The Accidental Fame and Lack of Fortune of West Tennessee’s David Crockett
R. Scott Williams
Experience the thrilling journey of West Tennessee’s David Crockett as he goes from frontier to fame to international icon.
Using his wits, humor, and common sense, Crockett rose from the West Tennessee frontier during the divisive Jacksonian Era to become the first American celebrity. Early newspaper editors quickly found that his name and exploits—often exaggerated—led to increased sales, while the first biography about his life, printed while he was still living, became an instant bestseller. He even brokered some of the first licensing deals making lithographs of his image—catchphrase and autograph included—available to his fans.
Talented men and women who were creating the American arts from scratch found in Crockett a muse who reflected how many in the country wanted to see themselves. They made him a hero in books, plays, songs, and poems, then Americans made him a superhero.
And there was substance to his style. As a member of Congress, he had a front-row seat as second and third generations of Americans took the torch of Democracy from the country’s founding fathers and mothers and struggled to keep it burning. His list of friends and enemies was long and included notables like Andrew Jackson, Sam Houston, Henry Clay, and James K. Polk.
As with celebrities who would come later like James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, and Elvis Presley, Crockett’s tragic death would occur too early and fuel his transition from celebrity to icon. Decades later, Walt Disney introduced his own version of Crockett on television and ignited a licensed product phenomenon, unlike anything that had ever been seen before and rarely since.
In The Accidental Fame and Lack of Fortune of West Tennessee’s David Crockett, Scott Williams uncovers what propelled Crockett’s fascinating journey, while also examining the birth of Tennessee during one of the most fascinating periods in American history.
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- Author: R. Scott Williams
- Published: July 11, 2021
- Language : English
- Paperback : 319 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0998699748
- ISBN-13 : 978-0998699745
- Item Weight : 1.23 pounds
- Dimensions : 7 x 0.72 x 10 inches