American Legend: The Real-Life Adventures of David Crockett

by Buddy Levy

A popular portrait of the legendary figure from the American Old West draws on the newspapers and folklore of his lifetime to reveal how he used his humble origins to win three elections as a congressman, in an account that also describes his meager education, presidential nomination, and death at the Alamo. Reprint. 25,000 first printing.

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction, American History, Autobiography, Biography Memoir, Audiobook

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

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

[Austin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was interesting, but my least favorite Buddy Levy book so far. Really enjoyed Conquistador and loved River of Darkness. Already preordered his next book on an arctic expedition, coming out in December.

This book had some bits and pieces that were very interesting and I always love the way Levy writes about the outdoor adventures and little thrilling stories of his subjects. Where I had trouble was a large part of the book that went into far too much detail about some of the small things he did in various government positions. While they are accurate and maybe interesting to some, I love a constant adventure story with beautiful detail that keeps you on the edge of your seat like River Of Darkness did. Would have loved to see maybe 100 pages less about all the politics, focus mainly on his adventures as that’s what everyone built the myth and legend around essentially. Then he can maybe have a chapter or two on the politics and dryer material.

Just wasn’t for me but again, always a fan of Levy.

[Lucas Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Didn’t wear a coon skin hat. Mind blown and everything I know is a lie. 0/5 on spice.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always had an interest in Davy Crockett, reading about his exploits. I enjoyed watching the Disney series in 1954, later I watched the John Wayne version of the Alamo.
I'm a big fan of Buddy Levy, reading a number of his books.
I can't say I found this one a page turner like his others.
It helped me solidify my opinion of Crockett. Apparently he was a personable and likable guy, he was a backwoodsmen and avid hunter.
But from what I gather rather unremarkable. He was a poor businessman, owned slaves, was constantly in debt, drank too much and neglected his family.
He was in the war against the Cree, and was made a Colonel in his regiment.
He became famous as an expert hunter, but to me he was blood thirsty, on two occasions he killed 10 bears in one day, and frequently killed more than anyone could eat. Maybe he gave away the meat, but that wasn't made clear. He also killed many wolves in order to turn their hides in for a bounty.
He got elected to Congress twice, but was unable to compromise and never passed a bill. In his favor
he was opposed to Jacksons forceable removal of the Indians from there tribal land.
His hunting prowess became legendary, and a play was made about his exploits, and his popularity grew.
He was even considering running for president
He ultimately lost an election and decided he wanted to live in Texas, then owned by Mexico-but desired by the United States. He ultimately ended up in Texas at the Alamo.
I got the feeling that he was good at hunting and talking, and his reputation spread, with books written and plays, he became legendary.
He was brave to fight in wars, and he identified with the poor, becoming a folk hero. He, though not educated was wily and smart enough to be elected to Congress. But ultimately he was a good talker and hunter who gave his life for his belief.

[Nolan Carbeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book summarizing Davey Crockets life, highlighting both the good and the bad moments of his life and finishing up with his legacy.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buddy Levy has produced a very enjoyable read of the life of an American legend. He describes a David Crockett who had hardly any formal education, yet became a living legend partly from books that he published about himself; who came from the humblest beginnings in East Tennessee, yet became internationally famous, and is still portrayed in films; who never could find financial wealth but whose pursuit of the Benjamin Franklin model of self-made man led to a life which endures for its example of possibility based on strength of spirit.

Crockett's family had lived for several generations in the Appalachian backwoods before he was born, in 1786, in the mountains east of Knoxville. Far eastern Tennessee was still pretty far West at that time. Poverty, and the need to move on to ever more promising land to settle, drove generations of Americans West. This may have had an effect on Crockett's perpetual restlessness. His sparse formal education was interrupted while a young teen, when his dread of punishment from his father and his schoolmaster over a physical thrashing he inflicted on a bully at school prompted him to flee from home and not see his family for over two years. This must have been a scary predicament for a young man but it also showed young Davey what the world, even if it didn't reach beyond neighboring states, had looked like over the horizon. Returning home to an unexpectedly pleasant welcome from his family at fifteen, he willingly accepted the responsibility of engaging in the custom of the times, of allowing his financially destitute father to hire the son out to creditors for the purpose of working off the family's debts.

