5 comments about The French and Indian War: Deciding the Fate of North America (P.S.).

1. Borneman does a fine job of bringing the F&I War into perspective. It was in truth, part of the first global conflict ever. He even does a creditable job of painting George Washington as being present at one of the first, if not the first, battle of the war. The examination of French Canada as an underpopulated unimportant part of the French Empire is worth understanding. If as he points out the French had realized what they owned in North America, and had fought successfully to keep it, the British colonies along the Atlantic would have been hemmed in by French-allied Indian nations and some settlers. The book is a bit too heavy for my taste on the battles and battle tactics of the various generals from Britain, France and the colonies, but I thoroughly enjoyed the book and it filled in some of the areas of American history that we generally don't study.



2. Walter Borneman has done it again! As a follow-up to his 1812:The War that Forged a Nation, this narrative history delivers an updated account of the French and Indian War that will keep readers interested to the end, and then produces the desire for more.
   Included maps and illustrations enhance the text with spatial orientation, and contemporary likenesses of the iconic symbols and players related to these critical years of American History.
   Now, I hope Borneman will fill the intervening gap between his two war stories with a similarly high-quality narrative of The American Revolution.



3. As one who knows little about the period the author covers I was immediately impressed with how obvious the deficiencies of the novel were. This is, at best, a junior level treatise of the "French and Indian war." The Iroquois and other native American groups are referred to only to illuminate the character of the French and English generals, description of the actual battles leave one with no impression whatsoever as to how they were fought or won, and long diversions into anecdotes about the founding father's actions serve to distract the reader from the events they are actually supposed to be taking part in. Finally it is obvious that the writer has done little or no original research to justify his having attempted to write a book aimed at adults, much less students of history. A very disappointing read.



4. I found this book to be an excellent overview of the French and Indian War. The author combines this war with the other important events taking place in North America, as well as between the Europen powers of the time. The book is easy to read, and the author ties together the events and the reasons for them. It is also a prelude to the American Revolution, which takes place not long after these historical events. I now plan to read other books by Borneman.



5. I recently got on a binge of reading about this conflict. Maybe it was because I spent an afternoon watching the great movie "Northwest Passage" starring Spencer Tracy. As much as I love that movie, I found myself wantng to know more and more factually what happened during the conflict. This book helped to satisfy that craving.

5 comments about The War That Made America: A Short History of the French and Indian War.

1. It is always a conundrum to pick between a scholarly version and an abridged one: the former can get you lost in academic-debates detail, the latter can feel dumbed down. I bought this not knowing it was an abridgement. The book moves briskly, spends a lot of time in descriptions of battles, and flits over the many very very interesting personalities involved. I think the reader gets a bit beyond the gist, so the book is a success.
   
   The war essentially disturbed a balance that held British America to the Eastern Seaboard. The French had allied with the Indians - giving them indispensable goods including munitions and alcohol - to hold the British from usurping their lands. In this arrangement, the Indians were allowed political autonomy, which particularly the Iroquois nation used to develop a sophisticated diplomacy to preserve their culture and freedom. In the meantime, Europe was a delicate system of military alliances. Amidst these brewing tensions, the war finally was sparked when George Washington's Indian allies (in his presence) murdered a French representative with diplomatic immunity, furnishing a excuse to start a war - it was the start of the Seven Years War!
   
   Once the British won, which the did by breaking the French-Indian alliance (certain French generals failed to undrestand how to use the Indians as allies, which included allowing them to massacre enemies) and by overwhelming military force, the political balance within British America had been broken. While the settlers felts empowered to pursue their political power and economic agendas (Washington had land in the Ohio Valley he wanted to develop), the British justifiably felt that they should pay for a very very costly war, particularly in Europe. Moreover, the savagery of the war had convinced many Bristish settlers that the Indians were inhuman and deserved annihilation, which they acheived rather efficiently over the next 140 years.
   
   I would have liked more details on the personal stories. There were brilliant generals, brilliant Indian chiefs who operated from a non-European mentality that was evolving in very interesting ways, and political entities in formation in the colonies. Nonetheless, this is a fascinating and informative read.
   
   Recommended with enthusiasm.



2. Fred Anderson's chronicle of the French and Indian War is appropriately titled The War That Made America. In this monograph, the Seven Years War in North America is presented in a well written narrative that is as enthralling as it is informative. Following years of research, Anderson utilizes his understanding of the time period to weave an accurate and entertaining account of the battles that changed the face of North America forever.
   
   Anderson begins his narrative by expanding on the role of General George Washington in the years leading up to the conflict and sets the stage for The War That Made America. The first portion of the work is dubbed "The End of a Long Peace." In this section the author describes how the war came to fruition following the attack of Jumonville's French Convoy under Washington's command. The next subdivision of chapters entitled "La Guerre Savage" discusses key events such as Braddock's death at the Battle of the Monongahela and explains the war's explosion in the European theatre. It is also in this section that signals the beginning of what Anderson describes as "the greatest refugee crisis in the history of the colonies."(73)
   
   The next section called "Turning Point" highlights the role of Secretary of State William Pitt in the conflict. "Pitt's system boiled down to making the most of his nation's shaky position by building on its strengths wherever they existed, striking France at its weakest points wherever possible, and holding the line in Europe by subsidizing Frederick and Great and Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick." (123) One of the more consequential narratives in this category is the campaign of General John Forbes and his trail blazing march across the Pennsylvania wilderness.
   
   The final portion of The War That Made America is known as "Conquests and Consequences." This section begins immediately following the fall of Fort Duquesne. Using consequence as a backdrop Anderson discusses the various natives groups and gauges their reaction to the event. "The Iroquois chiefs' unease arose from a prophetic spiritual movement that had begun taking shape among the displace Delawares of the Susquehanna Valley a decade or so before, a movement that the war's stresses and disorder had helped to spread into the Ohio Country, where the other groups beyond the Delaware began to respond to it." (180) Anderson closes the work by examining the consequences of the war's outcome, particularly the removal of French influence in the region.
   
