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)

great book, need more like it

great reading, great history. I'd like to find a book just like it about the expansion west of the Mississippi.

Legend to facts

Would you listen to The Frontiersmen again? Why?

No, I had trouble staying awake during the narration.

What other book might you compare The Frontiersmen to and why?

It is a level below Mari Sandoz's "Crazy Horse" .

What aspect of Kevin Foley’s performance would you have changed?

I would encourage more energy during the performance.

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

I was angry with the settlers, then angry with the Indians. There is a lot of detail about the Indian culture and relations between the various trbes. The information about the dealings of the whites with the Native Americans was enlightening, making me ashamed of this aspect of the American past.

Any additional comments?

Eckert's plan was to take the reader/listener into the heads of the people in history using a seriers of historical vignettes using conversations and events for which there is little or non-existant records. The book is daunting and difficult as a narrator read book. There was just too much sameness in the characters There are some finely drawn pictures of the the characters, Kenton and Tecumseh, but the others are bland.

Really cool book.

Would you consider the audio edition of The Frontiersmen to be better than the print version?

Don't know.

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

Which exciting part, they were all good. Had to research many of the characters.

Which character – as performed by Kevin Foley – was your favorite?

Simon of course

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Did you relaize...?

Any additional comments?

great book.

Worthwhile and enjoyable read

This book was a fascinating read. I never had heard of Simon Kenton or Simon Butler. That plus other people that I had heard of made it historically interesting. Also I had very little exposure to the history of that area or it's diverse inhabitants. This is really a must read book. The way Eckert lets the story evolve and various players interact is fascinating and exciting. Some of the "depradations" are tough to listen to. This is especially true of the tortures.

a vivid picture of frontier life.

Some of the events depicted in the book can be difficult to hear but important to understand the violence of frontier life.

Spectacular

I loved this book. I listened to it while driving. so riveting was the story I missed a few turns!

Well written, easy to follow

Tecumseh, Simon Kenton, Simon Gurdy, blue jacket, Benjamin Harrison, Daniel Boone - The detailed Adventures of these important Americans and many others are told day by day, year by year.

That is what makes the book so enjoyable! I was educated and entertained but not confused by the intertwined characters, stories and battles because the authors style made it very clear what was happening, where and to whom.

I have been reading history for about 50 years now and consider this work second only to David McCullochs. The Pioneers

Great Early American History

A well written book covering the early American frontier based upon historical writings and journals. The writer brings these early historical figures to life.

History

A well written story. It’s captivating. It was a brutal time. With brutal people on both sides. I listened to it on Shawnee side. Every side used them, forced them from their land. It’s a sad story from that point of view.

Great story of the settlement of the Ohio Valley

Perfect story telling by Eckert. Maybe, one of the finest collections of material from the tome frame. Narration was perfect.