The Taking of Jemima Boone: The True Story of the Kidnap and Rescue That Shaped America
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- Create Date：2021-10-06 17:21:09
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Matthew Pearl
- ISBN：0062937782
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Summary
“A deliciously intricate and utterly absorbing retelling of the Daniel Boone family saga–—and particularly the complex roles played by the Cherokee and Shawnee across Boone's southern Appalachian stamping grounds。 The Taking of Jemima Boone adds an intriguing dimension to an issue of keen importance to modern society。”—New York Times bestselling author Simon Winchester
“Not only did Matthew Pearl’s clear and vivid writing immediately sweep me up in a father’s fear， it pulled me into a larger and even more profound story， one that would change the course of three nations—one young， two ancient， all fighting for survival。”—Candice Millard， bestselling author of The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey
“It seemed Jemima Boone’s fate to be taken hostage—if not by Kentucky Indians then by fiction and legend。 Even a cousin had a go at her story， in verse。 Sensitively and eloquently， writing his way around the silences， Matthew Pearl rescues her at last。 Fearlessness seemed to run in the family; Jemima could neither read nor write， yet had an uncanny ability to communicate with her father， conspiring with him from a distance， assisting with his rescue， under gunfire， at close hand。 A rousing tale of frontier daring and ingenuity， better than legend on every front。”—Pulitzer Prize–winning author Stacy Schiff
In his first work of narrative nonfiction， Matthew Pearl， bestselling author of acclaimed novel The Dante Club， explores the little-known true story of the kidnapping of legendary pioneer Daniel Boone’s daughter and the dramatic aftermath that rippled across the nation。
On a quiet midsummer day in 1776， weeks after the signing of the Declaration of Independence， thirteen-year-old Jemima Boone and her friends Betsy and Fanny Callaway disappear near the Kentucky settlement of Boonesboro， the echoes of their faraway screams lingering on the air。
A Cherokee-Shawnee raiding party has taken the girls as the latest salvo in the blood feud between American Indians and the colonial settlers who have decimated native lands and resources。 Hanging Maw， the raiders’ leader， recognizes one of the captives as Jemima Boone， daughter of Kentucky's most influential pioneers， and realizes she could be a valuable pawn in the battle to drive the colonists out of the contested Kentucky territory for good。
With Daniel Boone and his posse in pursuit， Hanging Maw devises a plan that could ultimately bring greater peace both to the tribes and the colonists。 But after the girls find clever ways to create a trail of clues， the raiding party is ambushed by Boone and the rescuers in a battle with reverberations that nobody could predict。 As Matthew Pearl reveals， the exciting story of Jemima Boone’s kidnapping vividly illuminates the early days of America’s westward expansion， and the violent and tragic clashes across cultural lines that ensue。
In this enthralling narrative in the tradition of Candice Millard and David Grann， Matthew Pearl unearths a forgotten and dramatic series of events from early in the Revolutionary War that opens a window into America’s transition from colony to nation， with the heavy moral costs incurred amid shocking new alliances and betrayals。
“Not only did Matthew Pearl’s clear and vivid writing immediately sweep me up in a father’s fear， it pulled me into a larger and even more profound story， one that would change the course of three nations—one young， two ancient， all fighting for survival。”—Candice Millard， bestselling author of The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey
“It seemed Jemima Boone’s fate to be taken hostage—if not by Kentucky Indians then by fiction and legend。 Even a cousin had a go at her story， in verse。 Sensitively and eloquently， writing his way around the silences， Matthew Pearl rescues her at last。 Fearlessness seemed to run in the family; Jemima could neither read nor write， yet had an uncanny ability to communicate with her father， conspiring with him from a distance， assisting with his rescue， under gunfire， at close hand。 A rousing tale of frontier daring and ingenuity， better than legend on every front。”—Pulitzer Prize–winning author Stacy Schiff
In his first work of narrative nonfiction， Matthew Pearl， bestselling author of acclaimed novel The Dante Club， explores the little-known true story of the kidnapping of legendary pioneer Daniel Boone’s daughter and the dramatic aftermath that rippled across the nation。
On a quiet midsummer day in 1776， weeks after the signing of the Declaration of Independence， thirteen-year-old Jemima Boone and her friends Betsy and Fanny Callaway disappear near the Kentucky settlement of Boonesboro， the echoes of their faraway screams lingering on the air。
