Crockett: The Real-Life Adventures of the Frontier Legend

by Buddy Levy

“A great myth-busting story, written in a taut narrative style that is guaranteed to keep the reader up all hours turning the pages.”
—Martin Dugard, coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestseller Killing Lincoln (with Bill O’Reilly)

Crack open the most in-depth, exciting portrait of Davy Crockett ever written, from acclaimed bestselling adventure-history author Buddy Levy. Inside is more than just the tale of the coonskin-cap-wearing frontiersman who heroically sacrificed himself at the Battle of the Alamo, but of the real man behind the King of the Wild Frontier myth.

From a humble childhood and meager education, the legendary adventurer David Crockett led a distinguished life, winning three elections as a congressman and earning a presidential nomination. Buddy Levy reveals the fascinating truth of Crockett, beyond the newspaper spins and folkloric celebrity status, as a figure that both embraced and clashed with the identity of the American Old West.

He was charismatic, down-to-earth, pioneering, independent to a fault, and his adventures have been warped beyond recognition by Hollywood hype. But in this beautifully written narrative, Davy Crockett emerges as never a rugged individual, a true American original, and an enduring symbol of the Western frontier.

Genres: History

416 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 11, 2025

About the author

Buddy Levy BIO--
Writer, educator, public speaker and entertainer, Buddy Levy is the author of Realm of Ice and Sky (St. Martin's Press, 2025); Empire of Ice & Stone (St. Martin's Press, 2022); Labyrinth of Ice: The Triumphant and Tragic Greely Polar Expedition (St. Martin’s Press, 2019); No Barriers: A Blind Man’s Journey to Kayak the Grand Canyon (co-authored with Erik Weihenmayer, Thomas Dunne Books, 2017; a national bestseller and Honorable Mention Award Winner in the Outdoor Literature category of the 2017 National Outdoor Book Awards); Geronimo: Leadership Strategies of An American Warrior (with Mike Leach, Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster, 2014); River of Darkness: Francisco Orellana’s Legendary Voyage of Death and Discovery Down the Amazon (Bantam Dell, 2011). His other books include Conquistador: Hernan Cortes, King Montezuma, and the Last Stand of the Aztecs (Bantam Dell, 2008), which was a finalist for the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award, 2009, and nominated for the Before Columbus Foundation American Book Award, 2009, and the PEN Center USA Award 2009; American Legend: The Real-Life Adventures of David Crockett (Putnam, 2005, Berkley Books, 2006); and Echoes On Rimrock: In Pursuit of the Chukar Partridge (Pruett, 1998). His books have been published in six languages. CONQUISTADOR is currently being considered for a television series.
As a freelance journalist Levy has covered adventure sports and lifestyle/travel subjects around the world, including several Eco-Challenges and other adventure expeditions in Argentina, Borneo, Europe, Greenland, Morocco, and the Philippines. His magazine articles and essays have appeared in Alaska Airlines Magazine, Backpacker, Big Sky Journal, Couloir, Discover, Denver 5280, Hemispheres, High Desert Journal, Poets & Writers, River Teeth, Ski, Trail Runner, Utne Reader, TV Guide, and VIA. He is clinical associate professor of English at Washington State University, and lives in northern Idaho with his wife Camie, and his black Labs Dugan and CJ.

Reviews

[Brendan (History Nerds United) · Rating 5 out of 5]

As Buddy Levy is one of my favorite authors, I was not anticipating anything less than another banger with Crockett. It's about Davy Crockett. I knew I would have a great time, and lo and behold, I did.

(Side note: Anyone reading this old enough to remember the song from Disney that goes, "Davyyyyy, Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontieeeeeer." Excellent. Now it is stuck in your head like it has been in mine ALL DAY.)

I digress. What I appreciate most about Levy is his willingness to do a ton of research but not beat the reader over the head with extraneous material. He only puts on the page what you need to know to understand the characters and stories he is telling. There was one wrinkle I didn't expect, though.

While Levy clearly reveres Crockett, I could see how thin a line there was between Davy Crockett the legend and a Crockett that was known as a deadbeat husband and completely ineffectual politician. As with any great biography, you see all the sides of Crockett which means he can be a somewhat arrogant and lazy one minute and then marching off to fight in a war the next. Levy lets you see the Lion of the West and also understand the weight of those expectations. Simple, but complex. So to keep it simple, make sure you go read this one.

(This book was provided as a review copy by Diversion Books.)

[Richard West · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK - I'll admit it. I'll read just about anything on David Crockett, even if it's more or less the same thing I've read elsewhere. And, that's essentially what we get here, although I would swear there were a few things I hadn't seen or read before or had just forgotten. The difference here is that this book, in contrast to some of the others, is well written and enjoyable reading.

Let's face facts here, there are only so many things that can be said and written about someone who was basically a failure in everything he tried, yet managed to serve in the US House of Representatives (failing at even that endeavor), yet became a legend in his own time and was seriously considered for a while as a possible presidential candidate, and went to Texas where he died a hero at the battle of the Alamo at the age of 49. And over 100 years after his death, despite being the subject of several movies during that time, he so captured the imagination of young people thanks to the Walt Disney TV series, that he became an even bigger legend. (I still have my Davy Crockett bubblegum cards I collected back then - yes, that's where my interest in the man started - with Disney.)

The book reads fast and you have an idea about what comes next because you're at least somewhat familiar with the story, or have read other books. What makes this one enjoyable though is that it is well-written (I only caught one mistake - Crockett did not surrender and was not executed - he went down fighting - one of the survivors pointed out his body to the Mexicans and he was out in the plaza area surrounded by dead Mexican soldiers - not cut down like the Billy Bob Thornton movie version.) and doesn't get caught up in minor events, and moves right along.

If you've never read a book about Crockett and are wondering what all the fuss was about and why he's considered an American hero, this book is a good place to start. It should answer all your questions and whether you want more information, there's a comprehensive bibliography at the end and recommendations from the author.

[J David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over the last twenty-five years or so, I've paid a lot of attention to my ancestors who pioneered into our area in the 1790s. More recently, I have been writing about my ancestors and Buddy Levy’s “Crockett” came to my attention as a way to envision at least some of life at the time. When Tennessee became a state Crockett was eleven years old and my second-great-grandfather was four – brought to the area by his pioneering father. They were living roughly forty miles apart. However, their economic circumstances were quite different. While Crockett’s family was quite poor, my ancestors owned considerable land and slaves. The value for me, in reading about Crockett, was Levy’s description of life on the frontier as they grew up.

It turns out that both Crockett and my second-great-grandfather were both moved to volunteer for military service in the War of 1812. Levy does a good job describing the factors that motivated Crockett and possibly my ancestor. Both apparently served at Fort Strother Alabama, under the leadership of Andrew Jackson, for a while. After they returned to Tennessee, my ancestor stayed on his land until his death. Crockett moved further west constantly in search of wealth that alluded him. Nevertheless, Levy’s description of Crockett’s life gave me a sense for the issue that would have been known and important to anyone living in the region at the time. At least a couple of my ancestors loaned money to their neighbors. Crockett was constantly borrowing money from individuals.

In short, I know my ancestor better because I read Levy’s book about Crockett’s life.

[Jesse H. Cockerham · Rating 5 out of 5]

very interesting life story for a simple man in a simpler time he was very progressive in his politics and left the country for texas after loseing reelection highley reccomend to any history or poli sci nut like me