Crockett was first married in 1806, to Polly Finley, and following her death, to the widow Elizabeth Patton. Both marriages produced three children, while Elizabeth also had children to her earlier marriage. He joined the Second Regiment of Tennessee Volunteer Mounted Riflemen in 1813, during the Creek War (reviewer's note: the "Creek War" or "Red Stick War" started as a civil war within the Creek nation between tribes in conflict over living their traditional way of life. Fighting among factions spilled over to killing of white settlers in Alabama and Georgia; the U.S. government became formally involved when Creeks stormed Fort Mims in Southwest Alabama and massacred soldiers and their families. Since the country was already involved in a war with Great Britain, the states affected, including Tennessee, were expected to handle the problem with the formation of volunteer regiments).

Crockett was among many men who joined up because they were outraged by Fort Mims. He signed up for two months of volunteer service in an army commanded by General Andrew Jackson. He witnessed the Battle of Tallusahatchee, when the Army administered a massacre to a Creek village. He was among a group of volunteers that left the army at the end of their enlistment, and risked an armed confrontation with regular Army forces trying to stop them on Jackson's orders. He was thus out of service when Jackson's forces wiped out the Creeks at Horseshoe Bend, but he returned for a second enlistment for service with Jackson's army in Florida. He was part of a detached force hunting down Indians in the swamps; Crockett and his fellow soldiers almost perished from exhaustion and hunger.

By now, Crockett knew two things that would guide his life. He wanted no more of the backbreaking, dangerous rigors of farm and military life. And he detested any idea of class elitism, such as the hierarchical arrangement that he observed in the Army. He entered politics in 1821, representing Hickman and Lawrence Counties in the Tennessee General Assembly. His main objective became the passage of a Land Bill to protect families, such as his, who had migrated west and settled Western Tennessee without deeds. The federal government wanted to give vast tracts of land there as awards to Revolutionary War veterans and, by law, anyone living there without issuance of a land warrant was a squatter.

Crockett continued the quest for a Land Bill after winning election to the U.S. Congress in 1826. At first it seemed as if he would have a potent political ally when Andrew Jackson won the Presidential election of 1828, but Crockett practiced what he preached regarding his refusal to compromise principles which he held deeply. A Tennessee Senator friend of Jackson's initiated a bill to remove the Choctaw, Creek, and Cherokee Indians from the Southern states. The "Jackson Indian Removal Act" of 1830 became one of the most fiercely debated bills in history. The bill eventually passed narrowly on strict party lines; Crockett was the only Tennessee politician to vote "nay" and, as Levy says, effectively hanged himself politically. Ironically, however, Crockett's personal popularity took a strong bump from this action. He was already becoming known around Washington as an eccentric original because of his peculiar sayings and idiom; now he was becoming a celebrity at home while being noticed by Alexis de Tockqueville in his famous "Journey to America."

An actor named James Hackett had become popular while depicting a character named Jeremia Kentuck in a play about a bragging congressman patterned after Crockett. Hackett took the characterization of Crockett to the next level by commissioning a new play, "The Lion of the West", or "A Trip to Washington" in which a Crockett character named Nimrod Wildfire appeared on stage in hunting buckskins and a hat made from a wildcat skin (this reminds me of the outfit worn by mountain-man Will Geer in the movie "Jeremiah Johnson"). Levy writes a charming account of Crockett attending a benefit performance of "The Lion of the West" in Washington, enjoying the stage caricature of himself.

Capitalizing on this public fascination, Crockett wrote his autobiography, "A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett of the State of Tennessee, Written by Himself." The book was an instant success on its publication in March, 1834. It was, according to Levy, "a gem of a book", full of Crockett's quaint spelling and grammar. According to Levy, nothing like this book, with its real, touching and canny humor was published again, until Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" in 1884. Claiming Crockett's unmistakable influence on Twain's work, the book may have not been a literal representation of Crockett's life, but, says Levy, it was an unequaled American voice which spoke the desire of the nation.

