Customer Reviews

Dream West

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Dream West, by David Nevin, personalizes the American persona in Charles Fremont, an American Explorer from the mid 1800's. Fremont's character is exhibited in the historic journeys he undertakes in an effort to map the path to the western U.S. His determination, perservance and stubborn integrity is as heroic and tragic as Vincent Van Gogh.

Fremont's strength of character draws the reader west as surely as the pioneers of the early mid 1800's. His spirit and drive are matched by his wife's as they tackle the political establishment and the nay sayers of their time. They are one of the first enlightened couples of our country that find both personal and professional success.

Their personal triumphs carry them over and past any public setbacks. The contentment with which they approach old age leaves the reader with a love for the couple. The lack of public support for such magnificient people leaves a taste of cynicism toward the march of US history and the many less than gratious politicians.

Author of the romantic historical, The Rebel's Pledge, a 5 star rated novel of the colonial period.

Dream West is one of the best novels I have ever read. It is powerfully and skillfully written. The story is based on truth about the brave men and women who forged westward. Dream West will move you, inspire you, and enrich your knowledge of America's history.

DREAM WEST captures the spirit of the turbulent mid-1800's and the nearly forgotten stories centering around the remarkable Captain John Charles Fremont (the Pathfinder). This was a refreshing look at one of America's great explorers who pioneered and mapped much of America's western regions. This book includes such historic characters as: the legendary explorer Kit Carson, and Fremont's wife the famed novelist Jessie Benton Fremont, her father the famous Missouri senator Thomas Hart Benton, cameos appearances from almost every famous politician during the mid-1800 through the Civil War (Lincoln, Grant, Polk, Clay, etc.).

John Charles Fremont was one America's most magnetic personalities. Just to list a few of many remarkable accomplishments, such as:
* He was California's first Governor (albeit for a very short period).
* After California's statehood is approved he was the first Senator for California.
* Became rich during the famed gold rush. Later lost it in a swindle.
* On the Republican ticket as an antislavery advocate he ran for President in 1956,. In fact he becomes a perennial presidential candidate.
* He achieves the rank of major general during the Civil War where he loses most of his battles and resigns.
* Later he becomes a Governor of Arizona and passes much ground breaking legislation.

The only complaint I have with this book (very minor) is the author's lenient treatment of Fremont's war record. In fact Fremont was demoted because he couldn't beat Stonewall Jackson. He lets Fremont off rather easily. Notwithstanding, John Charles Fremont truly was an extraordinary man. This story captures his spirit.

The people come alive in the book. Exciting to read about the life of the old west.

Anyone who has traveled the west has run across historical markers of John C. Freemont-particularly on passes. This is a book of historical fiction. Since James A. Michener died we've been hungry for solid historical novels. David Nevin does a nice job satisfying that hunger here. <I>It was a sad book</I> -a story of an explorer with too much risk-taking, too much integrity, too much trust, and too much self-sufficiency to survive in the world of the military, business or politics. What he did do well with was in marriage and exploration. You'll be captivated by the story on his<I> winter </I> crossing the High Sierras. You may cry at his defeated attempt to cross the San Juan ranges in Colorado. If you like these lessons you'll love the book:
o (1) If you enter politics you've got to play politics.
o (2) People with great personal ambition who do not know how to compromise and horse trade usually get destroyed by those with those skills.
o (3) Don't enter business if you aren't going to learn the rules and watch the business.
o (4) Don't make many enemies If you want to keep from being lonely in your old age.
o (5) When the chips are down only those who love you stay with you-respect and accomplishment will not inspire permanent loyalty-only love does that.
o (6) Never conclude you are a failure in life-the next generation will decide that for you after you're dead.
o (7) Marriage is God's way of helping us see our most hazardous traits-listening and learning this from a spouse can save great pain later.
o (7) When somebody gets a really raw deal those who resent it most are the family not the victim.
o (8) When large sums of money are involved people change.
o (9) Being great at one thing seldom transfers to being great at another.
o (10) I don't think I would have liked Abraham Lincoln if I had lived at the time-some people look better a hundred years later.

As is often said, history is written by the victors. That is definitely true of the written accounts of Fremont's exploits. This book tells it as it actually was. It shows all the great and dumb things Fremont did without attempting to shade the story. His second attempt to cross the Sierras was dumb as anyone can tell. The snow was much too deep and the cold much to severe to successfully get west of the Sierras. Other accounts claim he and his crew were involved in cannibalism. He did not participate in that and had gone to get help when it occurred. It is claimed he was cowardly in his engagement with the Mexicans in what is now known as Fremont peak in Monterey County. That is not the truth as he repelled the Mexican troops with a minimal of trouble. At every turn the government took advantage of him, including taking his property "for the war effort" and never returning it and allowing groups to steal his gold mine based on a law that allowed groups to take a mine if it was not being used even if it was for a lunch break. He declared emancipation of the blacks in his area of jurisdiction and was overruled by President Lincoln because it was not politically appropriate at the time.His was the first governor of California and had it taken away by the commanding General. He was stupid in his rebellion of authority but accomplished much. I highly recommended this book for anyone who would like to know the truth about Fremont and early California.

I have looked up Charles Fremont on the net and have discovered that certain writers protray Fremont in an inaccurate and dishonest way. They are writing as fact things that either did not happen or were lies used in Fremont's time to discredit him. It is true that he did take unnecessary risks and had at times used poor judgement. This was especially true when he felt that as long as you had the will and endurance, simply forcing ahead would be sucessful. One very sorry attempt to cross the Sierras in the winter proved him wrong. Still, this man was a man of honor and commitment and sacrified much for his country despite the evil cast his way by others. This book tells the true story of Fremont and should be read by everyone who relishes history. I wont repeat the many lies I have read about him, but will urge anyone to read this book to see what ACTUALLY happened.

What a powerful novel. Anyone seeking to either whet their historical appetite or emerse themselves in well written, well researched and well balanced account of the early pioneering days of the USA should get this novel and settle into a damn good read.