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The Frontiersmen: A Narrative Audiobook
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(4.02) - 1,064 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
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 which 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 eighteenth 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. 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 of the American Indian.
No less important, The Frontiersmen is the story of wilderness America itself, its penetration and settlement, and it is Eckert's particular grace to be able to evoke life and meaning from the raw facts of this story. In The Frontiersmen, not only do we care about our long-forgotten fathers—we live again with them.
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"we as seventh graders was taught this book as part of our Ohio history class and also the school (PATRICK HENRY ) IN DESHLER AND HAMLER OHIO let two wonderful teachers put on the play Tecumseh every year for 15 years and i was among the many 15 year old who was lucky enough to play the part of Simon Kenton this book was the most important book i have ever read due to the fact that until that point and time i never cared a bit about our history and now yet today i am a history nut and love my great state of Ohio and living many of my childhood years in the middle of the black swamp region of Ohio i feel luckier than most since i was surrounded by so much history the perfection this writer put into this book and details was so accurate it was used as a school text book for many students thank you for the opportunity to write this to all of you "
— T.Stacey (5 out of 5 stars)
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“Historian-novelist Eckert has fashioned an epic narrative history of the struggle for dominance of the Ohio River Valley that makes compelling [listening].”
— Publishers Weekly -
Historian-novelist Eckert has fashioned an epic narrative history of the struggle for dominance of the Ohio River Valley that makes compelling [listening].
— Publishers Weekly
The Frontiersmen Listener Reviews
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Tim Stenson, 7/2/2022
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" A very enlightening perspective upon early American advancement. And an insight into just how bad we screwed the Native Americans. "
— Louis, 11/24/2016 -
" Yes, there are lots of characters. Yes, it is long. But it's damn good. And true. "
— Eric, 2/12/2014 -
" The writer did an amazing job of making the book interesting and staying true to historical facts. "
— Randy, 2/10/2014 -
" This is the first book I can remember someone recommending to me (probably when I was about 16). My dad's cousin told me it was the most graphic book she'd ever read. Very good historical fiction. "
— Angie, 2/9/2014 -
" Compelling story. The author is a master at taking you back in time and putting you in touch with the nations real history. "
— Tyler, 2/8/2014 -
" Excellent overview of the settlement of the Ohio-Kentucky area during the time of the Revolution. Main characters are Simon Kenton and Tecumseh. "
— Hawaiian, 1/28/2014 -
" Excellent book-I recommend it to everyone!! "
— Nancy, 1/25/2014 -
" Holy cow what a towering character, Simon Kenton, the Frontiersman. He was a contemporary of Daniel Boone and one of the first white man in the Ohio River valley, living and fighting Indians in Kentucky and Ohio. As I got to half way thru this book, I broke down and looked him up on Wikipedia. He indeed was a real person. His capture and degradation by being made to run 9 gauntlets, "Bahdler" comes across as something of a superman. I gather he was rather enormous in size for that time period. This book shows how the early settlers had to endure many killings and war party raids by the Shawnee Indians. These early settlers were as tough and stubborn as the Texans that endured the same at the hands of the Comanches (described in Empire of the Summer Moon). "
— Alex, 1/21/2014 -
" Allan Eckert is amazing. He brings every detail back to us from the past and relates it so well to the footnotes of the here and now. I just love all his work and this is where my Eckert-adventures began. "
— Bonnie, 1/20/2014 -
" This is history and a good read. I didn't find his other books as much fun to read. "
— Kathy, 1/18/2014 -
" REad this a long time ago. Read the two other books in the trilogy. Very informative and entertaining. Engrossing. Have read other books by Allan Eckert including adolescent fiction The Owl Calls my Name. Very good. "
— Christine, 12/29/2013 -