Two forces tore at Crockett at this time: the intoxication of stardom and possible wealth, and the growing impatience with the slowness of Congressional proceedings. Levy tells how Crockett's behavior on the House floor slid from idiosyncratic to downright disorderly. During this time period, his old friend from the Creek War, Sam Houston, was back in town briefly from Texas, and Crockett started thinking seriously how he could join those who were staking their fortunes on the newest Western frontier. (Reviewers note: Very briefly, the Texas situation was rooted in the Spanish formation of the far-northern Mexico state of Coahuila y Tejas, containing a district which commonly became known as Texas. In order to keep Texas as an effective buffer between constantly raiding Comanche, Kiowa and Apache Indians, Mexico, after its independence was won from Spain in 1821, liberalized its immigration laws. Large swaths of land were granted to "empresarios" who would induce foreigners, mostly Americans, to settle Texas. The most famous empresario was Moses Austin, whose work was continued by his son, Stephen. Between 1822 and 1834, this policy had backfired. Problems with the Indians remained, while the majority of Texas citizens were of non-Mexican descent; just as bad, these Anglo "Texians" did not assimilate into Mexican culture, as had been hoped. The Mexican government, by 1830, prohibited U.S. immigration. Texas' colonists started forming Committees of Correspondence and Safety after Mexico transitioned from a federalist to central government in 1835, thus leaving the exposed states to their own devices for protection. By October, 1835, the colonists officially demanded reinstatement of the 1824 Constitution; the Republic of Texas was created at the Texans' Convention of the same year. Into this situation came Houston in 1832. He was once a political protege of Jackson, but political and personal reverses forced him to leave the U.S. He later joined the Texas Volunteer Army and was its Commander-in-Chief by 1836, when Mexico's President, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, personally led an army to end the Texan revolt.)

The enemies of Jackson and his Democrats, the Whig Party, orchestrated a political event based around Crockett's book tour which took him through all of the eastern seaboard cities. Crockett was wined, dined and paraded while the Whigs took his measure as a future presidential candidate. By the time he returned to Washington, his "archnemesis", Jackson, had worked to complete Crockett's disillusionment with the life of a Congressman. His land bill, on which he had staked his reputation, was dead. He publicly launched verbal assaults against everything Jacksonian. Levy describes him as completely unraveled.

Crockett returned home to face an unhappy home life, caused largely by the strains placed on Elizabeth due to his extended absences. He was seriously in debt, and could not even rustle up a $500 advance from his book publisher to pay personal bills. The final straw was his inability to win reelection to his seat in the 1834 election, due to his inability to deliver legislation which he had promised his constituents.

Learning, in late 1835, that revolution in Texas was imminent, he started out on an overland trip to go there during November. He arrived in Nacodoches with an entourage in January 1836. He signed the oath to serve the Provincial Government of Texas for six months in return for a land grant, and traveled to San Antonio de Bexar with five others. They arrived at the Alamo, a mission fortified and manned by about two hundred Texians, on February 8th.

Houston had originally sent Jim Bowie to destroy the mission's walls to keep the place from being used by Mexican forces, but he agreed to keep it intact, as a Texan fort, when he saw the remarkable progress that Col. J.C. Neill had made to the facility and to maintaining discipline among the garrison forces. The ensuing compelling classic story of American grit and determination in fighting against the superior forces of Santa Anna who placed the Alamo under siege several weeks later is told in fascinating detail by Levy. On the morning of March 6th, the mission was stormed by the Mexican army, and all of the defenders were martyred within an hour-and-a-half. Crockett led a group of men who defended a low wall in front of the church. Legend has him, in the form of at least one painting and several motion pictures, going down while taking down a horde of Mexican soldiers, swinging his famous flintlock rifle like a Louisville slugger. This may or may not have occurred. Levy subscribes to the more recent historical evidence that Crockett was among a group of about six defenders who were surrounded and surrendered after being pushed back inside the chapel; the survivors were taken before Santa Anna, who reiterated his order to take no prisoners, and they were hacked to death.