A Cherokee-Shawnee raiding party has taken the girls as the latest salvo in the blood feud between American Indians and the colonial settlers who have decimated native lands and resources。 Hanging Maw， the raiders’ leader， recognizes one of the captives as Jemima Boone， daughter of Kentucky's most influential pioneers， and realizes she could be a valuable pawn in the battle to drive the colonists out of the contested Kentucky territory for good。
With Daniel Boone and his posse in pursuit， Hanging Maw devises a plan that could ultimately bring greater peace both to the tribes and the colonists。 But after the girls find clever ways to create a trail of clues， the raiding party is ambushed by Boone and the rescuers in a battle with reverberations that nobody could predict。 As Matthew Pearl reveals， the exciting story of Jemima Boone’s kidnapping vividly illuminates the early days of America’s westward expansion， and the violent and tragic clashes across cultural lines that ensue。
In this enthralling narrative in the tradition of Candice Millard and David Grann， Matthew Pearl unearths a forgotten and dramatic series of events from early in the Revolutionary War that opens a window into America’s transition from colony to nation， with the heavy moral costs incurred amid shocking new alliances and betrayals。
Reviews
Judy
，
This is an excellent book with thorough and detail research that paints a very vivid picture of the lives of these pioneers and especially the women and children。 It is amazing the effort it took to simply survive let alone face the threat of angry native inhabitants。 Matthew Pearl is an excellent writer and he has done an amazing job of taking us along on this adventure。 This was such a turbulent time in our history and the stories have always been told from the point of view of the settlers wh This is an excellent book with thorough and detail research that paints a very vivid picture of the lives of these pioneers and especially the women and children。 It is amazing the effort it took to simply survive let alone face the threat of angry native inhabitants。 Matthew Pearl is an excellent writer and he has done an amazing job of taking us along on this adventure。 This was such a turbulent time in our history and the stories have always been told from the point of view of the settlers while sometimes overlooking the true impact to the Indian population。 This book tries to take a balanced view。 。。。more
Sharon Hall
，
After recently reading the galley version of another book about Daniel Boone and his family， Blood and Treasure， I wasn’t at all sure I could “get into” this book。 Boy， was I wrong！Matthew Pearl takes the reader on quite a ride through early Kentucky history。 While patriots were fighting hand-to-hand combat with the Redcoats， the “over the mountain” folks were fighting Indians， who many had been recruited by the British to wreak havoc on American expansion westward。 The book’s central characters After recently reading the galley version of another book about Daniel Boone and his family， Blood and Treasure， I wasn’t at all sure I could “get into” this book。 Boy， was I wrong！Matthew Pearl takes the reader on quite a ride through early Kentucky history。 While patriots were fighting hand-to-hand combat with the Redcoats， the “over the mountain” folks were fighting Indians， who many had been recruited by the British to wreak havoc on American expansion westward。 The book’s central characters are Jemima Boone and her famous father Daniel。 Pearl takes the reader through a series of life and nation-altering events， beginning with the kidnapping of young Jemima Boone in 1776， less than two weeks after the Declaration of Independence was signed。 It was a harrowing time for Daniel Boone and his family。 Following Jemima’s rescue， tensions continued to escalate as the Revolutionary War heated up。 Then， Daniel Boone himself was captured and adopted into Shawnee Chief Blackfish’s family。 The story which follows after his escape and return to Boonesboro， highlights the challenges of living on the fringes of the eighteenth century American frontier as Boone and his fellow defenders hold back a days-long Indian attack。 Even in its uncorrected form， the book is well organized and kept me riveted to the story。 Another great Daniel Boone history book！ 。。。more
Darla
，
