Born on a Mountaintop

March 11, 2013
Following the trail of legendary frontiersman, Tennessee legislator, and Alamo hero Davy Crockett is no easy task. To do so, Washington Post features writer Bob Thompson takes off on an actual flight of fancy, pursuing historical and contemporary accounts of a man made famous in both fact and fiction. Combining research, anecdotes, and a lot of balderdash, Thompson lovingly hashes over endless Crockett minutiae. Although introduced as a lighthearted romp, the book often lapses into intrusive narration and painstaking detail. Much of the telling involves disclaimers, such as Crockett's jibe after losing an election: "âSince you have chosen to elect a man with a timber toe to succeed me,' he is said to have told his constituents, âyou may all go to hell and I will go to Texas.'" That story is watered down, as are many of the more interesting tales. One of America's most treasured and fabled icons, Crockett has captured generations of fans and Thompson appears to have engaged most of them for lengthy conversations. Though long-winded, readers will learn a lot about Crockett over the course of this journey. 8 page b/w photo insert.

January 1, 2013
For a year, former Washington Post feature writer Thompson chased the King of the Wild Frontier. In this evenhanded account, the author reports that it was his young daughter's excited response to a Burl Ives' recording of the Disney theme song that ignited his family's interest in the historical David Crockett. And off he went--to sites in Tennessee, Alabama, Texas and Washington, D.C.--pursuing the frontiersman whose story, told in the three-part Disneyland series in the 1950s, caused the coonskin-cap phenomenon that spread rapidly across the country. The author sees no need for esoteric theories about its death: "It was a fad," he writes. As Thompson tracked Crockett, he encountered local experts just about everywhere--people who were extraordinarily generous about driving him to remote locations and sharing their hard-won knowledge. He also interviewed some scholars, visited archives, browsed (and bought) in assorted gift shops, examined relics (the real, the risible) and attended festivities at the Alamo on the 175th anniversary of the battle. He found it wrenchingly difficult at times to chip away the thick carapace of fiction from Crockett's life. Far less is known than many people would believe. Many stories, especially about the Alamo, elicit fiery emotions, especially in Texas. Thompson also read myriads of Crockett and Alamo books, examined the career of Fess Parker (Disney's Crockett), and watched and analyzed the major (and some minor) movies, including those starring John Wayne and Billy Bob Thornton as Crockett. Neither Wayne nor Thornton, writes Thompson, showed us even a vaguely authentic Crockett. Offers no surprising conclusions, but Thompson provides a well-researched, delightfully obsessive story, suitable for Crockett aficionados and neophytes.

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February 15, 2013

Providing a splendid foray into the popular culture of American frontiersman Davy Crockett, Thompson (former Washington Post journalist and editor) follows in Crockett's footsteps from his Tennessee roots to his death in Texas. Crockett has long been considered a hero of the Battle of the Alamo and aggressively commercialized across America. Unlike Michael Wallis's David Crockett: The Lion of the West, a traditional, formal biography, Thompson's title provides a personal narrative of his own travels and encounters with modern "ghosts of the wild frontier," these being reenactors, curators, and businessmen, each seeking to understand, define and/or promote Crockett's legacy in his or her own way. Documenting his work with basic historical sources, Thompson seeks to understand Crockett's spirit by delving into the consciousness of modern society, which means recognizing and understanding the influence of Walt Disney, Fess Parker, and others. VERDICT An enjoyable and entertaining account of Thompson coming to terms with the Tennessee congressman and frontier hero, and ultimately demonstrating the continuing relevance of the Crockett legend to Texas and America. This will be a popular read in public libraries and among Western enthusiasts.--Nathan Bender, Laramie, WY

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2013
Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier, preferred to be called David. He was a frontiersman, but he was also a U.S. congressman. He was an Indian fighter, but he also fought for Indian rights. He probably didn't spend a lot of time wearing buckskin, despite what Disney would have you believe. (He did die at the Alamothat part is true.) Thompson's mission here is to separate myth about Crockett from historical fact. Unfortunately, there's precious little historical fact to be found. Even the expertsThompson calls them Crockettologistsfreely admit that much of what they know is based on historical detective work, not fact. Crockett became a pop-culture icon in the years just before his death and was the subject of a play, an anonymously written biography (which Crockett hated), and his own autobiography (whose accuracy is also questionable). As colorful as the Crockett legend is, it appears from this very entertaining book that the truth about the man could be equally colorfulif you can somehow get at the whole truth, that is.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)