   Fred Anderson is currently a professor of History at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Along with The War That Made America, Anderson has also written such works as Crucible of War: The Seven Years' War and the Fate of Empire in British North America, 1754-1766, The Dominion of War: Empire and Liberty in North America, 1500-2000, George Washington Remembers: Reflections on the French and Indian War, and A People's Army: Massachusetts Soldiers and Society in the Seven Years' War, the winner of the 1982 Jamestown Prize. Anderson has also been awarded the Francis Parkman and Mark Lynton prizes in 2001.
   
   Anderson consulted several primary and secondary sources when writing The War That Made America. Although he has studied the Seven Years War as his primary academic interest, Anderson cited recent secondary sources such as Struggle for a Continent: The French and Indian Wars 1689-1763, and Clash of Empires: The British, French, and Indian War which was published by the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania in 2005. Along with other secondary sources were several journal citations including Journal of American History and the Canadian Historical Review.
   
   This work was one of profound interest as it was so well written that it made exploring the monograph a thrilling experience. Anderson projects a comfort level with the material that allows him to explain the events while binding them into a larger picture that is both accessible and retainable. As a companion work to the hit PBS television series of the same name, The War That Made America should be considered to be of great value to both the qualified academic and the interested American history hobbyist.
   
   Some of the most staggering insights that Anderson conveys are the diplomatic interactions of the Native Tribes with the European Superpowers. Anderson correctly conveys the Tribal leaders as key players throughout the war and major factors in its outcome.
   
   In his chronicle of the Seven Years War in North America, Fred Anderson paints a full picture of the conflict and presents all parties in a fair and accurate manner. Anderson uses a lifetime of research to produce a masterful synthesis that brings to life a worldwide conflict centered in the backwoods of North America. The War That Made America is a historic epic on par with the best of the field.



3. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a solid understanding of the F&I War. Anderson's book gives just the right amount of detail - not so much as to overwhelm you, but not so little where you're left without a good understanding of this crucial event in history. The book is also well-written so that it keeps your interest. Details about war strategies and battle plans bore me a great deal, but Anderson's book gives just the basics on these topics. Where he does go into more detail are in areas I think are more important to understanding the causes and consequences of the war - the interactions and power between the various Indian tribes, the personality and philosophical conflicts between those in charge in England, and the Candian military, the motivations of various powerful groups, etc. I also liked that Anderson focused on the crucial role of the various Indian tribes - without them as allies, the British never could have won the continent. For the reader who would like to get a solid foundation of understanding of the F&I War, I highly recommend Anderson's book.



4. This book is a substantially condensed version of the author's earlier "Crucible of War," yet manages to cover all sorts of matters pertinent to the French and Indian War actually beginning in 1753 to its conclusion in 1763: the situation in the West and developments that led to the War; the important and changing role of various Indian groups throughout the lengthy engagement; the wide-ranging battles and campaigns waged all across the northern tier of the colonies including Fort Duquesne on the Ohio River, the Lake Ontario forts, numerous forts up and down Lake Champlain, and extending to Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island; the increased and focused British War efforts after initial stumbles; innumerable French and British leaders - some inept, others quite capable; and some commentary on what it all meant, such as the future of the Indian tribes and the prospects and mindsets of the American colonists as they shared in the victory of the British empire.
   
   There is a sense that the book is a bit too tightly packed with explanations sacrificed for the need to include details. However, the untold difficulties, the mistakes, the shortages of supplies, the harsh conditions, the extreme loss of life combined with cruel savagery, the lack of communication, the role of fortune, and the like in waging a war over a vast territory in the mid-eighteenth century that permeate this work are scarcely possible to comprehend 250 years later. Such a book is a challenge to read; it's rather easy to lose track in the complicated narratives of the numerous, simultaneous campaigns. Scattered maps help some. Many of the illustrations in the book of various documents are fairly useless - much too small to be read.
   
   Is it the war that made America? That question is secondary to the author's purposes. Perhaps one can point to the confluence of several destabilizing developments surrounding the War that when combined led to the formation of America: the territorial ambitions of the French that alarmed the British; the interest of both speculators and settlers in PA and VA in Indian-occupied lands; the sense that the colonists had of sacrifice and initiative equal to that of the British in the conduct of the War; the enormous debt incurred by the British in waging the War; and the subsequent high-handed policies of British ministers in attempting to recoup those costs from the colonists. The book is certainly informative, but one suspects that for those with the time, the longer version would far more substantially cover the period and the War.



5. "The War That Made America: A Short History Of The French And Indian War" by Fred Anderson is an excellent short presentation of a very important subject that is foundational to an understanding of American History. Having read several other books on the subject, ("The French & Indian War: Deciding The Fate of North America" by Walter R. Borneman; & "The American Indian Wars" by John Tebbel and Keith Jennison) I was pleased with the amount and quality of information presented by Anderson which I had not seen in other works. "The War That Made America", an interesting, understandable, and easily readable presentation, clarifies how some events and players related to others, shows how future events were affected by events of this period, and offers a level of historical analysis that is more than competent. Adding to the books interest are maps and pictures of artwork, artifacts, and individuals. I found Anderson's work to be well worth the investment of time and money, and highly recommend it.

5 comments about Calico Captive.

1. Calico Captive is Elizabeth George Sprears (1908-1994) first novel. It was inspired by the diary of Susanna Willard Johnson, abducted by the Abenaki Indians in 1754 (during the French and Indian War) from her house in Fort Number 4 in Charleston, New Hampshire, published for the first time in 1796 and then 1807 (and presently available online at www.canadiana.org). Susanna Johnson was made captive with all her family, including a 14 year old sister, turned into the sixteen year old Miriam in the book, conducted to the Indian settlement of St. Francis and then sold to the French in Montreal, where she remained for three years before being set free after the payment of ransom. It took some years still before the whole family could be reunited.
   