At about the same time that the Declaration of Independence was being signed， three young girls were kidnapped by American Indians near the Boonesboro， the first established settlement in Kentucky territory。 One of those young women was Jemima Boone， the 13-year-old daughter of Daniel and Rebecca Boone。 Yes， that Daniel Boone。 This book not only tells the story of the events surrounding the rescue of those three girls， but also demonstrates the pivotal nature this event had in the formation of t At about the same time that the Declaration of Independence was being signed， three young girls were kidnapped by American Indians near the Boonesboro， the first established settlement in Kentucky territory。 One of those young women was Jemima Boone， the 13-year-old daughter of Daniel and Rebecca Boone。 Yes， that Daniel Boone。 This book not only tells the story of the events surrounding the rescue of those three girls， but also demonstrates the pivotal nature this event had in the formation of the state of Kentucky and further expansion to the west。 After reading Blood and Treasure: Daniel Boone and the Fight for America's First Frontier earlier this year， some of this was a review of the facts presented there。 The books actually complement each other quite well and I would definitely recommend reading both。 The intersection of the Revolutionary War with Westward Expansion is complicated。 Decisions were made then， some inspiring and others gross missteps。 We can learn more about our history from books like these and I thank Matthew Pearl for the research done to bring this piece of history to life。Thank you to Harper and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Joe Jones
，
Fascinating look at that time period and the relations between the Native Americans and White Settlers moving into their territories。 It is history we all should know。
Leticia Ramos
，
Matthew Pearl did a great job writing his first Non-Fiction book。 It read like a novel at times， which made reading the history a bit more enjoyable and not feel daunting。 This was my first time reading about this particular time in history。 To learn about the settlers that kept on pushing the boundaries and creeping into the territories， was a history I never knew about。 I really enjoyed learning about the complex histories between the settlers and the Native Americans， and how the conflict of Matthew Pearl did a great job writing his first Non-Fiction book。 It read like a novel at times， which made reading the history a bit more enjoyable and not feel daunting。 This was my first time reading about this particular time in history。 To learn about the settlers that kept on pushing the boundaries and creeping into the territories， was a history I never knew about。 I really enjoyed learning about the complex histories between the settlers and the Native Americans， and how the conflict of interests and land truly affected everyone。 It is not the linear we have been taught to believe， but a messy history that is rich。 There were those that wanted peace and those that wanted what they only cared for and would get it no matter the consequences。 All this happening during the nation's fight in the Revolutionary War。Jemima Boone's kidnapping was so fascinating to read about。 They way she handled the capture and the aftermath of her capture was amazing。 The skills to have a such a young age and being a young woman at that time， it showed the closest truth to settler life and how some could handle it while others could not。 I received this ebook for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Oconnor
，
I read an advance copy of this book。 The story frames the early days of the American Revolution around the kidnapping of Daniel Boone's daughter Jemima。 The author has woven together a memorable and impactful story that links the kidnapping and people involved with developments in the wartime strategy。 The book captures the rich diversity of the nation and recounts roles played by enslaved people， American Indians， British officers， French spies， Colonials， and influential women。 I hope that the I read an advance copy of this book。 The story frames the early days of the American Revolution around the kidnapping of Daniel Boone's daughter Jemima。 The author has woven together a memorable and impactful story that links the kidnapping and people involved with developments in the wartime strategy。 The book captures the rich diversity of the nation and recounts roles played by enslaved people， American Indians， British officers， French spies， Colonials， and influential women。 I hope that the final version includes maps - it would make it very interesting。 I also hope that the final version will include a rich reference and notes section。 。。。more
Nancy
，