Many people are not aware that a relief force of about 320 Texan soldiers was sent from Goliad, a fort about 70 miles away, to rescue the force at Bexar. The threadbare force was doomed from the start. They were attacked by a Mexican force on March 18 and defeated in a fight. Their leader, Col. Fanin, and 341 of his men were taken prisoner. The Mexican general was reminded by Santa Anna that no mercy was to be shown to these "rebels and traitors", and the prisoners were gunned down and killed.

Many Americans who "Remember the Alamo" don't remember Goliad. These events, however, are part of the American mythology. As Levy concludes, regardless of what Crockett wore (he notes that the famous coonskin cap's use by Crockett was an invention of Walt Disney) or exactly how he died, America now had an identifiable, enduring, indelible symbol of the frontier, of its past, and of the classically American story.

[Andrew Hanchosky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating, easy to follow, and great at balancing the heroics and faults of an American legend.

[Steven Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a number of great frontier figures who have excited the imagination over time--Kit Carson, Daniel Boone--and Davy Crockett. This book does a strong job of laying out Crockett's life, his accomplishments, his shortcomings, why he became (dare I use the term?) an iconic American figure.

His life began in 1786, in Tennessee. This was on the frontier, with the ever present threat of Indian attacks. Davy's family was not well off, and Davy had to hire out when he was only 12 years old to help support the family. He experienced a number of adventures with his many employments while he was still young. Early on, his life in servitude and at home was such that he just ran away from home for awhile. The author wonders if this might not have been the genesis of his motto: "Be always sure you're right--then go ahead!" (Page 17 and elsewhere). He returned home when he was sixteen and worked to help his family. Before he was 20, he married Polly and began his own life.

The War of 1812 afforded him the opportunity to fight for his country, with General Andrew Jackson. After the war, he continued his wandering, always exploring, looking for new land. He displayed his hunting abilities far and wide and gained a reputation for it. He was always on the edge of debt--often falling in to debt. He had an entrepreneurial spirit, but--somehow--his projects never seemed to work out.

After Polly's death, he remarried and continued in a like vein. He began a political life--in the state legislature and then in the United States Congress. The book does a good job showing his dedication to his values--but his complete inability to work with others to forge compromises and move ahead. Some might give him high marks for not compromising. The end result, though, was ineffectiveness and the end of his political career.

With his family life falling apart because of his excessive absences and his inability to be a good provider, his life changed. When his acquaintance Sam Houston suggested he go to Texas to start over, Crockett found the idea irresistible. And we all know what happened from there. . .

What is good about this book is that it doesn't hide Crockett's blemishes (he seemed pretty self-centered, unable to work well with others when he was in disagreement, and seems to have had at least a flavor of ADHD, in that he seemed always to be moving around, never able to stand still). But he also made a genuine mark in American history. One of the most telling stories in the book is when he was invited to attend the opening of a play about himself. At the start, the actor and the myth and the fiction met the real person, in a strange duet. Levy says (Page 4): ". . .as Davy bows to the audience and takes his seat, he must understand that his present situation is unique--for the man, alive and in the flesh, has just met his own myth."

All in all, a useful biography of Davy Crockett.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It gives a thorough but not laborious history of Crockett's life as well as some insight into the period in which he lived. It was particularly interesting to see Crockett as the first "reality" star -- famous for being famous for his exploits as a bear hunter and backwoodsman and storyteller and politician and author and...on and on. He supposedly went on the first ever "book tour" from town to town hawking books; he was among the first politicians to write a "this is my life and I'm awesome" autobiography as a way to test the waters for running for president. Somewhat fascinating, really! Also, I enjoyed getting more information, if indirectly, on Andrew Jackson. The author did a good job of explaining that feud and Crockett's stance, again without being laborious. Overall, it was a neat look back at an interesting guy in an interesting time. A solid read -- and a quick one. Folks interested in Davy Crockett's myth and legend would enjoy this book as would perhaps someone interested in Crockett's era, Andrew Jackson, the founding of Texas, the settling of Tennessee, etc. Worth reading.

[Dayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished a bio about John Quincy Adams (JQA), who actually met Davy Crockett, and this fact was not even included in the JQA biography, but it was included in this book.

