Synopses & Reviews
Perhaps no other figure in American history is more shrouded in myth and legend than David ("Davy") Crockett, the Tennessee frontiersman whose death at the Alamo in 1836 ensured his place in the Valhalla of American heroes.
Crockett himself was responsible for much of the folklore about his life. A gregarious, fun-loving man, he was more than capable of spinning tall tales over a "horn" of liquor. The truth of his life, as William Groneman emphasizes in this book, was far more fascinating than the myth. David Crockett was a true self-made man who left home at the age of twelve. His adventures--hunting and exploring, serving as a soldier under Andrew Jackson in the Creek Indian War of 1813, a political career that took him to the United States Congress, an incessant search for "elbow room" that drew him to Texas-these were the real fabric of a heroic life.
In writing of the "historical Crockett," Groneman, a world authority on the Alamo and its defenders, dispels the myths to uncover the genuine hero. He writes at length of the defense of the Alamo, describes how Crockett's reputation and heroism have been tainted by revisionist historians, and presents new evidence that the Tennessean actually left the Alamo during the siege to bring in reinforcements. Although safely outside the walls, he fought his way back in to rejoin his friends for the final, fatal, battle.
Review
"Bill Groneman is one of America's leading and most trusted authorities on David Crockett and the Alamo. A concise, no nonsense, and fast-paced biography." Roger D. McGrath, Historian, author of Gunfighters, Highwaymen, - & - Vigilantes
Review
"A must read for anyone interested in the real Crockett, the Alamo and a truly adventurous and important time in our nation's past." Dan Gagliasso - Spur Award Winner - Best Documentary Film, - " - Boone - & - Crockett - "
Review
" William Groneman III appropriately reshifts the focus to the real frontier figure and Alamo defender. An insightful and interesting examination." William R. Chemerka, Founder: The Alamo Society, Editor: The Crockett Chronicle
Review
"[Groneman's] research and writings in Texas history, the Alamo and in particular Davy Crockett, is very impressive." Fess Parker, actor, - " - David Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier - "
Review
"Meticulously researched and written in a plain and graceful style that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish." John Seelye, University of Florida, editor, On to the Alamo
Review
"With a wit and style...Groneman restores Crockett to his rightful status as a towering figure in American history and folklore." Paul Andrew Hutton, Western Historian, University of New Mexico
Review
"I salute Bill Groneman both for his career as a captain of the New York City Fire Department and this splendid new book on David Crockett, one of America's favorite heroes." -- Fess Parker, actor,
Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier"An insightful and interesting examination of a unique nineteenth-century American hero." -- William R. Chmerka, founder of the Alamo Society and editor of The Crockett Chronicle
"[Groneman] presents Crockett as a believable man of his time and place...an important historical figure who was often authentically heroic." -- Booklist
"Groneman cuts through the myth and legend to uncover as much as possible of the real Davy Crockett..." -- Library Journal
Review
"For years William Groneman has been among the most provocative students
of our greatest folk hero. In David Crockett, he presents an excellent biography of Crockett in brief compass, in the process examining the continuing attempts of each generation to reshape the myth of a man who simply refuses to cease being a hero."
--William C. Davis, historian, author of Three Roads to the Alamo: The Lives and Fortunes of David Crockett, James Bowie, and William Barret Travis
"Bill Groneman is one of America's leading and most trusted authorities on David Crockett and the Alamo. His latest contribution to the scholarly literature, David Crockett: Hero of the Common Man, is a concise, no nonsense, and fast-paced biography of the stubborn and courageous frontiersman who cut a wide swath through America while alive and an even wider swath through legend and history following his death."
--Roger D. McGrath ,Historian, author of Gunfighters, Highwaymen, & Vigilantes
"Bill Groneman's David Crockett: Hero of the Common Man is a fresh and highly readable new look at one of the most endearing frontier characters in American history. Groneman manages to humanize the Crockett of legend and lore without demeaning him and in the process brings the author's years of incisive Crockett research into carefully studied play. The author sucessfully challenges many modern politically correct assumptions that may have far more 'feet of clay' then the genuinely admirable David Crockett himself. A must read for anyone interested in the real Crockett, the Alamo and a truly adventurous and important time in our nation's past.
--Dan Gagliasso - Spur Award Winner - Best Documentary Film, "Boone & Crockett; the Hunter Heroes"
"For over 170 years the Davy Crockett of myth and legend has overshadowed the David Crockett of history. However, William Groneman III appropriately reshifts the focus to the real frontier figure and Alamo defender in David Crockett: Hero of the Common Man, an insightful and interesting examination of a unique 19th century American hero."
--William R. Chemerka, Founder: The Alamo Society, Editor: The Crockett Chronicle
"I have known Bill Groneman for a number of years and know that his researches and writings in Texas history, the Alamo and in particular Davy Crockett, is very impressive. I salute him both for his career as a Captain of the New York City Fire Department and for this splendid new book on David Crockett, one of America's favorite heroes." --Fess Parker, actor, "David Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier".
"Meticulously researched and written in a plain and graceful style that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish, Groneman has given us an account of Crockett's life that will be a standard against which to measure all others." -- John Seelye, University of Florida; editor, On to the Alamo -- Colonel Crockett's Exploits and Adventures in Texas
Review
"[An] excellent biography.... in the process examining the continuing attempts of each generation to reshape the myth of a man...." William C. Davis, historian, author of Three Roads to the Alamo
Synopsis
Perhaps no other figure in American history is more shrouded in myth and legend than David ("Davy") Crockett, the Tennessee frontiersman whose death at the Alamo in 1836 insured his place in the Valhalla of American heroes.A gregarious, fun-loving man, Crockett was capable of spinning the tallest of tales, but the truth of his life was far more fascinating than the myth. His hunting and exploration adventures, his service as a soldier under Andrew Jackson in the Creek Indian War of 1813, his rise in politics to the United States Congress, his incessant search for "elbow room" that took him to Texas - these were the real fabric of a heroic life.In writing of the historical Crockett, Groneman dispels the myths to discover the genuine hero beneath them. He writes at length of the defense of the Alamo, describes how Crockett's reputation and heroism have been tainted by revisionist historians, and presents new evidence that the Tennessean's heroics during the siege have, if anything, been understated.
About the Author
William Groneman III, at the time of his retirement, was the company commander of Engine Company 308 and worked at Ground Zero just hours after the attack on the world Trade Center on September 11, 2001. A longtime student of the battle of the Alamo he has written books and articles exploring some of the myths and misconceptions of it.