In 1764， my sixth-great-grandparents were murdered and scalped。 The story is told how eight natives led by a white man came into the Shenandoah Valley to rob settlers， who were Swiss Brethren。 After they killed my ancestors， the raiders pursued the children， killing one in a pear tree， another in the middle of Tom’s Brook， and kidnapping three （or four）。 Of those kidnapped， the youngest boy， who was ill， and the girl（s）， were killed because they could not keep up。 The oldest child， Michael， was In 1764， my sixth-great-grandparents were murdered and scalped。 The story is told how eight natives led by a white man came into the Shenandoah Valley to rob settlers， who were Swiss Brethren。 After they killed my ancestors， the raiders pursued the children， killing one in a pear tree， another in the middle of Tom’s Brook， and kidnapping three （or four）。 Of those kidnapped， the youngest boy， who was ill， and the girl（s）， were killed because they could not keep up。 The oldest child， Michael， was taken to Ohio where he lived with the natives for three years before he was returned in a prisoner exchange。My ancestor’s experiences were not unique。 Thousands of colonists were attacked and taken。 Hundreds assimilated into native culture。 Some escaped and other were traded back to the colonists。 But， it was news to me to learn that Daniel Boone’s daughter had been captured by natives， and that Boone himself had been taken and adopted as the son of a chief。The Taking of Jemima Boone is the first book of narrative nonfiction by Matthew Pearl。 I have enjoyed his historical mystery novels with literary themes。 Now， I can attest that Pearl’s nonfiction is just as entertaining and just as riveting。The capture of Jemima Boone and how her father and others tracked and battled the kidnappers， killing several， began a cycle of revenge。 One of the natives Boone killed was the son of a chief who in a later battle took Boone hostage and adopted him as his son。 The father of one of the other kidnapped girls vied for control of Boonesboro， later telling a false narrative of the rescue and even accusing Boone of treason。Boone bonded with his native family， who forgave him when he finally escaped; they understood his desire to see his family， and hoped he would return with them。 Boone’s ability to find non-violent ways of solving problems and his connection with the natives is impressive， especially when most colonists preferred immediate， violent action when it came to the natives。Settlers encroached on native hunting grounds， often illegally according to treaties between the British and the native tribes。 But the colonists were also breaking away from Britain and the tribes had to take sides。 The Shawnees， Seneca， Cherokee， and other tribes allied with the British， entrenched in their stronghold at Ft。 Detroit， and were tasked to destroy Boonesboro， which threatened to allow colonists a western stronghold。In the book I met Simon Girty， a colonist who， along with his brothers， was kidnapped by natives when a teenager。 He became an interpreter， his alliance shifting to the British during the war， which gave him a dreadful reputation。 Some histories claim he was the one who led the murder of my ancestors。 But， in 1764， Girty had just been released from captivity and reunited with his mother and brothers。Boone was taken captive along with 28 fellow Boonesboro men on a salt-making expedition。 He argued that he and his men be kept alive as war prisoners。 Simon Girty’s brothers were there and voted for mercy， “a stance contradicting the notorious， near-demonic reputation the Girtys had developed among settlers。” Simon Girty was unable to save another white man who was brutally tortured and killed。Boone not only had to content with the British and the native tribes wanting to destroy Boonesboro， internal conflicts between him and other settlers simmered and brewed。 Boone’s leadership was under attack on all sides。Pearl’s book is a wonderful narrative history。 The personal stories of Jemima and Daniel Boone are the backbone of the book， a way for readers to connect to the history。I received a free egalley from the publisher though NetGalley。 My review is fair and unbiased。 。。。more
Anna Wooliver
，
I very much wanted to like this book， but it uses the trope of the resourceful and beautiful white girl kidnapped by Indians to lure you in。 I am ashamed of this fact， because it is what initially drew me to it。 In the book the famous Indian "captive" Mary Jemison is mentioned and she notes that her taking was to atone for the life of a son of the tribe killed by colonists， and I appreciated this mention of the Native American mindset。 The book is less about the life and kidnapping of Jemima Boo I very much wanted to like this book， but it uses the trope of the resourceful and beautiful white girl kidnapped by Indians to lure you in。 I am ashamed of this fact， because it is what initially drew me to it。 In the book the famous Indian "captive" Mary Jemison is mentioned and she notes that her taking was to atone for the life of a son of the tribe killed by colonists， and I appreciated this mention of the Native American mindset。 The book is less about the life and kidnapping of Jemima Boone， and more a superficial look at the forceful colonization of Cherokee and Shawnee territory by white colonists。 It is very much about Daniel Boone， and puts him in the forefront as a leader and hero。 As a history book it lacks in detail， and as a biography of Jemima Boone it lacks concrete facts。 She appears in order to tie the sections together， and this story is very readable， but depends greatly on "family lore" positioned as fact。 The narrative seems to forget Jemima， the focus of the book。 。。。more
