The Life and Adventures of James P. Beckwourth

by James P. BECKWOURTH, T. D. Bonner

Description

Throughout his long and lusty life, James P. Beckwourth epitomized much of the best and the worst of a fabulous breed, the mountain men of the early West. Trapper, hunter, guide, horse thief, Indian fighter, and Indian chief, he also took part in the Seminole and Mexican wars and the California gold rush before he dictated his memoirs to an itinerant newspaperman, Thomas D. Bonner. Beckwourth was the only black mountain man to record his story; his autobiography, first published in 1856, is show more a classic of its kind, the western adventure story par excellence. But because it mixes fact and fiction it has long been regarded with suspicion. This edition reproduces the original 1856 printing, and adds notes and an epilogue by Professor Delmont R. Oswald to assist the reader in sifting Beckwourth's life from the legend Beckwourth preferred to create. show less

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2 reviews

MontzaleeW 3,588 reviews

The Life and Adventures of James P. Beckwourth: Mountaineer, Scout, and Pioneer, and Chief of the Crow Nation of Indians by James P. Beckwourth is a very interesting piece of history. The harsh reality of the life that was lead back then and what he had to go through and even came out better than he started, much better! Started a slave, then a mountain man, then a Chief of the Crow Nation, not bad! LOL. This book tells the rough life he had, his personal life, and his accomplishments also. Great history read.

Feb 16, 2017

kslade 1,132 reviews

Stretched the truth, but he did have an exciting life.

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