I am thinking now about making a comparison between the two men. Both extremely talented in their field, but due to hard-headedness, they experienced needless loss. In the case of JQA, his loss was want of friendship--even his long-suffering wife, Louisa, had to leave for a day or two just because she couldn't take his cantankerous personality.

Davy Crockett was also talented at hunting and entertaining others on the road, that is how he became a legend. However, DC is in the last part of his life, (I have one more chapter to go) and he is still broke--a characteristic that haunted him throughout his life. He never learned the art of budgeting-even as a best selling author and Congressman for two terms--he never was able to hang on to his money. His wife was always poor, sometimes near starvation due to DC's inability.

[Geo Forman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read biographies to learn about people and times. I rate biographies on how well they are written (do they hold my attention? do they bore me?) and how factual I suspect the book is (I am not a judge of accuracy, that would require an expert, but I look for references to other sources and do I have confidence in those sources)

This one satisfied my curiosity about Crocket and, I think, was pretty factual. I am okay with an author's bias towards their subject. Actually I prefer that to a negative portrayal because the negativity seems to get in the way of the story, in my experience. Just don't be gushingly overboard with praise. That, too, gets in the way. Both extremes cause me to suspect the accuracy of the story. I think the author had the appropriate level of favoritism towards his subject

I was a bit bored with the book, at times, but that was more than offset with the book's ability to satisfy my curiosity in a reliable way

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always wanted to know more about this man who shares the same birthday as I do, to understand the line dividing history and myth in his life. Spending time in a place steeped in so much of the history related to him—I went down to Old Katy the other day and read a sign saying that Santa Anna's army had marched through there—prompted me to finally delve into a book about David Crockett. The tales of his perseverance in several near-death experiences in the wilderness were amazing, but even more interesting was his perseverance in trying to pass legislation regarding the settlement of land in our nascent country. I found myself very emotionally invested in his story, realizing that the best way to piece together a coherent understanding of the history of America is to read the biographies of individuals. I learned a lot from this book.

[Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pleasant and interesting read. It helps fill out my perspective on mid 19th emerging America. I enjoyed learning more about Crockett and how he shaped and was shaped by people and events then. A reading of his history adds important context to others I have read including Andrew Jackson, Sam Houston, Joseph Smith, etc. and the stories of the Alamo, Comanche conflicts, Texas war for independence, Mexican war, etc. Those were interesting that continue to shape history today. I commend learning more about Crockett rather than dismissing him as a Hollywood legend. That he was legendary is not disputed. That the man and his legend are an important part of our history is also true.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting read. It showcased the real life, the real man, and how he came to be a legend. David never went by Davy, that nickname was created after his death. Crockett was a frontiersman to a point, but not as much as he has been portrayed. Some of the tall tales were of his own making as he was trying to raise votes for his various political offices. He was always broke, robbing Peter to pay Paul and coming up with new money making schemes. His wife, Elizabeth, must have been at her wits end with him most of the time.

So much more in here about the man and the era when he lived. Definitely an interesting read.

[John Shedd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading Levy's book on the Greely Polar Expedition led me to this one. And since I grew up in one of Crockett's former home towns and once worked in a state park named after him, it obviously was of interest. As with most historical characters that get elevated to hero level, one can admire their positive accomplishments and traits, point out their failures and unsavory traits, or take a balanced view including all available information. Levy does an admirable job including not only Crockett's great adventures, but also including family life and routine activities in a rich historical time.

[Jeanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

It took me almost 3 weeks to read this dry and long-winded biography of one of American history’s most colorful characters.

In a nutshell, David Crockett was in a constant state of motion. And poverty. And storytelling. He fancied himself a politician, but he accomplished nothing in Congress. He considered himself a true frontiersman, but he didn’t break any new ground. Mostly, the impoverished Tennessee native bragged about himself, which is funny because his life was hardly brag-worthy.

All in all, I found this to be awfully boring. 300 pages seem excessive for this subject.

[Tom Darrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid biography. The first few chapters, in particular, do a good job at explaining the life of a frontier settler in the late 1700s. The book then covers Crockett's rise to stardom and his frequent inability at figuring out what that stardom meant.