Kim McGee
，
This is Matthew Pearl's first foray into non-fiction but he is at heart a storyteller so the characters and the drama are foremost backed up by facts and background information making it easily readable。We all think we know Daniel Boone or at least the larger than life bear wrestling pioneer and the stuff of legend。 This is the story of someone who is desperate to to claim pristine land for his family and generations to come， one step ahead of the politics and crowds back east。 He has seen both This is Matthew Pearl's first foray into non-fiction but he is at heart a storyteller so the characters and the drama are foremost backed up by facts and background information making it easily readable。We all think we know Daniel Boone or at least the larger than life bear wrestling pioneer and the stuff of legend。 This is the story of someone who is desperate to to claim pristine land for his family and generations to come， one step ahead of the politics and crowds back east。 He has seen both sides of the native people and the politics and wants nothing to do with it。 While on an outing away from the safe walls of the fort， Jemima Boone and a few girls are grabbed by a Cherokee raiding party and kidnapped。 Jemima is her father's daughter and cleverly manages to keep a cool head allowing her dad and the others to catch up and rescue them。 This would be a short tale if it ended with her safe return but instead this action opens up a hornet's nest between the settlers and the native population。Murders occur on both sides and with the Revolutionary War beginning， more people get involved as the situation spins out of control。 I especially enjoyed learning about the native practice of taking hostages from their enemy and adopting them into the tribe to replace those family members killed。 This seemed like such a peaceful and smart practice and one not practiced by our side。 Daniel Boone knew this firsthand and found it difficult to straddle both sides。 There is something for everyone - history， politics， high adventure and a birdseye view of a part of history that has been kept out of the schoolbooks。 My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy。 。。。more
elysa
，
I hated it。 I didn't know it was non fiction。 I do like non fiction but this topic did not interest me。 I'm a big fan of Matthew Pearl。 I can't wait for his next book。 I hated it。 I didn't know it was non fiction。 I do like non fiction but this topic did not interest me。 I'm a big fan of Matthew Pearl。 I can't wait for his next book。 。。。more
Dana
，
I've read several other books by Matthew Pearl and I have been very pleased with them。 This one was a free advanced copy from Goodreads。 I had never heard anything about the abduction of Daniel Boone's daughter Jemima before this book。 I loved that this book contains all of the history going on around this time period。 With this overall historical information you understand why this one act set off a line of other instances to change history for the American Indian's and how American's were able I've read several other books by Matthew Pearl and I have been very pleased with them。 This one was a free advanced copy from Goodreads。 I had never heard anything about the abduction of Daniel Boone's daughter Jemima before this book。 I loved that this book contains all of the history going on around this time period。 With this overall historical information you understand why this one act set off a line of other instances to change history for the American Indian's and how American's were able to spread westward。 I'm a history lover and was mesmerized by the whole time period Matthew Pearl brought to life with so many historical details。I really recommend this book to any who wishes to know more about the Revolutionary war time period， the American's surge westward， and even smatterings of which Indian tribes fought with which side （American or British）。 Pick up a copy as soon as you can。 I'm going to keep mine around so I can read it again。 。。。more
Glen
，
I won this book in a goodreads drawing。The day I got this book in the mail， a video went viral showing a guy trying to abduct a five year old boy right in front of his mother。。。in New York City。 The more things change。。。 The Captive Narrative was one of the first forms of literature to come out of Colonial America。 Stories of English settlers abducted by Native Americans abounded， and still today， there is a Romance story subgenre with the same premise。The abduction of Jemima Boone is one of the I won this book in a goodreads drawing。The day I got this book in the mail， a video went viral showing a guy trying to abduct a five year old boy right in front of his mother。。。in New York City。 The more things change。。。 The Captive Narrative was one of the first forms of literature to come out of Colonial America。 Stories of English settlers abducted by Native Americans abounded， and still today， there is a Romance story subgenre with the same premise。The abduction of Jemima Boone is one of the most famous of these， as not only was her father a famous frontiersman， he managed to rescue her， due in part to her own ingenuity and resourcefulness。There's a lot of timorous attempt for context， but it seemed like Pearl was afraid of being cancelled or something。 。。。more
