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The embodiment of the American hero, the man of action, the pathfinder, Daniel Boone represents the great adventure of his age—the westward movement of the American people. Daniel Boone: An American Life brings together over thirty years of research in an extraordinary biography of the quintessential pioneer. Based on primary sources, the book depicts Boone through the eyes of those who knew him and within the historical contexts of his eighty-six years. The story of Daniel Boone offers new insights into the turbulent birth and growth of the nation and demonstrates why the frontier forms such a significant part of the American experience.

Michael A. Lofaro is Lindsay Young Professor of American and Cultural Studies and American literature at the University of Tennessee. A recognized authority on the early frontier and importance of frontier heroes such as Boone and Crockett in American life, he is the author or editor of twelve books, an online database, and over seventy-five articles.

"Lofaro’s work solidifies Daniel Boone both as man and American icon."--Choice

"Lofaro’s compact biography of Daniel Boone gives us that American icon all bone and sinew and without a trace of myth. It’s a worthy addition to the literature of Manifest Destiny."--Washington Times

"Well researched and well written. . . . Does much to bring this legendary figure to life."--Avery Journal-Times

"This is the best recent biography of Boone. Carefully documented with attractive illustrations, a detailed bibliography and even a partial genealogy of the Boone family, it is recommended to all who have an interest in the history of our state."--Bowling Green Daily News

"A book any serious early Americanist should buy for a personal collection or order for the library. It's readable, entertaining, full of useful and fascinating information, and short."--East-Central Intelligencer

"Lofaro uses 30 years of research to realistically portray the master woodsman, a natural leader who was respected even by Native Americans, as he helped guide settlers and 'blazed trails' through the thick and wild undergrowth of Virginia, Kentucky, and other lands."--Kentucky Monthly

"Distills the essence of the man, showing the historical pattern that serves as the basis for Boone’s ambivalence toward civilization and, in so doing, illustrating the impact of the American Revolution on the Kentucky frontier. . . . A solid first book on Boone for both students and general readers."--Library Journal

"Lofaro has written the most readable, succinct, and useable biography about Daniel Boone. . . . A pleasure to read."--Missouri Historical Review

"Lofaro carefully sifts through the facts and stories to draw a detailed picture of the Kentucky pioneer. . . . A great read."--New York Sun

"Lofaro has skillfully and authoritatively mapped the roots and routes of this wilderness wanderer who could not control his ‘itching foot.’ . . . Striding through battles and bloodshed, Boone breathes and lives in this work, lightened with humorous anecdotes and descriptions of frontier customs and traditions. Lofaro’s exhaustive research is evident on every page."--Publishers Weekly

"Lofaro's accessible and quintessentially decent survivor, a Boone who lived among violently discordant worldviews yet charted a humane, middle way between them, deserves serious consideration."--Register of the Kentucky Historical Society

"An excellent factual narrative that is well-written, every bit as interesting and exciting as the tall tales, and with just enough references to the alternative legendary accounts to keep the reader grounded in facts."--Richmond Times-Dispatch

"Discredits some present-day assumptions about the life of the famous ‘Long Hunter,’ leaving in their place a more nuanced impression of Boone that surpasses the one-dimensional myths and lending complexity to the image of a frontier hero and the dynamic era in which he lived."--Union County Advocate

"Shot through with impressive scholarship that takes Boone, as much as possible, from myth and tall tales (and television-inspired error) and puts him into realistic historical perspective."--Times of Acadiana

"Concise and readable, Lofaro’s book seeks to escort Boone out of the realm of folklore and legend and seat him in the American pantheon next to his contemporary, George Washington."--Virginia Quarterly Review

"Boone was one of the early nation’s most influential figures. Lofaro’s highly readable and lively biography does this frontier hero justice and does not shirk on providing historical context."--Ellen Eslinger, DePaul University

"Boone the trailblazer, patriot, land speculator, politician, and Indian fighter, are fairly represented in the important American portrait."--Journal of the West

"Full of artfully woven vignettes, stories, and anecdotes."--Ohio Valley History

"A personable, touching literary portrait of the famed yet enigmatic explorer."--Profile

"This brief and balanced book effectively distills what we know about Boone's life story into a crisply paced narrative."--Journal of Southern History

"A good read. . . . The story of Daniel Boone, full also of soldiering, hunting and exploring, has been told before; and maybe each time it gets a little better, and even a little more accurate."--Edmonson News

"Piecing together the truth from second- and third-person reports is not an easy task, and no original Boone autobiography and few firsthand interviews are in existence." -- Andrea Watkins, H-Net Review

Publication Date

9-26-2003

Publisher

The University Press of Kentucky

Place of Publication

Lexington, KY

ISBN

9780813134628

eISBN

9780813128863

Keywords

Daniel Boone, Pioneers, Kentucky

Disciplines

United States History

Daniel Boone: An American Life
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