   Captivity narratives evolved into a kind of literary genre during the early years of American literature. These diaries, mostly by women, were always written at distance from the event of the abduction and share in their originality many stereotyped situations. These memories have been identified by modern critics as vehicles for a subjective rather than objective truth, as a means of political propaganda and as a form of sensational literature such as the "slave narratives". Post-modern and cultural analysis have re-evaluated them as examples of gender and culture conflicts and pointed out the principal elements of the genre: what a proper woman should do in a desperate situation and the religious message of sticking to Faith in times of adversity. Not rarely, however, the captives depict their captors as individuals and somehow opened themselves to these foreign (Indian or French) cultures. Susanna Johnson's diary is one of those in which the captors, be they Indian or French, are shown in all their humanity and this old document, even if difficult to read, retains a charm of its own.
   
   This long introduction is to explain the importance, the originality and the enduring success of "Calico captive". This novel, more often than not classified as children or adolescent literature makes a great read also for adults. Elizabeth George Spear describing Susanna's little sister Miriam introduces into this real adventure a fictionalized and modern young girl, that with her thoughts and actions allows the reader to identify with the history, the characters and the literary genre.
   
   Miriam is sixteen, just starting to get interested in a young Harvard bound Phineas Whitney, when she is ripped away from her home. During her march through the woods, she keeps blaming her family for their capture and she thinks with longing and rage of her new blue dress. These small things seem more important than the plight the family is withstanding. But how true, that a sixteen year old girl would think of it this way! Once in the Indian settlement she tries to get along with her masters and decides to learn sewing and embroidery and tries to make the best of her situation. But when she is brought to Montreal, the contact with the long despised French, completely upsets her beliefs and standards. The people she meets are sincere and sympathetic, all the world revolving around her is interesting and her mind opens to the acceptance of another culture (European) and another religion (Roman Catholicism). She realizes the enemy is not so different from us and she integrates so well, to be asked to be part of that world. The temptation is strong but inside her mind her steadfastness, modelled on that of her sister Susanna, consents her to take the right decision.
   
   One of the most interesting aspects of Miriam's outlook is the acceptance of what she has to learn from her captors: the embroidery from the Indians, the fashion and gaiety from the French, and at the same time the understanding of the relations of the other members of her family (Sylvanus the little boy that loves to run wild with the Indians, the little Susanna that loves to be pampered by her adoptive French aunts, her older sister Susanna that has so many prejudices against the French).
   
   A great deal of historical research is evident in the book's preparation and the Authors descriptive capacities consent a complete identification with the characters and the situations. Old Montreal is there before our eyes, as are the dresses of the Frenchwomen and the sparkling ballrooms, but we can also feel the cold, the hunger and the discomfort of life among the woods.
   
   This novel has a double value. In the first place it is a beautiful story to read and enjoy and at the same time an occasion for learning what life was like during the French and Indian War, but in the second place it is a modern version of captivity narrative that allows the reader to appreciate this genre of literature so popular many years ago.
   
   A small personal P.S.: I read this book borrowing it from the Library when I was nine years old (1966) and I enjoyed very much. After so many years, I found it a bookshop in Boston this summer and I bought it with enormous joy. I took it back to Italy, where I now live, and read it with all the enthusiasm of when I was nine. Naturally, I now understand more things than I did then and the Net helps us out in gaining more information on the topic, but the joy of reading the book I assure you was just the same! [...]



2. This is a beautiful story of a girl who was a captive to both the Indians and the French. Some parts of this book I did not like because of the way they called Indians "Redskins", although they might have called them that. After I got into it, it was a lot more interesting. The writing style was good, because it had different points of view, and it is historically accurate. I couldn't put it down. The book is an epic tale of a young girl who learns to adapt to her surroundings. I loved this book from beginning to end. I enjoyed reading it very much.



3. It is very interesting to look at Miriam's character in this story. It is a little hard to sympathize with her at the beginning, because she is so self centered. She doesn't seem to care for much past herself. But that changes as the story progresses, and she becomes caring and giving to others. As she does, she begins to find an inner peace that had eluded her for most of the story.
   I also like how everything in this story is so accurately portrayed. I have read how some readers have been shocked how Indians are referred to as "savages," and "redskins." The author was merely trying to portray how many of the settlers saw them. Besides, in the story, Miriam is corrected by one of the characters, who tries to show her the Indians in a different light. I also like how the French are shown, a little frivolous, with a great love for the material things, but kindhearted as well (most of them).
   All in all, this book is quite good, with many twists and turns, though I found it a tiny bit slow at times.



4. I too loved Witch of Blackbird Pond, which is what prompted me to find more books by the same author. Though I love the story of Witch of Blackbird Pond more, I felt like this book gave a greater vision of the different lifestyles in early America. The character in this book first lives in a puritin colony, then later lives among the Indians as a captive, then later is sold into French slavery. The author does an amazing job of helping you feel what each lifestyle was like and what it would have been like to live in that time. She also paints a very real picture of the feelings that were so strong between the English, the French and the Indians during the time of the French and Indian war. She is an amazing author and if you want a book that is alive and full of historical emotion in early America, this is an excellent read. I'm shocked there are not more reviews online for this book. I wish more youth would read books like this.



5. An easy read, with a good story line that kept me wanting to read on and on and not stop. Nicely written about that era. Would probably suit young ladies who want a wholesome read as it is a delightful romance.

5 comments about Untamed (MacKinnon's Rangers, Book 2).

1. OMG! It's been 4 months since I read this book, and I still get hot when I think of it. It's like reading cheesecake -- so deep and decadent!



2. Looking for heartwarming romance, with wonderful characters, love, page turning. Look no more.....Mrs. Clare is your author.



3. There is no doubt these books are beyond belief erotic. However, the reviews praising the authenticity are laughable. I was super annoyed with the lame dialogue. Why does she start so many sentences with 'twas? I wanted to throw the book in the trash everytime I heard "MERCY!". But it is good starter porn.



4. Though "Surrender" still holds first place in my beloved Pamela Clare collection, this worthy sequel deserves a 5 star rating!
   