David
，
This biography of the Daniel Boone family begins with the abduction of his 13 year old daughter， Jemima， by Shawnee Indians。 Boone and a small group of frontiersmen track the Shawnee party for several days， aided by signs left on the trail by Jemima。 The frontiersmen successfully rescue Jemima and two other girls abducted， but set in motion a conflict that continues for several years。 The book centers around the exploits of Daniel Boone， but gives attention to the bravery and cunning of his daug This biography of the Daniel Boone family begins with the abduction of his 13 year old daughter， Jemima， by Shawnee Indians。 Boone and a small group of frontiersmen track the Shawnee party for several days， aided by signs left on the trail by Jemima。 The frontiersmen successfully rescue Jemima and two other girls abducted， but set in motion a conflict that continues for several years。 The book centers around the exploits of Daniel Boone， but gives attention to the bravery and cunning of his daughter during the conflicts to come。Boone himself was later captured by the Shawnee and adopted by the Chief Blackfish。 Boone eventually escapes and returns to Boonesboro where Jemima has waited for his return， against all odds。 Her assistance in the defense of Boonesboro against an overwhelming force of Indians points out the importance of brave women in the frontier。This is not a complete biography of Daniel Boone or his daughter， but it fills in many gaps。 It also focuses on the importance of women in the frontier and the disreputable treatment of the indigenous tribes。 It is well researched but very readable。Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Cari Allen
，
As a huge history fan， I was excited to read this first non-fiction work by Matthew Pearl。 Although I had read The Last of the Mohicans in college， I had no idea that it was loosely based on Jemima Boone’s kidnapping， so I felt like I was going into reading this with no previous knowledge。 Well written and fast paced， this is an excellent depiction of the conflicts between settlers and Native Americans and the fight to retain their land。 The complex relationships that developed and conflicting e As a huge history fan， I was excited to read this first non-fiction work by Matthew Pearl。 Although I had read The Last of the Mohicans in college， I had no idea that it was loosely based on Jemima Boone’s kidnapping， so I felt like I was going into reading this with no previous knowledge。 Well written and fast paced， this is an excellent depiction of the conflicts between settlers and Native Americans and the fight to retain their land。 The complex relationships that developed and conflicting emotions are also perfectly captured。 Highly recommended for history buffs and fans of revolutionary war stories。Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this free advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Bryn Dunham
，
This was a Goodreads advance reader’s edition in which I won。 To be brief， this is a general but fast paced account of a few of the several violent episodes in American History on the American frontier west of the Appalachians。 The premise being that the kidnapping of Daniel Boone’s daughter triggered a series of events that played a significant role in shaping early America。 As someone whom I consider well read on this era I thought this was a good book for general readers but the real history This was a Goodreads advance reader’s edition in which I won。 To be brief， this is a general but fast paced account of a few of the several violent episodes in American History on the American frontier west of the Appalachians。 The premise being that the kidnapping of Daniel Boone’s daughter triggered a series of events that played a significant role in shaping early America。 As someone whom I consider well read on this era I thought this was a good book for general readers but the real history buffs might be let down in it’s simplicity and doesn’t capture the total complexities of the era。 First， I think the story of the kidnapping， rescue and aftermath stands out in significance only due to the quasi celebrity status and legendary figure that was Daniel Boone。 There were so many raids， kidnappings， Indian adoptions and assimilations， massacres and violent engagements between the 1750s-1780s that but for Daniel Boone’s place in American folklore this tale would have been lost to history。 