Kentucke's Frontiers (A History of the Trans-Appalachian Frontier)
Friend (North Carolina State Univ.) essays an explanation of Kentucke's evolution into Kentucky, from frontier settlements into a state. Recounting the exploits of Native peoples and the legendary heroes involved in this process, the author succumbs to the continuing mythology generated by border wars filiopietism plus the narrow paradigm ventured by Richard Slotkin in 1973. Drawing also on older publications and too dependent on the unevenly voluminous Draper Collections, the author sketches a frontier personified by bad-guy versus good-guy dynamics and mythology (the mythic Mary Draper Ingles, the heroic George Rogers Clark, and the villainous 'white savage' Simon Girty). Trying to sort out the grounding for these perspectives becomes frustrating in the face of a nonstandard citation system and the absence of a traditional bibliography. There is to some degree a 'Virginia' skew to Friend's early Kentucke descriptions, as well as a lack of balance with respect to larger questions, e.g., 'nearly all Kentuckians recognized the immorality of slavery.' The latter statement lacks documentary support and is doubtful on the face of the claim, given Kentucky's colonial heritage in proslavery Virginia and North Carolina. Summing Up: Recommended... --Choice J. H. O'Donnell III, Marietta College, July 2011"This is a fine contribution to the historiography of Kentucky and frontier history. Kentucke's Frontiers is a 'must have' for professors and students who are interested in both of these subjects." —Northwest Ohio History"Kentucke's Frontiers... is an excellent book—thoroughly researched, beautifully written, handsomely produced, and creatively documented." —North Carolina Historical Review"In this rich, challenging, and enjoyable book, Friend examines the social, cultural, economic, political, and military histories of Kentucke (now Kentucky) from the 1720s to the War of 1812.... The merits of this sweeping book are too numerous to chronicle sufficiently in this brief review. Nevertheless, Friend is at his strongest in his examination of the roles of memory and mythology in justifying white domination." —American Studies"This is an eminently readable book, and [Friend] has done a wonderful job of weaving together the voices of the residents of frontier Kentucky of all racial and social groups.... Kentucke's Frontiers is a wonderful resource for those interested in learning more about the first trans-Appalachian state and the trans-Appalachian west more broadly." —The Tennessee Historical Quarterly"Friend's narrative is detailed and engaging... [His] skillful infusion of contemporary historiography and methodology separates his study of frontier Kentucky from previous works." —The Journal of American History"Anyone interested in the history of the American frontier or the creation of the Bluegrass State will certainly want to add this volume to his or her library." —The Journal of Southern History"Deftly weaving together numerous interpretive strands, Craig Friend’s first-rate study explains how the passage from 'Kentucke' to 'Kentucky' turned the first trans-Appalachian frontier from the leading edge of America’s New West to the border of its Old South. This book is both an essential and an elegant read." —Stephen Aron, author of How the West Was Lost: The Transformation of Kentucky From Daniel Boone to Henry Clay