   The MacKinnon clan are amazing men and everything that would make a woman swoon. Strong, resourceful, clever, witty, funny, sexy, chivalrous...
   
   In this tale we find Morgan, the middle brother, who as we know has been forced to fight for the Brits in the French and Indian Wars in colonial America. All of the MacKinnon brothers carry a price, as they lead the Rangers, the most skilled and deadly fighters on the field. The French make a major score when they capture Morgan- and threaten to learn all of his secrets at penalty of a horrid death at the hands of the violent Abenaki Indian tribe.
   
   He is placed in the hands of Amalie Chauvenet, the young orphaned ward of the French Brigadier. She must heal him and restore him- knowing he will soon face torture in the hands of his enemies, her own people.
   
   Amalie and Morgan begin a tender relationship as they learn one another. She ultimately saves his life when persuading her people to accept him into their own lives, if he will serve them against their enemy. Morgan finds himself in a precarious situation. His loyalty to his brothers and his rangers knows no bounds. However, he is losing his heart to Amalie- a kind, loving, intelligent woman.
   
   Thus begins a beautiful and enchanting tale done OH so well. It's a sensitive line that they all toe- whether or not to betray one or the other. Friendship, integrity, blood ties and love are all tested. I championed the pair!!
   
   Of course, I was very excited to see familiar characters again... Iain, Annie, even Wentworth, Joseph, the rangers... and of course, Connor! I cannot wait for his story! Amazing, flawless and highly recommended!



5. I love, love, love this book and this author!!! Those words aren't strong enough for how I really feel. I'm an avid historical romance reader, and this book took me away to another place and time. I was there!!! I was crazy about "Surrender" (and still am) but this book was even better!!! Her characters are strong, likeable people. People you would admire in real life. Every page is interesting from the very first one to the very last. I won't go into a summary of the story because it's been done already on this site, but I just had to write with my opinion. These two books have jumped to my top five favorites of all time!!! I can't wait for the books about Conner, Joseph and maybe William Wentworth to come out!!! Oh, and by the way, since the pictures on the covers don't show much of their faces, just go to Pamela Clare's website for pictures of both Iain and Morgan. They will take your breathe away. Where are men like these two today?!!! If you enjoy reading a book that spirits you away, run - don't walk - to the store or the website to buy this one (and "Surrender") because you will never regret it!!!

5 comments about Crucible of War: The Seven Years' War and the Fate of Empire in British North America, 1754-1766.

1. I know bad writing when I read it, and this is bad. This is a long book, but mostly because the author chooses to write a paragraph to express a sentence. And the observations he does make are banal. For those of you looking for well-written and well-conceived history, this is not your book.



2. 
   Eighteenth Century wars had a sinister "rationality" to them. They were to the powerful people who instigated them almost heartless struggles, fought for wealth and power. Of course when you study things closer it is more complicated. Even the instigators were not impervious to human feeling and passion. Yet if one is to point to the most cynical age in modern millitary history one could point to the eighteenth century. At that time wars were fought for rational reasons and peace was made when that was accomplished. Of course it did not feel at all that way to those actually affected by it...
   
   The Seven Years War was the greatest of European power struggles. It made the British Empire. In another way it made America. It was then that Americans first started to feel themselves a nation.
   
   The author chronicles how this happens in an extrodinarily detailed book about the Seven Years War focusing on how it affected soon-to-be America. He writes of the many people involved in it. And he accepts complexity as complex and does not lazily support either myth or iconoclasm(which is another form of myth). He also describes some of the aspects of frontier war which can be fascinating in their own right. It is well written and a book worth having. However the size and complexity means that it requires commitment to read it.
   
   The author's stated goal in this book interestingly, is not to describe the Seven Years War for it's own sake but to expound on a theory of his on how it caused the American Revolution. He does this quite convincingly but it leaves a large section(enough to make a book of it's own), that simply drags on, after the end of the war. This need not be a burden as one can stop part of the way. For the matter of that, one does not need to read cover to cover.
   
   Be that as it may, if you are willing to make the commitment, the book is an attractive one and worth the read.



3. If you're looking for a book about the Seven Years' War, look no further than Fred Anderson's "Crucible of War." Superbly written, Mr. Anderson is very detailed and thorough in his narrative. By capturing each battle, event, and turning point of the war so vividly, it makes it easy to imagine yourself in the shoes of any of the great people in this book. I can't praise this masterpeice enough and highly recommend it.



4. Very good reading, but not as exciting to read as "The Frontiersman" by Allen Eckert. Sometimes a little long-winded. But very good overall.



5. I'm interested in history, but have tended towards the 1800s. Picked up this book for context on the 1700s, was very surprised by how much I learned. This book is not only very readable, but helped broaden my perspective of what influenced Indian and Colonial American thinking. What I liked best is that I don't think I will ever look at the American Revolution or George Washington quite the same way. I also appreciated the sophistication of the negotiation of the various Indian tribes and some insight into their thinking and politics.

5 comments about Wilderness Empire: A Narrative (Eckert, Allan W. Winning of America Series.).

1. For over 200 years the Iroquois were a force to be reckoned with. They constituted one leg of a three legged stool which balanced French and English interests on the North American Continent. This was a most profitable position for the Iroquois and they knew it: In this position they were the gate keepers between the English and French trading establishments and all other non Iroquois, native North Americans. With a home in upstate New York they waged war and demanded tribute as far North as Hudson's Bay, as far South as Georgia and the Carolinas and as far West as the Western Great Lakes and Minnesota. Because of this dominance in the economic and political interests in the eastern half of the US and Canada they provided a buffer zone between Indian and White, between French and English interests. Simply stated, they had to be dealt with.
   
   Wilderness Empire is the story of the Iroquois during the apex of their influence and power, the French and Indian War. Struggling to maintain the status quo and their preeminent position, this Confederation of six tribes fails in its attempt to balance its internal, competing interests, splitting along French and English lines of allegiance. Resulting in an Iroquois Civil War, the Confederation is ultimately destroyed.
   