Second， that this story somehow shaped the direction of the country is a stretch。 The kidnapping happened in 1776， when tensions between colonists and Great Britain reached its climax forcing colonials and Indians alike to decide their loyalties and alliances。 Like stated above there were so many incidents， most lost to history， and to state that this one event and subsequent events was special beyond the figures involved is an exaggeration to sell the book。 Third， the author makes the common reflexive errors of contemporary popular authors writing history in that he asserts his well intentioned 21st Century values and opinions regarding race and gender equality plus slavery and the fate of American Indians on a 18th Century world。 This was a good read but doesn’t add too much to what’s already available for avid history buffs but the general reader will surely enjoy and learn something about this violent region and era。 。。。more
Jim
，
A look at Daniel Boone and his family especially the rescue of his daughter， Jemima。Another look at Daniel Boone's life。 I won this book on Goodreads。 A look at Daniel Boone and his family especially the rescue of his daughter， Jemima。Another look at Daniel Boone's life。 I won this book on Goodreads。 。。。more
Cassandra
，
Great book on an aspect of history that is not well known。 Most Americans are aware of Daniel Boone and his exploration of Kentucky， but few are aware of his daughter， Jemima and how she and her father were integral in helping the United States expand westward。 Jemima's strength during his life is inspiring and is one of America's early strong female figures。 Great read for those that love history。 Great book on an aspect of history that is not well known。 Most Americans are aware of Daniel Boone and his exploration of Kentucky， but few are aware of his daughter， Jemima and how she and her father were integral in helping the United States expand westward。 Jemima's strength during his life is inspiring and is one of America's early strong female figures。 Great read for those that love history。 。。。more
Michelle
，
Thank you to Harper Collins Publishers for sending me this ARC for the purpose of review。If one believes that history is boring， it's because it's usually taught that way， to many a teacher's chagrin。 Unfortunately， the curriculum is so packed with need-to-know information， it's hard to get across all of US history in a single year beyond a hasty "this battle and that battle and that guy did that" （and just imagine having to condense all of world history！）。 It ends up being the hope that student Thank you to Harper Collins Publishers for sending me this ARC for the purpose of review。If one believes that history is boring， it's because it's usually taught that way， to many a teacher's chagrin。 Unfortunately， the curriculum is so packed with need-to-know information， it's hard to get across all of US history in a single year beyond a hasty "this battle and that battle and that guy did that" （and just imagine having to condense all of world history！）。 It ends up being the hope that students will be compelled to discover more in depth study beyond the confines of the classroom。Fortunately， there are plenty of resources that make that possible and Matthew Pearl's latest is a perfect example。The Taking of Jemima Boone is a thoroughly enjoyable read。 I entered in with an historian's frame of mind， but it's highly accessible for anyone and reads like fiction。 At its heart， it's the story of the capture of Daniel Boone's daughter Jemima （along with two of her friends） by Cherokee-Shawnee Indians， as well as her rescue and the aftermath， but the narrative is so much richer than that。 This gives us a vivid picture （in less than 300 pages） of settler women， of the hardships settlers faced in a hostile landscape and the dangers of going against the British Crown and its colonial authorities， of the social realities of various Native tribes and of course， the complexities of the political and social relationships among European powers， white settlers， and American Indian leaders。I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book。 History lovers will enjoy it and anyone with an interest in the period will learn a great deal from it， especially if one is looking for a more mature look on our past than the simplicity with which our history is treated by talking heads on tv who are more interested in scoring social media likes and hits on their political opponents than getting the story correct。 。。。more
Dan Radovich
，
