The Frontiersmen

A Narrative

By: Allan W. Eckert

Narrated by: Kevin Foley

Length: 30 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

The frontiersmen were a remarkable breed of men. They were often rough and illiterate, sometimes brutal and vicious, often seeking an escape in the wilderness of mid-America from crimes committed back east. In the beautiful but deadly country that would one day come to be known as West Virginia, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, more often than not they left their bones to bleach beside forest paths or on the banks of the Ohio River, victims of Indians who claimed the vast virgin territory and strove to turn back the growing tide of whites.

These frontiersmen are the subjects of Allan W. Eckert's dramatic history. Against the background of such names as George Rogers Clark, Daniel Boone, Arthur St. Clair, Anthony Wayne, Simon Girty, and William Henry Harrison, Eckert has re-created the life of one of America's most outstanding heroes, Simon Kenton. Kenton's role in opening the Northwest Territory to settlement more than rivaled that of his friend Daniel Boone. By his 18th birthday, Kenton had already won frontier renown as woodsman, fighter, and scout. His incredible physical strength and endurance, his great dignity and innate kindness made him the ideal prototype of the frontier hero.

Yet there is another story to The Frontiersmen. It is equally the story of one of history's greatest leaders, whose misfortune was to be born to a doomed cause and a dying race. Tecumseh, the brilliant Shawnee chief, welded together by the sheer force of his intellect and charisma an incredible Indian confederacy that came desperately close to breaking the thrust of the white man's westward expansion. Like Kenton, Tecumseh was the paragon of his people's virtues, and the story of his life, in Eckert's hands, reveals most profoundly the grandeur and the tragedy of the American Indian.

©2001 Jesse Stuart Foundation (P)2011 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Historian-novelist Eckert has fashioned an epic narrative history of the struggle for dominance of the Ohio River Valley that makes compelling reading." ( Publishers Weekly)

I LOVE YOU, SIMON KENTON!

This is pretty much the story of one man from his youth to his end. He was friends with Daniel Boone. He spoke Indian languages. He made and lost great amounts of money. He was attractive, honest, very bright and hard-working. And he really lived and did all these things.

This is indeed a man's book, full of battles and great plans, some of which actually worked. I deplore the cruelty to the Indians, but then again, the Indians were cruel right back at the whites. We follow the men among them also, including Tecumseh, and the military men who also made deals and often went back on those deals. This is the unvarnished story. If our foremothers had had any clue what following their men into the wilderness could mean . . . this country would not have had a chance. Dark forests and wild animals were the least of their problems! It is a very good but troubling read. Not for a wimp who is avoiding negativity -- someone who wants sweetness and light, soft music and bone china teacups. I gave it all the stars.

Best Historical novel

Where does The Frontiersmen rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Top of the line. Such accuracy on the settling of Kentucky and Ohio. Simon Kenton never got the publicity of Daniel Boone but without him there is no doubt that history would have been very different.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Being from New England we ever learned abut the frontiesman Simon Kenton or the complexity of a character like Simon Girty.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Simon was captured by the Shawnee and the ordeal that followed

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This book made me appreciate the sacrifices that our ancestors made and how tough it was just to survive. I also felt bad for the genocide of the Native American. There was just so much hate on both sides it was impossible to maintain a real peace. If the Indian tribes had alll embraced Tecumseh we might be looking at a different America today.

Any additional comments?

The narrator was also excellent and by the inflections he used in different scenes it made it easy to listen at long intervals. It made my work day fly by

What a great story!!!

I definately enjoyed this book!! The story is told in a way that really draws you in and it is not afraid to show the dark side of both the Americans and the Shawnee. The Frontiersmen is well written and performed in a solid way that keeps you interrested despite it length!

Excellent historical journey

Any additional comments?

For anyone who enjoys the story of the American people and the westward expansion, this book is a must. I warmed to Kevin Foley's narration, a little unsure at the beginning if I was going to enjoy how he told the story. However, he is a perfect fit to what is a uniquely American story. Although it is history, it reads like a novel. Eckert not only brings the characters alive, he creates drama in the telling of this remarkable history. Whenever I was away from it, I couldn't wait to get back into the rich narrative and fascinating detail of this book.

history told well

From time to time, the dialogue and specificity of detail read more like fiction than history - and some databases and bookstores file Eckert under fiction -but the history rings true. Quite a few of the colonials/Americans have despicable values, but, alas, this also rings true. The land greed of the whites, even Simon Kenton is guilty - though to a lesser extent, is embarrassing to read. But the harrowing dangers and immense bravery that are portrayed are more than worth the read. A great and necessary read to comprehend the deeds and emotions of our history.

History Facts told in a great story!

I love the way the author told the story of how a few pioneers affected the lives of so many.

Outstanding! By far my favorite Audio book.

I learned so much History about the frontiersmen and Indians in the Mid-West. I highly recommend this book and I will be buying copies for some special men in my family so I can enjoy discussing it with them. I even found myself so interested in the characters that I did some extra research on my own; and in some cases, the book was more complete. The narration was excellent with the pronunciations of the Native-American names and tribes; and it was easy to distinguish between the first-person dialog. I will be looking for other books just as great as this one was.

History always makes the best stories.

Having grown up in southern Ohio, it is interesting to read about it as frontier.

Great Listen!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. Good reader. Great story, well told.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Frontiersmen?

Some of the accounts of the unbelievable cruelty in the war between the whites and the natives.

Any additional comments?

This book really made history come alive. Thought I do suspect that some of the stuff about Tacumseh foretelling the future was a bit exaggerated.

Great presentation of history!

What did you love best about The Frontiersmen?

Based on actual historical documentation, yet presented in "novel" type format. This made for much more enjoyable listening experience.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting? Probably not, it is just too long. But the story kept my interest throughout the entire length.

Any additional comments?

For those who enjoy long continuous story-type audiobooks (as opposed to short length books), this is a great choice.