   This is a quite detailed, yet smooth flowing, description of the destruction of the Iroquois Confederation during the French and Indian War and it comes complete with an all star cast of characters: George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, King George, Montcalm, William Johnson, Pontiac, George Crogan, George Clinton, Wolfe, Charles Langlade and Bougainville, just to name a few. Fought all across the Northeast / Northcentral US and Canada, this war stretched from Detroit and the Michigan Peninsula to Albany, Niagara, the Mohawk Valley, New York, Montreal and Lake Champlain. The sweep of the story, the savagery of the battles, the intrigue and betrayals will leave you stunned.
   
   Second in his Winning of America Series, this page turner may be Eckert's best.



2. I have received The Wilderness War by Allan W. Eckert in good condition. While I have not had time to read it yet, I know that I shall enjoy it as much as the other books I have read by this author. He is careful and thorough in his research for each of his books, and his writing style is such that you hate to put the book down until it is finished. If you enjoy true history of the settlement of the great lakes region, Mohawk River region, and the Ohio River valley; of the struggles between the white men and native Indians for control of these lands, you will enjoy the series of books penned by Mr. Eckert.



3. This book is an excellent account of the Anglo, French and Indian conflict in the early-mid 1700's. I have also read Eckert's book, "The Frontiersman" and this equally if not more gripping. Nice to read accurate, unbiased, non-revisionist historical accounts of this fascinating time period.



4. I only rate this book a 4, because the first book in the series, "The Frontiersman" is the best, and I rated it a 5. But really, this book is great reading.
   
   If your kid is bored with history, this series of books should make him not so bored.
   
   However, I would start with "The Frontiersman" as it is the best.



5. I have read the entire series of these books. All are great reading for people who want a very true picture of life on the American Frontier in the 18th century. I have to say that I am not shocked by much anymore, but these narratives were sometimes hard to get through. I had to put them down and walk away for awhile. I sometimes had nightmares about what I had read that day. These were real people with real names. They were flesh and blood with the same DNA that we all have as human beings. How they must have suffered. Our country was settled by tough, determined folks.
   I wish I would have had these books when I was in High School. One other thing I did learn from this series are the great follies and tragedies that stupidity causes. A very great lesson for our own time. One can learn wisdom from history and careful reading of great literature.

5 comments about The Matchlock Gun.

1. I havent researched as to whether or not The Matchlock Gun is a challenged book because it might not be PC, but putting that aside for a moment, this is was one of my all time favorite books as a kid. I still remember our teacher reading a little bit of it each day....and not being able to wait for the next day to hear more.
   
   Its part of historical fact that Native American tribes were allied with the French against the American colonists. Why should this be a reason to NOT like this book? What would YOU do if you were a little boy left alone with his mother and sister and was responsible for protecting them against the possible home invasion by your enemy. This has NOTHING to do with the plight of Native Americans. There WAS a war going on, after all, and the Natives Americans had much the same status as the Hessians during the Revolutionary War.
   
   Its a terrific story. Take it as such....and enjoy it as I did. I didnt turn out being predjudiced against Native Americans as a result. I just loved the story.



2. Great book for boys. The 1940's pencil art is a welcome. The criticism of this book is unwarranted, especially since it relates a true story of adult men attempting to murder a woman and two children in their home. The political correctness "we know better than you...for you" crowd doesn't seem to care about these facts. They just focus on skin color. Who's racist again?? True events are immune to political correctness. Liberal revisionist "historians" are gaining ground in changing what kind of history is being taught. This book can help paint a picture of for kids on early America and self-reliance.
   If it was up to the one-star reviews of this book.....America would have never happened. They wouldn't lasted a day in the early West.



3. I first saw this book and read it to my fifth grade class in the 60's.
   Several years later, I recommended it to another teacher. Last month he
   reminded me of the book. I came home and ordered it. By fluke, I hit the
   key wrong and ordered two books instead of one. Not to worry, I have
   a list of people I could give it to. I am Native American and I thought
   about the Indians being the bad guys, but that was history. A well written book, a good story line, and, if you wait to the end to tell the
   story of the little sister, a surprise ending. What more could you expect
   from a book. thlhayum, Charles Funk



4. This is a wonderful, elegantly written story, spare (even a juvenile reader should be able to finish it in one afternoon) and gripping. Edmunds touches so many different themes -- the challenges of establishing a life in "Wild America," the constant tensions between the native inhabitants and the newcomers, the spillover of ancient European hostilities into the New World, the ethnic divide between the Dutch settlers and the Palatines who followed them -- it's amazing the story flows as easily as it does. Edward, the little boy who fires the ancient matchlock gun, performs his duties with courage, but it is his mother, Gertrude, who is the real hero. Tough, smart, brave, and wholly undaunted by her mother-in-law's unkindness, Gertrude van Alstyne is one of the great characters of American children's literature.
   
   The complaints that the book is racist are unfounded and wrongheaded. There is talk of slavery. Even in New York, there were slaveholders. The attacking Indians are described as remorseless, bestial killing machines. "The Unredeemed Captive" by John Demos, and David Wallace Fisher's recent "Champlain's Dream" both offer balanced, nuanced, and sympathetic views of the natives. Even in these works, there is acknowledgment that the natives were, by the colonizers' standards, mercurial, violent, and often terrifying. Edmunds's depiction shows us the "Indians" as Gertrude and her family would have perceived them.
   
   As valuable as this little work is for its view of colonial New York, it is equally valuable for the insights it offers on 20th Century America at war. Teunis is the brave father, leaving home and hearth to defend all he holds dear, much like the GIs in Europe and the Pacific. Gertrude manages the home front, "Rosie the Riveter" in prototype. And millions of school kids could identify with little Edward, frightened enough to see armies of attacking French soldiers in his dreams, but ready to stand with his parents to defend his loved ones. Readers in the Forties must have felt the tug Chekhov describes in "The Student of Religion": when we pull on history's chain, we feel it resonate in our own time.
   
