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David Crockett: The Lion of the West Audiobook
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(3.05) - 231 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
His name was David Crockett. He never signed his name any other way, but popular culture transformed his memory into "Davy Crockett," and Hollywood gave him a raccoon hat he hardly ever wore. Bestselling historian Michael Wallis casts a fresh look at the frontiersman, storyteller, and politician behind these legendary stories.
Born into a humble Tennessee family in 1786, Crockett never "killed him a b'ar" when he was only three. But he did cut a huge swath across early-nineteenth-century America—as a bear hunter, a frontier explorer, a soldier serving under Andrew Jackson, an unlikely congressman, and, finally, a martyr in his now-controversial death at the Alamo. Wallis's David Crockett is more than a riveting story. It is a revelatory, authoritative biography that separates fact from fiction, providing us with an extraordinary evocation of a true American hero and the rough-and-tumble times in which he lived.
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"This book does a really great job of setting straight some of the mythical aspects of Crockett's life and bringing to light some of the things one might never otherwise learn about him, like his financial struggles and his political career. Very fascinating book, well written."
— Jarrod (4 out of 5 stars)
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A readable and folksy account of the actual facts of Crockett's life.
— Library Journal
David Crockett Listener Reviews
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" History the way it should be written (other than saying the American Revolution ended with the Battle of Saratoga) ... clear, concise, and one-hundred percent interesting ... Good stuff that dispels myths and makes the real human being even more interesting than the myths ... "
— Rick, 2/18/2014 -
" Great for American history geeks! Really informative not only about David Crockett, but of the times he lived in. I really enjoyed it! "
— Julie, 2/16/2014 -
" Wallis claimed to write this as an exposure of the real Davy Crockett, bursting through the folklore to discover the fallible human. A lot of biographers make such claims because they need new approaches to historical subjects to market to publishers. I liked this biography, but not because of any assault on Crockett's legacy. It turns out that Davy Crockett was larger than life. No, he didn't kill a bear when he was three, and no he didn't live under a coonskin cap, nobody really knows for sure how he died at the Alamo, and he had human fallibilities. That doesn't matter, though, because people know the difference between the Disney hero and any real person. Davy Crockett was a real person, and led a life that fit his time but was exciting enough to make him famous within it and beyond. Wallis covered Crockett's entire life in a nice little book that is a quick read. It's not particularly insightful, and borrows heavily from other Crockett biographies, including his autobiography. If you have an interest in Crockett or the early 19th century American frontier, Wallis's work is a worthwhile breeze. "
— Donnie, 1/21/2014 -
" Not knowing much about Crockett this was a very informative book about his life. Cleared up so myths about him and presented a fair look at his good traits and his bad traits. "
— Doug, 1/11/2014 -
" Great biography of an american hero who became a legendary figure. "
— Larry, 1/5/2014 -
" This book showed that the legend of Davy Crockett was more interesting than the man's real life! The best part was the ending, when he moved to Texas and fought at the Alamo. Surprisingly, he moved to Texas to get out of debt and hunt, not for any patriotic reasons. "
— Taryl, 12/31/2013 -
" Effectively peels back most of the mythology surrounding Crockett, but doesn't go much deeper. "
— Kim, 12/19/2013 -
" Very well written, the author does a good job of separating the real Crockett from the myth, including much historical perspective. "
— Maurice, 12/12/2013 -
" A fair biography of a man almost all of us know only thanks to Walt Disney. Interesting for its portrayal of frontier life and politics of the era. It would seem that not a great deal has changed except there seem to be fewer people of character in public life today. "
— David, 12/29/2012 -
" As a kid of the 50's I couldn't pass this up and I learned much while reading it (he never went by "Davy", he did have a friend named Georgie Russel who didn't appear to play much of a role in his life, and he wasn't born in the state of Tennessee.) "
— William, 7/23/2012 -
" Okay biography about a man who, IMO, was more myth than man. "
— Gunner, 7/7/2012 -
" Excellent job of cutting through all the folklore of " The King of the Wild Frontier" and showing the real man. "
— Rob, 5/13/2012 -
" An excellent, well written work. "
— Jim, 2/25/2012 -
" This book does a great job of capturing Crockett the politician, raconteur, and humorist--above and beyond Crockett the action hero. He was truly an American character. "
— Don, 1/7/2012 -
" This was a great book. I learned a lot about David Crockett, and other leaders during this time.. This was a fantastic read of a great American hero and adventurer. I highly recommend it.. "
— Steve, 5/14/2011
About Michael Wallis
Michael Wallis is the bestselling author of Route 66, Billy the Kid, Pretty Boy, and David Crockett. He hosts the PBS series American Roads. He voiced the Sheriff in the animated Pixar feature Cars, and he lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
About John Pruden
John Pruden is an Earphones Award–winning audiobook narrator. His exposure to many people, places, and experiences throughout his life provides a deep creative well from which he draws his narrative and vocal characterizations. His narration of The Killing of Crazy Horse by Thomas Powers was chosen by the Washington Post as a Best Audiobook of 2010.