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The Wild Boy from Tennessee by Carol Wiseman Lulu
book review by Nancy Livingstone
"David Stern Crockett... a talented story, a soldier, hunter, politician, husband, father and defender of the oppressed."
Written by a registered nurse turned author, Carole Wiseman, The Wild Boy from Tennessee spotlights American icon Davy Crockett. How does Wiseman encompass the life of one of the most famous men in the history of America into just under one hundred pages? Spanning the late 1700s to the early 1800s, the narrative moves episodically through Crockett's eventful life. Divided in thirty-one terse chapters, Wild Boy is a fast, no nonsense read that appeals to both adults and children alike. Wiseman's plain spoken writing style mirrors the Crockett legend without overly romanticizing it. With little formal schooling, Crockett was, over the course of his life, able to gain a considerable reputation as a storyteller. He also was elected to the Tennessee legislature. Other highlights of the book about the king of the wild frontier include hunting with 'old' Betsy and his involvement with the Tennessee Volunteer Militia and fighting Indian rights and against President Andrew Jackson. There are pages devoted to Crockett's love life. Of course, the final portions deals with the Texas revolution, that turning point in history—the Alamo. Crockett met his end there, but his memory lives on through Wiseman's words. Incidentally, Wiseman is a distant relative of Crockett (Crockett's aunt was Wiseman's great-great grandmother). The Wild Boy from Tennessee is stimulating introduction to the king of the frontier. Colorfully illustrated by Laura Jursnick, this book breezes by.