   Highly recommended.



5. Over the years, this book has made its way to the top-ten list of read-alouds in our family. My five sons and six daughters have each in their turn sat in suspense, drinking in the artwork and the prose while Dad reads the story. When I'm reading it for the first time to a younger child, the older children have a way of "happening" to linger in the room, pulled in once again by the magic of the Matchlock Gun.

5 comments about The Last of the Mohicans (Signet Classics).

1. This is Cooper's masterpiece, especially if you measure by popularity. His second installment in the Leatherstocking tales does quite a bit to deserve its reputation. This book was likely written to delve into the backstory of Natty Bumppo and Chingachgook, the characters that emerged as, by far, the most interesting ones in Cooper's first Leatherstocking tale ('The Pioneers').
   
   Due to it's tight pacing, 'The Last of the Mohicans' is easily the best read of the five Leatherstocking Tales. It is also the most consistently plotted and paced book of the series because, as a tale of betrayal, flight, captivity, and frontier warfare, Cooper has a lot less time to indulge in his stately prose (although you'll still need to use a machete to cut through some mile-long sentences!).
   
   'The Last of the Mohicans' has all the physical confrontation that makes for a great adventure story. There are plenty of battles and a pretty extraordinary level of violence considering the time the book was written (kids getting murdered, rotting corpses, and plenty of scalps a-flying). The novel isn't gleefully graphic, but Cooper makes no bones about the
   
   tenuous hold people had on life on the frontier. Considering his usual penchant for rank sentimentality, he's surprisingly detached about the violence he depicts in this book. To me this is evidence that he definitely knew how to shut off the histrionics.
   
   Another reason for the success of the book are the characters. Leatherstocking (going by Hawkeye here) is in his prime as a hero/scout. He is authoratative, brave, cunning, and always knows what to do. Chingachgook is powerful, unpredictable, and savage. However, he takes a backseat to his son Uncas. While Cooper gives Uncas little dialogue, Cooper gives us a very clear picture of what makes him a hero and what motivates him. Cooper's writing, overall, shows an uncharacteristic level of restraint in this regard.
   
   A bigger surprise was the character of Cora. Generally, Cooper is incapable of handling female characterization without building a nauseating shrine to the 'gentle sex.' As a result, it is all the more refreshing to find Cora outspoken, resolute, and strong. During one sequence when several characters are imprisoned by the Iriquois, it is she - not her 'brave male protector' - who remembers to leave a trail in the forest so they can be rescued.
   
   On the other side of the fence, Le Renard Subtile is the best villian of the series by a long shot. Even though you hate him, you can't help but sympathize with him to a certain degree. Cooper skillfully (and without preaching) uses the tragedy of Indian displacement as Magua's motivation. Though it's hard not to feel Magua's anger is justified on some level, Cooper prevents you from rooting for his villian and this creates some interesting tensions.
   
   As with many of the Leatherstocking tales, victory is bittersweet and is necessarily a defeat for the wilderness Hawkeye loves. The fate of the Mohicans clearly foreshadows what Cooper (and the reader) knows will become of every Native American in this tale (or in real life). Comparing these charcters to their latter selves in 'The Pioneers' underscores this very emotionally.
   
   You can definitely enjoy 'The Last of the Mohicans' all by itself and as a straight-up frontier advernture, but there is more to be found if you read it a little deeper. It is a book every American should read. NOTE: Please don't hold the dreadful Daniel Day Louis movie against this book; the two have little in common beyond their titles.



2. I bought this for my 12-year old granddaughter; it was good to see that a classic is still a classic.



3. Set during the French and Indian War, THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS follows Cooper's renowned hero Natty Bumpo (known here at "Hawkeye" or "the scout") on an adventure to rescue a couple of well-bred daughters of America from a hostile Indian tribe and their treacherous leader Magua (or Renard Subtil). Compared to Cooper's other work, this one is a non-stop thrill ride, with plenty of intense and fast-paced action mingled in with his usual overly-verbose descriptive style. Because of that, this is my favorite of James Fenimore Cooper's novels, and I'd recommend it for any reader.
   
   As a piece of historical fiction, this one again stands out as being superior to his other works. With the focal point of the setting being around the armies and officers of the French and British empires right smack in the middle of the French and Indian War (or Seven Years War if you're not from America), this story is grounded in a well-known historical perspective. Some of the events related in this novel also have strong backing in historical facts. From the individual battles described to the extremely messy and downright horrifying massacre after the surrender of General Munro to the French, Cooper's tale is based on real life occurrences.
   
   Refreshingly, Cooper doesn't shy from portraying the Native Americans in THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS in a less than flattering manner. While described as complex and admirable in some instances, in others the Indians here are brutal, crazy, and downright savage. Even the "good Indians" here, in Chingachkook and Uncas, don't fail to retrieve the occasionally scalp when the opportunity presents itself. The strangeness and brutal-seeming practices of many Native American tribes are well-known historical facts, and it is nice to read a book that doesn't sugar-coat or justify Indian practices for the sake of political correctness.
   
   While its not the easiest book in the world, this one should be enjoyable for nearly every type of reader. Highly recommended.



4. Widely known as a classic literary tale of adventure, The Last of the Mohicans is a story that contains strong Christian models of men and women that have since been long abandoned in today's western culture and even addresses the issue of the salvation of man as an underlying theme. The heroes and heroines are characters that reflect the image of what God intended men and women to be. The heroes are brave, selfless, and untamed while the heroines are gentle yet strong and possess a depth of beauty that dwells far beneath the surface of their skin. The author, James F. Cooper, inserts a popular Christian argument that continues to this day, "Will God save a good if he has not heard and accepted the Gospel?"
   
