadn't saved Daniel Boone's life then maybe Fess Parker would have been playing him instead of Boone on that TV series. I agree with another reviewer that there was another "West" in American popular culture before what we today think of as "the West." Like the West of our current culture, the Northwest Territory generated its own legends for people in the 19th century. Before Buffalo Bill, Wild Bill, General Custer, Wyatt Earp, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Geronimo; there was Daniel Boone, David Duncan, George Rogers Clarke, Logan, Black Snake, Little Turtle, Tecumseh, and Simon Kenton. Eckert wants people to remember those later names and their era which mostly encompassed a vicious struggle for the "dark and bloody ground" of the Ohio River country. Eckert's Narratives of America series, of which "The Frontiersmen" was the first book, hold a special place in my memory. I spent a great deal of time during junior high school reading and re-reading Eckert's novels. I truly loved them. Of course, to a twelve year old, the best parts of Eckert's novels were the grisly detailed depictions of torture and mutilation. These books are not for the squimish! But for those who like some gore with their historical fiction then these are the books for you. "The Frontiersmen" is a wonderful dramatization of the people and events that shaped the Northwest Territory, but keep in mind that it is historical fiction while reading.
Rating:
Summary: The Best, Most Engaging American History Book
Review: Except for the Holy Bible, THE FRONTIERSMEN, by Allan W. Eckert, is the best book I have ever read! A few years ago, I had the high privilege of telling Allan Eckert that in person.
Rating:
Summary: The Best, Most Engaging American History Book
Review: Except for the Holy Bible, THE FRONTIERSMEN, by Allan W. Eckert, is the best book I have ever read! A few years ago, I had the high privilege of telling Allan Eckert that in person.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent and unusually formatted historical narrative.
Review: Frontiersman Simon Kenton is reputed to be the historical figure upon whom James Fenimore Cooper modeled the Natty Bumppo character of his Leatherstocking Tales, and in particular the Hawkeye character of Last of the Mohicans. In this biography, the author tells the story of Kenton utilizing a narrative, "novelistic" format which -- while copiously footnoted to ensure authenticity and thus clearly not an "historical novel" but, rather, a true biography -- reads with all the page-turning suspense and excitement of the Cooper novels, if not more. In addition, as indicated by the plural usage in the title, the book is not solely about Kenton. The book intertwines the story of Kenton with that of the visionary Indian leader Tecumseh, a rough contemporary of Kenton and probably the last best hope of Native Americans to have maintained political independence in the face of European expansion. Thus the settlement of America is presented in compelling fashion through the stories of both one of the great early American frontiersmen and one of the great Native American leaders of the same era.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I have ever read
Review: Give this book to your history-hating teenager and make him start to read it. Most likely once he starts, he won't want to quit. This is historical writing at its finest. While there are a few facts I would argue with, I can not possibly recommend any other book on history that can capture the imagination of the reader and make one just want to read on and on. If there was ever a book that makes history "come alive," this is it.
There are four other books in this series, but this is, in my opinion, the best of them. I first read this book years ago. It opened my eyes to how exciting history can be. It also opened my eyes to how much history we are NOT taught in school. Twenty years later, this is still one of my favorite books of all time.
I have read hundreds and hundreds of books. I have read very few of them twice. This is one of them--and I will probably read it again someday.
There are those who criticize Allan Eckert for his "historical narrative" method of writing, but I am convinced that this is because they are jealous of his success. Allan Eckert has done those who enjoy history a tremendous favor with his books by showing us just how exciting and interesting history is.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I have ever read
Review: Give this book to your history-hating teenager and make him start to read it. Most likely once he starts, he won't want to quit. This is historical writing at its finest. While there are a few facts I would argue with, I can not possibly recommend any other book on history that can capture the imagination of the reader and make one just want to read on and on. If there was ever a book that makes history "come alive," this is it.
There are four other books in this series, but this is, in my opinion, the best of them. I first read this book years ago. It opened my eyes to how exciting history can be. It also opened my eyes to how much history we are NOT taught in school. Twenty years later, this is still one of my favorite books of all time.
I have read hundreds and hundreds of books. I have read very few of them twice. This is one of them--and I will probably read it again someday.
There are those who criticize Allan Eckert for his "historical narrative" method of writing, but I am convinced that this is because they are jealous of his success. Allan Eckert has done those who enjoy history a tremendous favor with his books by showing us just how exciting and interesting history is.
Rating:
Summary: Great Narrative for a first Non-Fiction
Review: I am the type that likes Tolkein, Frank Herbert, Terry Brooks, C.S Lewis, Terry Goodkind, and other SF/Fantasy writers. I was absolutely enthralled by this book. At first I found it slow, but when I got to chapter two I had a hard time putting the book down. Simon Kenton is amazing and his true story is better than most fiction novels I have read. I suppose because I kept saying to myself, "this story is true" and "this man is amazing." There were several times that reading this book gave me that feeling that causes the hairs on your back to stand on end. Chills up the spine! And there were several times I couldn't put down the book until I knew that Simon would be alright. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that many fiction writers have used portions of this and added elements of magic and fairy to make their stories more interesting.
I love characters that are built up the the author to be someone who can be looked up to. Eckert has done this by simply telling a true story of a very interesting man who I had never heard of before reading this book. Eckert descriptions are detailed and his style of writing is easy to read. Simon is my latest hero. What an amazing individual.
Rating:
Summary: When the legend becomes fact...
Review: I first read this book years ago, and was immediately hooked. Anyone interested in the frontier history of the Old Northwest -- or just looking for a good adventure -- should love this exciting tale.
Just one caveat: if you read scholarly books on this period, you will realize that Eckert has, as Huckleberry Finn would say, told some "stretchers." Much of what you read in Eckert's books is true, but despite claims to the contrary, much of it is fiction and folklore. Eckert usually chooses colorful versions of events over more reliable accounts. This may not make for good history, but it does makes for fun reading. If you're interested in authentic history, approach Eckert's books with the same caution that you would a Hollywood movie.
There's a saying in an old Western movie: "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." That's what Eckert has done. Enjoy his books in this spirit, and you'll have a thrilling read.
|
