Top 10 Recommended Books

[pab1]

For journals/documentation I would recommend Warren Angus Ferris' Life in the Rocky Mountains. It provides more details and insight into the daily life of mountain men than most journals I've read. The American Mountain Men website is a great resource for journals and documentation from the fur trade era. I prefer a real book but have shelled out thousands for my "fur trade library" over the years. There are many books (including Ferris') available for free on their site. Here's a link.

http://www.mtmen.org/mtman/mmarch.html

If you're interested in historical fiction, there are three series I have really enjoyed. My absolute, hands down favorite is Terry C. Johnston's (don't confuse him with William Johnstone's horrible "mountain man" books) Carry the Wind 9 book series.

Next up is a tie between Edward Louis Henry's "Temple Buck Quartet" and Win Blevins So Wild a Dream series. My biggest gripe with Henry's series is how the main character (Temple Buck) constantly, almost unbelievably, stumbles into money and women.

The only gripe I have with the Blevin's series is the amount of time spent in and around California. When I read about the "fur trade era" I want to read about the mountain west. All of three of these series are very well researched by authors who know the history of the fur trade era and are worth reading.

I haven't been around in a while so I apologize for the late reply.

 

[Walkingeagle]

Thank you sir, I will look into these.
Walk

 

[Diogenes454]

The series by Allan Eckert The Frontiersman, wilderness war, etc.

 

[tenngun]

The backwoods of Canada by Catherine Traill, Jonathan Carver, John Davis and William Bartram all wrote ‘Travels’, recording their journeys in late eighteenth century America. Traill’s book is a good look at plain day to day life, as she traveled to an HBC fort in Canada at the mountain Man time, early nineteenth century. I got mine via Townsends. The Travels books are just that, daily run of the mill life moving through the frontier. A bit slow but readable.
Freematel book traveling from Mexico through Texas to observe Lee’ army is a ‘oh so superior’ Look at the rural south. Schoolcrafts books and Audubon’s books are real good looks at frontier life.

 

[Black Jack]

Another vote for Allan W. Eckert's books. Most notable is the "Winning of America" series, six books in all. Has others as well.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Henry Schoolcraft's journal of the Missouri and Arkansas Ozarks give good if not biased descriptions of frontier life in 1818 recorded during a 90 day journey through the Ozarks.

 

[S.Kenton]

Another vote for Allan W. Eckert's books. Most notable is the "Winning of America" series, six books in all. Has others as well.

Yet another vote for the Allan Eckert series... really good reading material.

 

[kansas_volunteer]

If you can find them Give Your Heart to the Hawks, and a 10 volume set by a man named leroy Hefen about the biographies of all mountain men known by name. I made the mistake of selling mine so I can't give you more info. Few libraries will have it but you might get them through an inter library loan.

 

[Walkingeagle]

If you can find them Give Your Heart to the Hawks, and a 10 volume set by a man named leroy Hefen about the biographies of all mountain men known by name. I made the mistake of selling mine so I can't give you more info. Few libraries will have it but you might get them through an inter library loan.

Thank you.
Walk

 

[Mercian]

The Big Sky by A B Guthrie. I've never read the book, but over the last sixty years I must have watched the film more than a couple of dozen times and never tire of it. If it's on tonight I'll watch it again.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The Guthrie books are part of a trilogy. I can't recall the names of the other two books.

 

[tenngun]

Way west and fair land.

 

[Mercian]

The Guthrie books are part of a trilogy. I can't recall the names of the other two books.

Thanks, I never knew that.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

One of the better books out there is "Firearms, Traps, & Tools of the Mountain Man" by Carl P Russell. Originally published in 1967, it has descriptions of all the above mentioned equipment.

Yes, I'd add my vote for this as what every fur trade interested person should have in their "reference" section of their library. I bought a copy last month and in addition to descriptions, there are good references as to How what was used by the mountain men, got out to the "mountain men", and why. Dispels some myths. Will also help you to save a bit of Ca$h when looking for good repros of common gear.

LD

 

[Tanker]

I have one to add to the list. I picked it up one a recent vacation to Yellowstone. Tales of the Mountain Men by Lamar Underwood. It is 17 stories of mountain men. It is chapters out of other books or journals. A good read to help pick your next book. The author tells you where the chapter comes from and sets the stage a little.

 

[Marc Adamchek]

You've got some top-notch recommendations already, but for an overall study of the Fur Trade I heartily advise you to read A MAJORITY OF SCOUNDRELS by Don Berry. His writing style is superb and you'll find yourself whizzing through the pages. I found it to be a wonderful introduction and overview of the whole Fur Trade with all it's various characters and companies formed. After reading that you'll have a clear picture of the era and THEN you'll be hungry to read about the different people introduced to you in the book. A very great read.