   The heroes of Cooper's tale are the embodiment of courage, bravery, and selfless masculinity. The three leading men of this story are developed into heroes from the very beginning as they happen to come across a unit of British soldiers under attack, accompanied by the two beautiful daughters of a British Colonel. These three men, Chingachgook (the father), Uncas (the son), and Nathaniel (the scout), selflessly come to the aid of the travelers and without hesitation, risking life and limb for total strangers. The Mohicans and their companion are compelled by their nature to ensure the safety of the survivors of the attack by escorting them to their destination. The adventures that follow all provide a series of opportunities for the men to make decisions in which they must either preserve themselves, or risk their comfort and safety for the well-being of others. The Mohicans being considered outsiders to those they have aided, a strange friendship and understanding is formed between two very different cultures through the trials they willfully share with each other.
   
   The daughters of Colonel Munro, Cora and Alice, are presented with a strong and noble femininity that is not in the least bit demeaning. They possess a soft and delicate nature that is captivating yet respected. This does not mean that they are by any means portrayed as being weak either, as is seen in the courage with which they endure their captivity under Magua, the villainous Huron chief. On more than one occasion Cora stands up to Magua in defiance of his vengeful nature and cruel actions. This is quite a feat considering that Magua is a warrior of great prowess who also commands his own following of Huron warriors. They follow the paths of the men with strength and resolve, seldom complaining and often times strengthening the resolve of their protectors by their mere presence. They endure one hardship after another, trusting in the knowledge, experience, and courage of their deliverers without losing the beauty of their inherent feminine nature.
   
   The subtle argument over man's salvation in the eyes of God does not take up many pages, but is a powerful theme throughout the book when considering the accounts around which the argument is based. The argument takes place in the form of an interesting dialogue between Nathaniel, the scout, and a traveling minister who happened to be with the British caravan that was rescued. Nathaniel's side of the argument is that people such as the Mohicans, will be looked upon favorably by God for their selfless and noble actions. The minister, on the other hand, argues that if they do not hear and accept the Gospel, God will not save them regardless of their selfless nature and actions. The conversation is heated at times, but never disrespectful. Valid claims of truth are presented in such a way that both characters, as well as the reader, must agree upon. While neither characters come to an agreement on the matter as a whole, they share a humble respect for one another's beliefs.
   
   Cooper's tale has provided readers with an excellent story that reflects the finer qualities of it's characters under adverse circumstances. While not necessarily intended, Cooper has provided and adventure of hardship and sacrifice that serves as a backdrop for the development of characters that possess God given qualities that we often read about in Scripture. Both the men and women are very different, yet each possess qualities that complement each other in a way that creates a beautiful story of Godly compassion. The truth on either side of the argument of who God's salvation is for is an argument that will continue beyond the pages of the book, but it presents some valid truths that are quite thought provoking, to say the least.



5. James Fennimore Cooper's five books known as "The Leatherstocking Tales" ( the Last of the Mohicans is the 2nd in the series) are some of the most exciting books I've ever read. I highly recommend

5 comments about War on the Run: The Epic Story of Robert Rogers and the Conquest of America's First Frontier.

1. I bought [ASIN:0553804960 War on the Run: The Epic Story of Robert Rogers and the Conquest of America's First Frontier] after I saw it reviewed on television on the book review channel - it sounded interesting. Wow, it quickly moved up to being great! Author Ross provides a substantial amount of minute detail to give the reader a clear picture of life in colonial New England the early and mid 1700's. It was subsistence living in a very fragile and primitive environment. It gets better when he describes Roger's military encounters with the French and Indians and the brutality of combat. These guys were the real deal - you got one shot from your "firelock" and then it was all hatchett and knife. If you did not win, you better go down fighting because being taken prisoner by the Indians could easily turn into a horrible death. Then there is the British Army and the Army Officers with their "birth right" mentality. Roger's success and recognition unfortunately created insecurity and resentment in some of these officers, most notably Gen. Thomas Gage. Sadly, after the French and Indian war, Roger's fortunes declined. He lived for 61 years with maybe 10 - 15 years where his star shined brightly. His marriage failed, he never achieved his dreams, and ultimately died alone and destitute in England. He deserved better.



2. Roger's story and contributions to the art of warfare have never been better depicted. This is a chapter in American and military history that is usually treated in vignettes, not with Ross' thoroughness. Notwithstanding this attention to detail, the book flows well and is engaging. The depictions of conditions on the American frontier, and of Roger's commitment and accomplishment, are truly amazing.



3. "War on the Run" is wonderfully engaging and well-crafted. It captures an important (and often neglected) segment of American history, focusing not just on a key historical figure (Robert Rogers and the Rangers) but on the times, circumstances and personalities that helped shape Rogers' and America's future. A five star read. Dr. Michael Guhin



4. Any actor or director who's admired the work of, for example, de Niro or Scorsese in "Raging Bull" and has thought, "That's the kind of thing I want to do," has to burst into the agent's office, throw down a copy of "War on the Run," and demand, "Get me this film!"
   
   I hope there will be a movie made from this book but don't wait for it; it's much too good a read. "War on the Run" is a harrowing tale of adventure and survival, filled with as much diplomatic as military maneuvering - and a lot of treachery. The meticulous, on-the-scene research of author John Ross is apparent in every truth-confirming and myth-busting description of the locations and the physical bravery of the people. Ross could very believably say to Robert Rogers, "I feel your pain."
   
   If the title hadn't already gone to another book, this too could have been called, "Present at the Creation." A central element to the story is how the rules that lead and inspire even today's most courageous fighters were first devised and put into practice.
   
   Both the subject and the execution of this fine book put me in mind of what another great historian, David McCullough, has appreciated about his protagonists - it's a matter of character; not characters.



5. What a fascinating study of the life of a man few people knew ever existed! Unless you are a student of the French and Indian War, the name of Robert Rogers holds little or no significance. I, quite frankly as a somewhat interested reader of this early period of the country's development, had only a cursory acquaintance with this formidable historic figure. If the names of Boone, Crockett, Lewis and Clark are readily brought to mind, then a study of the life and times of Robert Rogers deserves as much attention.
   
