Frontier Living: An Illustrated Guide to Pioneer Life in America

Rating:
Summary: All aspects of daily life on the American frontier
Review: Frontier Living illuminates all aspects of daily life on the American frontier, from the log cabin to the ranchero. Black and white illustrations by the author provide embellishments to text which describe frontier daily life; from tools and clothing to food. A recommended pick for students of early American frontier days.

Rating:
Summary: Indispensable for adults as well as young readers
Review: The subtitle says it all: "An Illustrated Guide to Pioneer Life in America, Including Log Cabins, Furniture, Tools, Clothing, and More." From about 1725 to the closing of the frontier, Tunis examines dozens of aspects of American frontier life in this sequel to his "Colonial Living," and even touches on history (the little-known Black Hawk War, the Santa Fe trade, etc.). His clear, detailed pen-and-ink sketches provide a perfect visual accompaniment to written commentary. (Check out the household articles on pp. 24-5, the tub mill on p. 40, the spinning wheels and loom on pp. 46-8, and--my favorite--the elementary prairie well-drilling rig on p. 157, to take just a few examples.) As is often the case with juvenile social histories, he manages to touch on things you don't learn in books written for an adult audience, so the volume should be useful to researchers of every age. My one complaint is the positioning of the page numbers, which are buried in the crack of the binding! This is a book I was delighted to add to my collection, and I recommend it to everyone who has an interest in pre-1900 America.

Rating:
Summary: Indispensable for adults as well as young readers
Review: The subtitle says it all: "An Illustrated Guide to Pioneer Life in America, Including Log Cabins, Furniture, Tools, Clothing, and More." From about 1725 to the closing of the frontier, Tunis examines dozens of aspects of American frontier life in this sequel to his "Colonial Living," and even touches on history (the little-known Black Hawk War, the Santa Fe trade, etc.). His clear, detailed pen-and-ink sketches provide a perfect visual accompaniment to written commentary. (Check out the household articles on pp. 24-5, the tub mill on p. 40, the spinning wheels and loom on pp. 46-8, and--my favorite--the elementary prairie well-drilling rig on p. 157, to take just a few examples.) As is often the case with juvenile social histories, he manages to touch on things you don't learn in books written for an adult audience, so the volume should be useful to researchers of every age. My one complaint is the positioning of the page numbers, which are buried in the crack of the binding! This is a book I was delighted to add to my collection, and I recommend it to everyone who has an interest in pre-1900 America.