A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett of the State of Tennessee [Paperback]

David Crockett (Author), Paul Andrew Hutton (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1987

Even as a pup, Davy Crockett "always delighted to be in the very thickest of danger." In his own inimitable style, he describes his earliest days in Tennessee, his two marriages, his career as an Indian fighter, his bear hunts, and his electioneering. His reputation as a b'ar hunter (he killed 105 in one season) sent him to Congress, and he was voted in and out as the price of cotton (and his relations with the Jacksonians) rose and fell. In 1834, when this autobiography appeared, Davy Crockett was already a folk hero with an eye on the White House. But a year later he would lose his seat in Congress and turn toward Texas and, ultimately, the Alamo.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Paul Andrew Hutton introduces this Bison Book edition of Davy Crockett's own story. Hutton, a professor of history at the University of New Mexico, is the author of the prize-winning Phil Sheridan and His Army, also a Bison Book.

Product Details

• Paperback: 211 pages
• Publisher: Bison Books (September 1, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803263252
• ISBN-13: 978-0803263253
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #402,931 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Crockett's Narrative under the microscope, December 21, 2005

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Bomojaz (South Central PA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Narrative Life Of David Crockett: Of State Of Tennessee (Tennesseana Editions) (Paperback)

Davy Crockett's Narrative first appeared early in 1834 at the height of his political career. During the 1820s he had won a couple of terms in the Tennessee state legislature, and in 1827 he won a seat in Congress representing the western half of the state. He was a foe of Andrew Jackson and a political maverick; when he advocated for Indian rights he won the enmity of many in Congress and his constituents, and was voted from office in 1831. He licked his wounds and patched up differences, and was re-elected in 1833. To bolster his image, which was already taking on legendary aspects, this Narrative was written with his friend Thomas Chilton. Told in bold, humorous, boastful strokes, it is nonetheless a campaign biography and ends with sharp attacks on Jackson.

The way the Narrative is set up here is very useful for the reader. It appears in facsimile form, with wide margins set around it, in which Shackford explains, corrects, and separates fact from fiction in Crockett's assertions. It's almost like watching a movie on DVD along with critical commentary. Interestingly, many errors that appear in the Narrative were intentional and are often self-deprecating, making Crockett more unsophisticated and lowbrow than he really was in order to win votes with the farmers and backwoodsmen of western Tennessee. Most of the historical references he makes are quite accurate. As a campaign biography to help him win re-election in 1835, however, it was a failure, as he lost to a Jacksonian. After that, he set his eyes on Texas.

The format chosen here is what makes this book a success. The many annotations make this edition of the Narrative the most informative and "honest" in print. Highly recommended.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Eternal Crockett, January 14, 2005

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Seachranaiche (USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett of the State of Tennessee (Paperback)

David Crockett found himself to have become mythologized in his own lifetime. Every indication is that he arrived at this place accidentally, but that once he recognized his own pop-culture status he took advantage of it and nurtured it at every turn. His Narrative, therefore, must be read with a certain amount of skepticism nevertheless it is still valuable as an historical record.

The narrative is a journey from start to finish; true Homeric stuff. He describes his journey into adulthood in pre-Mark Twain style, then his journey as an adventurer in the military, his journey across the state of Tennessee with his family, and finally his journey into politics. There may be many embellishments within his narrative, but considering the period in which it was written (while he contemplated a much larger political career) the topics he chose to describe actually seem prosaic and understated, as if he were deliberately trying to avoid bragging about himself. In this light, perhaps the Narrative is more accurate than is generally assumed. The Narrative may have been ghost-written by someone else, but there is enough Crockett in it to give it legitimacy. His jabs at Andrew Jackson are quaintly hilarious, but they are also true. In this pre-Alamo period of his life, his willingness to take a stand against Jackson might be the bravest thing he ever did.

Lastly, the language itself is fascinating. The Narrative may be laced with over-the-top phrases such as, "knocked his trotters out from under him", but at the same time he writes, "if a fellow is born to be hung, he will never be drowned..." This is classic southern wisdom, words I have heard with my own ears in the mountains of eastern Tennessee, so Crockett's Narrative is either very authentic or was itself the basis for an evolving southern culture. In this way, the Narrative should be considered classic American literature.

For more information about David Crockett, also read Kirk Ward Robinson's "Founding Courage."

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars David Crockett, a review, April 13, 2000

By 

Dan Johns (Cincinnati) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett of the State of Tennessee (Paperback)

It is a great book, a real whopper. And I'll be skinned alive and burned by an injun if it aint one of the moost enthralling books I've read. Colonel Crockett didn't have the greatest spelling, or punctuation, but it was a great book. In the 1830's, Edgar Allan Poe wrote a review of the book, criticizing its grammar, but what he forgot to say was how it was exciting, and easy to read. At the time, it was the bestselling book in the nation.