   His exploits and founder of the Rangers, today known as special operations, are legendary. The knowledge he gained and passed on to others concerning the early frontier beyond the Appalachians proved to be invaluable to the British in their efforts to expel the French and later to the Colonial forces in their fight for independence.
   
   The author has captured the flavor of Rogers's dominant and courageous personality and the era in which he lived. For some the minutiae of Rogers's extensive raids into the interior against French strongholds may prove to be a strain; however, for those like myself, this exciting trip with Rogers and his daring Rangers was both informative and adventuresome.
   
   It is only too sad that Rogers life was plagued by those superiors, including British and Colonial, who misunderstood his motives, by a British government that inadequately compensated him or his men for their endeavors on the government's behalf, and by creditors who were relentless and unforgiving in their avarice. Unfortunately the man was also caught between allegiances to the Crown for whom he served under most of his life and the emerging fledgling nation seeking its freedom from the same maritime establishment.

5 comments about Braddock's March: How the Man Sent to Seize a Continent Changed American History.

1. This is an excellent, in-depth and thoroughly researched look at a piece of American history that has largely escaped the rigorous examination of the politics and the personalities of the men and women who played such a prominent role in bringing this country closer to rebellion and to eventual political freedom.
   By painting a complete picture of the political and military landscape of the age and of the rigors of the march and all it entailed, Mr. Crocker set the stage for the exciting climax to this ill-fated mission. Even though this book will certainly be sought after by professional historians, I highly recommend it to everyone.



2. In 1754 Edward Braddock was a newly minted major general in the British army. Not long after his promotion he received a dream assignment: supreme commander of Britain's forces in North America with orders to defeat the French in the colonial war ignited by a young Virginia militia officer (George Washington) in May 1754.
   
   The Army gave Braddock two lackluster regiments, assured him that the colonies would provide logistic support and that colonial militia forces would cooperate. Braddock's army was the largest force in North America. He was superior to the French in numbers, artillery and support. And, according to the best London maps, the journey from Alexandria, Virginia to the French at Ft. Duquesne (modern Pittsburgh, Pa.), could be mostly accomplished by water with only a few miles of marching. What could go wrong?
   
   Everything. Braddock, with no combat experience, was a poor choice for command. He did not connect to his men, his subordinate officers, or almost anyone else. His two regiments were poor and under strength. Other regiments had to provide men to Braddock and sent their worst. No one understood the vast differences between war in the North American wilderness and war in Europe. Distances were far greater than the London maps portrayed. There was no water route. Braddock was about 190 miles from Ft. Duquesne, as the crow flies rather than as the troops marched. Worse, the troops had to build a road as they went. Finally, no one had talked to the colonies about their expected contributions. Nor did the British understand the immense political problems that such expenses would cause the colonial governments. Most colonies spent their efforts trying to avoid providing anything, and Braddock's threats were largely ineffective.
   
   An arduous march ensued through a claustrophobic wilderness, an environment oppressive and unnerving to the British. The campaign famously ended in a shattering defeat a few miles from Ft. Duquesne when the column was ambushed by the French and Indians from concealed positions.
   
   Braddock lost nearly two thirds of his army and his life. Had Braddock won, his story would have been a great military epic. Instead "Braddock's defeat" was probably the biggest disaster in British Army history to that date, leaving Braddock's name a synonym for military incompetence.
   
   The only positive outcome for the British was temporary. The defeat caused them to make a major and successful effort to eject the French from North America; but the attempts to recover some of the expenses of this war from the colonies helped cause the American Revolution.
   
   This is a work of popular history for a general audience. Crocker does an excellent job of bringing this story to a wider audience. He is very good at portraying the combination of blithe ignorance and serene confidence by planners far distant from the action who are sure they are planning an inevitably successful operation when in fact they are barely connected to reality. Equally good is his description of the march and what it must have done to troops who were utterly unprepared for what they had to do. He is less successful in penetrating Braddock's mind, probably because evidence of his thoughts is scarce. Crocker's prose is clear but not compelling and he goes off on occasional tangents. Overall, however, he does a fine job of telling the story of a disaster that is no longer well known here and suggesting some of its longer term consequences.



3. I received this book as a gift this Christmas, and found it a thoroughly engrossing read. I never gave much study to the French and Indian War, considering it largely a branch of the simultaneous European conflict. This book has made me desire to study this shadow war the further.
   
   It might be argued that Crocker is no prose stylist, but to shine a light on this dark corner of American history he does not need to be. The image, for example, of Braddock's army marching through a ghostly virgin white pine forest, the "Shades of Death," is more evocative than any stylistic frisson.
   
   Crocker is more than up to the challenge of illustrating the historical forces that the Battle of Monongahela unleashed. He makes a sound argument that Braddock's failure aggravated previously unseen British-colonial tensions and set both sides on the course that would lead to the Revolution. His epilogue study of the "Outrages" that the French and their Indian allies unleashed on the colonial frontier from 1755-1758, though necessarily brief, was likewise illuminating of much of our history that followed. Crocker has done yeoman's work, and I expect to read this tome several more times.



4. "Logistics sets the campaign's operational limits." Joint Pub 1: Joint Warfare of the Armed Forces of the United States. I found it a wonderful story of the greatest and perhaps orderly army of it's time in the disorder of colonial america - both wilderness and political. I read with interest how this march could be seen as the actual beginning of the American revolution. Then to think after overcoming the informational and logistical nightmare, success or failure may have hinged only on taking the high or low road.



5. Just finished the new book on Braddock by Crocker. Overall: B+. It is not the be all and end all book on the campaign, and it does leave quite a bit out--esp about his use of provincial forces. He gets a few minor details wrong as well. Prob the biggest gaffe is his description of the 1755 Carlyle House Conference ("Congress") as a prototype to the Continental Congress of 1774. He's way off with that.
   
   However, for what it is--a popular history--I think it is pretty good, and if it attracts more people to the subject and colonial military history then it is a good thing. One really ought to read Kopperman, though, to get the full picture.