He was very much stuck in the middle of a changing America... people loved him for being a hardnosed frontiersman who didn't compromise, but those same features made him a rather miserable congressman. By the time of his death, the average American looked at him as being a hero of a bygone era.

[Monte Lamb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a straight forward telling of the life and legend of Davy Crockett. It is well-written and gives a well-rounded story of Davy's life and character. He was a true example of the restless frontiersman who understood his image and used it for his gain. This book is very informative and I recommend it to anyone wanting to know more about this legend.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was quite a good read of Crocket and his trials and tribulations of a very different life than what most would think.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book about Davy Crockett. He was a pretty amazing guy at an interesting time in US history.

[Jonathan Gaspard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!! Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just finished reading American Legend: The Real-Life Adventures of David Crockett by Buddy Levy. The book was pretty good and I would have given it a 3.5 stars if that was available. The author some of the usual mistakes when writing about people of that era, including David Crockett, Daniel Boone and the Founding Fathers. These books tend to be hagiographies and this one was not. The presentation of Mr. Crockett in recent years has been to make him an uber-hero. This includes myths that he slayed a bear when he was three years old. Many of the tall tales about him are almost Bunyanesque. Does the book go too far into making the case that Davy Crockett was, in some senses, a parody of himself? Good question. The case is certainly made that he was not qualified for national politics.

To some extent, Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone and Paul Bunyan have been built into "backwoods heroes" because that is what the country needs and has needed. It needs its national legends, such as that of George Washington chopping down a cherry tree as a youngster and "fessing up" to it by saying "I cannot tell a lie."

Certainly, Mr. Crockett had a substance abuse problem. Certainly, he largely ignored his family. Could he have become the legend that he became without doing these things? I don't know. The author seems to imp that he could not have. And I tend to agree. The book is very worthwhile reading. There are not many books of this period of time that are not about the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and the Civil War, as well as people made famous in those wars. This is a refreshing exception.

[Paige Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up with the Disney Davy Crockett being on of my favorite characters of all time. I had the coonskin cap, my very own Betsy and spent endless hours out in the woods fighting Indians and hunting bears - and I somehow managed to survive every time I fought in the battle of the Alamo.
Recently I decided it was time that my kids experienced one of the joys of my childhood and so for our family movie day we watched King of the Wild Frontier. They loved it and I was overcome with nostalgia and completely caught up in Davy’s story all over again.
Later that week, I was browsing the for sale shelf at the library and came across this book and knew I had to read it. Learning more about the man behind the myth was such an enjoyable and eye opening experience and I can honestly say if his story interests you at all, you have to read this book! Buddy’s writing is fast paced and engaging, while his frequent use of Crockett’s own words adds an unforgettable charm to the tale. This is my favorite type of history book: bringing to life a beloved character and revealing truths and myths about them you never could have imagined. Absolutely top notch!

Favorite Quote: “In the end, David Crockett’s importance lives on, not in what he achieved but because he never stopped trying, he never quit, and he never lost hope. He kept his eye on that western horizon, pulled his hat down tight, gritted his teeth, and rode on into the blazing sunset, come what may.”

[Cammie Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

American Legend: The Real-Life Adventures of David Crockett was a very interesting book. I must admit I knew next to nothing about Davy Crockett before reading this book. I hadn't even realized he was in politics!

He seemed like quite the character. It seems his personality (charisma & wit) won him many friends & votes. His first wife died early, then he marries a 2nd time to what seemed to me as a very patient woman. However, with all Davy's traveling, drinking & especially his horrible spending habits her patients were bound to wear thin!

Also it was interesting to read how Davy started out in politics (having a "natural born sense" for campaigning; being a great student of human behavior; having street smarts; just plain being a man for the simple man) & then eventually graduated down the typical "political road" - compromising his personality for the worse. In the beginning Davy seemed to be an extremely "principled man", but later seemed more apt to compromise some of his hard-core honest beliefs in order to garner more votes. I also learned that Crockett broke with his own party (Jackson) & became quite a thorn in its side.

I'd never heard that he had contracted malaria a few times & just about died from it twice. Of course he was a younger man at that time & surely that helped.

