A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett

David "Davy" Crockett, the "King of the Wild Frontier" and the tragic hero of the Alamo, was a man whose life and existence have taken on a mythic hue in the almost two centuries since his untimely death. This is his story in his own words — an autobiographical text that has become a cornerstone of the legend and mythology surrounding one of the most evocative figures of the period.

Penned in 1834 during Crockett's second term in Congress as Representative for his native Tennessee, the book was devoured by readers upon its release, each eager to learn more about this totemic figure who bestrode American politics. The following year, Crockett would raise a militia, heading to Mexico to join the revolution against the government of Mexico. On March 6, 1836, Crockett would meet his end at the Alamo, along with all but three of his fellow defenders, and his name and deeds would become the preserve of history.

His autobiography provides us with some insight into that history. Though never a wholly reliable narrator, Crockett and his tall tales still make for fascinating reading, charting the trials and tribulations of one of the most recognizable Americans of the 19th century.