The Time of the French in the Heart of North America, 1673-1818

by Charles John Balesi

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Genres: History

Paperback

Published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

A niche book, but excellent if you have an interest in that niche. I picked it up from the author himself at Fort DeChartre on the Mississippi River, at an F&I commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the turnover of the last French position in North America. The author, Charles Balesi, had a table offering his books for sale, and some other re-enactors had highly recommended it. It's a very thorough review, from a French perspective, of the French colonial experience in the NW Territories and the Louisiana Territory.It is very well researched and well reasoned, but a little bit difficult reading due to the academic style that was so popular back when it was originally published. Also, tighter editing and proofreading would have enhanced it for me. But I can wholeheartedly recommend it to history buffs and re-enactors.

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Balesi's book is an excellent primer on the history of French/Indian relations between 1673 and 1818. The book is distinctive in that it is one of the few available in the U.S. written from the French perspective. This book is insightful about the interplay among the Indian tribes and the French. For example, Balesi's book suggests that French explorers had to placate their Illinois tribal trading partners' nerves by making a show of standing up to the British and their Iroquois allies. The discussion about the competition between Jesuit missionaries and French Royal representatives in the New World also is interesting.