Although the book was a little dry in a couple of places, for the most part I thought the book was well-written & very interesting!

[Brenden Gallagher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most historical biographies that stay in print can be described as "sturdy." A great biography takes on a point of view and reaches for some larger point about the human condition. Some great figures in American History don't have great biographies written about them. It seems the Davy Crockett is one of those people.

There are moments when Levy's work seems prepared to leave behind rote, if well-researched, biography to grasp for something more. His description of Crockett's seduction by money-grubbing kingmakers as his political potential melts away is thorough and well-told. The epilogue, which contrasts Crockett's death with his ensuing immortality, reaches for something profound. But, ultimately, this is a workmanlike tale of an extraordinary person, and that is just fine.

Someday, I hope there will be a remarkable biography about this remarkable man. But, until then, it is enough to settle for a story clearly and confidently told.

[Richard Klueg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I suppose Davy Crockett was my first big "superhero" as a kid in the 1950s. Of course I realize that the Disney portrayal would have been crafted with a large dose of "legend" unsupported by historical fact. So I enjoyed reading this engaging attempt at a factual account. Of course Crockett did not "kill himself a bear when he was only three," or go down swinging his rifle like a club at the Alamo. But in the end, the reality of Crockett's exploits and character left me even more impressed with the man than I had been with the legend. Who would think of sliding down a tree a hundred times to keep oneself from freezing to death? Who would crawl in a closed space to kill a wounded bear with a knife? Who would keep going on after multiple heart-breaking failures in so many aspects of his life?

As an aside, I still have a difficult time saying "DAVID Crockett" instead of "Davy." I just doesn't sound right in the song, so Disney got me for good on that one.

[Zach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the intro to this book which put the biography of Davy Crockett on personal terms. Lot's of Americans growing up at a certain time in the U.S. probably had feelings for Davy Crockett hero of the wild frontier thanks to Disney. Unfortunately and I'm not sure this is the author's fault I did not capture any real interest in our subject going through a fairly boring early life and ending (well known spoiler here) at the Alamo.

I found aspects of Crockett's life to be pretty interesting and informative, like his relationship with Andrew Jackson and his time as a congressman. I thought the conspiracy of how he died at the Alamo was fascinating and I appreciated the author only attributing around 300+ pages to the subject.

My final thought on this is that I do not regret reading this biography but it was mostly a struggle to get through this book.

[Reggie Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book at the end of the year because of the subject....and because my first son’s nickname is Crockett! This is my first Buddy Levy book, but I hope to read more.I agree with others that the book informs us of the reality of Crockett’s life from his childhood to his death at the Alamo. I must say that I am disappointed in the facts presented that showed the lack of accomplishment in his life, and his inability to play well with others. Crockett may have slid a few inches off his pedestal!!😒. Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and finished the last third of the book in an all-night reading session! Now passing on the book to my son!

[Scott Wozniak · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up watching the old Disney show about Davy Crockett ("killed him a bar when he was only three...King of the wild frontier!") so I was very curious to learn about the real man behind the tall tales. Turns out some of the tales were true.

His life was both inspiring and tragic. He figured out some parts of life (launching big adventures and making friends through storytelling) and never did figure out other parts (family life or finances).

His real career was as a politician and book author, though, which was not something I would have expected from the legends.

It wasn't a long book and I'm glad I read it.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Engaging biography of David Crockett. Born into extreme poverty (his father hired the boy out to help pay the family debts) Crockett was charming, opportunistic and clever, parlaying his humble origins and frontiersman persona to become a US congressman. Penniless and bitter after losing his seat in Congress, Crockett set out for Texas, where he was assured free land grants and saw opportunities to become the state's first governor. Crockett and his small contingent of Tennessee militia arrived in Texas only weeks before the Battle of the Alamo and his death during the battle cemented his place in American folklore as a tragic hero and enduring symbol of the American frontier.

[Steve Bera · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the authors writing style, and have read most of his other books. The book starts out strong. Then it bogs down in politics of the day, and focuses on the various runs for congress that Mr Crocket was involved with in his career. This got a little tedious. Then a good chapter ending with the Alamo. Enjoyable none the less.