" One of the best books I have ever read. I read it for the first time in 1977, and I discover something new everytime I read it. If you are a fan of early American history, I highly recommend this. "
— Dwayne, 12/28/2013 -
" Historically accurate, but maybe because most of his sources are letters and diaries, the information tends to be violent incidents that would be worthy of a diary entry, I guess. Anyway, many of the incidents he reports were so violent that I did not like the book and had to skim read much of it. "
— Jeanie, 12/4/2013 -
" I'd give the first half of the book 5 stars and then the 2nd half 3.5 stars. Seemed to become almost a different book after the 1st half. "
— Lo, 8/14/2013 -
" Cool period of history, and easy to follow the lives of the main characters. But just too long and gory for my personal, girlie taste. "
— Diane, 5/1/2013 -
" I think everyone living in Southern Ohio should read this book. It explains so much of the history and development of our region. "
— Gary, 1/23/2013 -
" Fantastic book, riveting history of early frontiersman and the indians they encountered, like Tecumseh. "
— Jay, 10/22/2012 -
" This book and Eckert's 4 others in this series literally made history come alive for me! Yes, it is graphic and at times gruesome. However, it is our history, and it portrays human nature at its best and worst. "
— Ruth, 10/18/2012 -
" Wow! Great story of the formation of the Ohio Valley. Interwoven and a page turner. "
— Christy, 8/1/2012 -
" The best book about native americans I have ever read. A must read for those that have any interest in Native Americans especially Ohio natives. "
— Lance, 7/16/2012 -
" read this book three times...it's that good. "
— John, 5/21/2011 -
" I loved the history of this book. It was a little too detailed for my taste, but the history takes place literally right outside the door of my house, which made it fascinating. "
— Julie, 4/21/2011 -
" All of Eckert's books are classics. When the frontier was in the eastern United States. His books give us history, up close and personal. "
— Bob, 3/30/2011 -
" Actually didn't make it through this book. Just too violent. Made me so sad to think this is the history of Ohio and surrounding states. "
— Nita, 3/6/2011 -
" True confession - I did not finish the book. It was very interesting and well written and quite entertaining with the true facts and story line weaving but there was just too much fighting and killing between the whites and the Indians. I just wasn't enjoying the experience. "
— Maura, 3/3/2011 -
" The first book in Eckert's series "The Winning of America." Together with the other volumns, "Wilderness Empire, The Conquerors, Wilderness War, Gateway to Empire and Twilight of Empire" constitute one of the finest American histories ever written. "
— Ann, 1/11/2011 -
" Simon Kenton, Tecumseh, Blue Jacket, and so many more in the early years of this country. Fascinating rendition of the discovery of Ohio and Kentucky. The Indians were not the only ones performing massacres on other humans (no surprise). Honest, unsanitized narrative. "
— Linda, 11/14/2010 -
" A classic book about the settling of Ohio and the Northwest territories. Allan Eckert brings the story of Tecumseh, Simon Kenton, and a whole cast of others to life. "
— Dennis, 9/14/2010 -
" Excellent book-I recommend it to everyone!! "
— Nancy, 8/22/2010 -
" One of my top five favorites. Every Ohioan should read this book. "
— Shirley, 3/19/2010 -
" His best book in a series of historical novels showing the way we wrested control of the land from the Indians. We written and very graphic in descriptions of the atrocities on both sides and characters that come alive on the pages. "
— Costacoralito, 3/9/2010 -
" Wow! Great story of the formation of the Ohio Valley. Interwoven and a page turner. "
— Christy, 3/7/2010 -
" This novelized non-fiction was far more enjoyable to read than some of the other American history books I've read. "
— Travis, 1/8/2010
About Allan W. Eckert
Allan W. Eckert is a seven-time Pulitzer Prize nominee and the author of over forty books, including the award-winning Incident at Hawk’s Hill and Twilight of Empire. His books include other historical narratives, novels, and nonfiction works, as well as books for young adults and children.
About Kevin Foley
Kevin Foley, an Earphones Award–winning narrator, has more than thirty years of experience in radio and television broadcasting, commercial voice-overs, and audiobook narration. He has recorded more than 150 audiobooks, including River Thunder by Gary McCarthy, for which he earned a Spur Award for Best Audiobook from the Western Writers of America.