Current US international policy shows just how brilliant and enduring Frederick Turner's Frontier Thesis really is.

The basic idea is that after the initial explorations by Spain, England, etc., the real colonisation of America was a flight from conditions in Europe (including Ireland and Britain) which led to a European-style culture and settlement of the East Coast.

This led to a second flight from European-like influences into the interior - which simply pulled European-style culture further west. And so it continued until Europe finally reached the West Coast.

There are numerous ramifications of the thesis, including the "force majeur" (might=right) attitude of the settlers towards the Native Americans - with its ominous overtones on the eve of war in the Middle-East.

As far as I understand it, for all the "warts", Turner was looking to UNDERSTAND the American mentality/culture, as shaped by by historical experience, and the Frontier Thesis is a critique, NOT a criticism.

Read this book and gain a whole new, or at least greatly expanded, view of what it means to be an "American".

Current US international policy shows just how brilliant and enduring Frederick Turner's Frontier Thesis really is.

The basic idea is that after the initial explorations by Spain, England, etc., the real colonisation of America was a flight from conditions in Europe (including Ireland and Britain) which led to a European-style culture and settlement of the East Coast.

This led to a second flight from European-like influences into the interior - which simply pulled European-style culture further west. And so it continued until Europe finally reached the West Coast.

There are numerous ramifications of the thesis, including the "force majeur" (might=right) attitude of the settlers towards the Native Americans - with its ominous overtones on the eve of war in the Middle-East.

As far as I understand it, for all the "warts", Turner was looking to UNDERSTAND the American mentality/culture, as shaped by by historical experience, and the Frontier Thesis is a critique, NOT a criticism.

Read this book and gain a whole new, or at least greatly expanded, view of what it means to be an "American".

Mr. Turner ingeniously express's who we are and the reasons why. This work produced last century harbors a number of ideas on what made this country the greatest nation in the world. Mr. Turner correctly weaves his thesis on the frontier in a very short span.

By reading this work you will realize what separates the United States from every other land. All other works on the history of this special place we call home are details and footnotes on the events that have taken place over our brief span of time.

This is a bold attempt by the author to weave magic and history, and it ultimately fails, although it was probably worth the effort. Doesn't quite get where he wants us to go, but it's a fun trip, anyhow.
Much of the book is based on Michael Lesy's "Wisconsin Death Trip," an historical record of life, death, and madness in Northern Wisconsin at the end of the 19th century. Lesy's book succeeds where Jones fails, simply by letting the events and Schaik's remarkable photographs stand on their own. There is no need to resort to the supernatural-reality is more than bizarre enough.

I found this book a little confusing to begin with but if you just concentrate you will find so many meanings to the words. The characters are vivid and precise, a great combination of personality traits and strengths. Definately worth the reading for all those who believe in any kind of spiritual being and its influences on their lives.

I am very selective with what I read and like very unconventional novels Billy Sunday surpassed everything I believed possible from an author. I mean this compltely literally the book is magic. Read Rod Jones other novel Julia Paradise it to is complete brilliance

This work was not completely awful. It was, however, overly focused on one lesser aspect of the life of an otherwise fascinating American character. Though this is what the author apparently set out to accomplish, it doesn't make for the most thrilling read.