Pearl's first published non-fiction book is just as rewarding as his fiction。 He is a stickler for details which makes this tale all the more enjoyable to devour。 I had never heard of this adventure in Daniel Boone's life before I read that Matthew was bringing it to the public。 The kidnapping of Jemima and two of her young friends by a group of Cherokee and Shawnees occurred in the Summer of 1776。 Boone and his family were attempting to strengthen a settlement in woodland Kentucky were the trib Pearl's first published non-fiction book is just as rewarding as his fiction。 He is a stickler for details which makes this tale all the more enjoyable to devour。 I had never heard of this adventure in Daniel Boone's life before I read that Matthew was bringing it to the public。 The kidnapping of Jemima and two of her young friends by a group of Cherokee and Shawnees occurred in the Summer of 1776。 Boone and his family were attempting to strengthen a settlement in woodland Kentucky were the tribes also lived and roamed。 The rescue mission is the opening portion of the tale， but the aftermath is even more thrilling。 You are guaranteed to learn more about America's history as well as be entertained by this work。 He brings all parties to vivid life， letting you walk in their shoes to get a feel for what life must have been like for both colonial settler and Native American。 。。。more
Andrea
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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC。Only vaguely familiar with Daniel Boone， I read this on a lark since I enjoyed one of Matthew Pearl's novels。 I was blown away。 This is the history of the simultaneous barbarity and tragedy of manifest destiny， framed by the kidnapping of Jemima Boone， daughter of the famous settler。 This is what good history for a general audience should do—not just an entertaining read （though it is） but heavy reliance on primary sources that illustrates the Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC。Only vaguely familiar with Daniel Boone， I read this on a lark since I enjoyed one of Matthew Pearl's novels。 I was blown away。 This is the history of the simultaneous barbarity and tragedy of manifest destiny， framed by the kidnapping of Jemima Boone， daughter of the famous settler。 This is what good history for a general audience should do—not just an entertaining read （though it is） but heavy reliance on primary sources that illustrates the complexity of a situation and doesn't show a clear march to progress。 I especially appreciated how Pearl emphasizes the critical role that settler women played。 Pearl's commentary brings context and clarity that left me thinking long after I set it down。 Contrast this to years of mind-numbing history courses that boiled the Revolutionary War down to battle after battle with little sense of why and how！ We also get far more about Cherokee-Shawnee social mores than I had expected， and it's a critical part of the story rather than one of those fluffy asides in a history textbook。 Pearl's book left me with a profound sense of loss for what could have been— perhaps even Boonesboro as a fledgling example of Native Americans living in harmony with white settlers。 The book title and copy's focus on Jemima Boone is the only thing that gives me pause。 I don't think the kidnapping is necessarily the truest beginning here （it's only， according to the description， "the latest salvo in the blood feud"）， but it certainly captures attention。 I think it says more about our prurient fixation on possible violence done to white unmarried women than anything else。 I'm so glad that I picked up the book despite this。 。。。more
Michael Burke
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"The Taking of Jemima Boone" by Matthew Pearl is a fresh and exciting account of one of American history's heroes。 Daniel Boone's legend had its own 1960's tv series， its own theme song， even its own Fes Parker-coonskin-hat-portrayal （somewhat blurred with a Davy Crockett model）。 Normally any revision to history reveals a crushingly disappointing picture of what really took place。 Here some myths are vanquished but we see the real story never needed embellishments。 Jemima Boone， Daniel's thirtee "The Taking of Jemima Boone" by Matthew Pearl is a fresh and exciting account of one of American history's heroes。 Daniel Boone's legend had its own 1960's tv series， its own theme song， even its own Fes Parker-coonskin-hat-portrayal （somewhat blurred with a Davy Crockett model）。 Normally any revision to history reveals a crushingly disappointing picture of what really took place。 Here some myths are vanquished but we see the real story never needed embellishments。 Jemima Boone， Daniel's thirteen-year-old daughter， is presented as a gutsy three dimensional character-- a depiction of a female rarely shown in historical narratives。 As the title implies， the center of the book revolves around her kidnapping by a group of American Indians。 The domino effect of this event turns around the lives of the Boone family， the tribes， and the British army looking to squash the American presence in Kentucky。 The cobwebs of stale history books are cleared off， bringing the frontier struggle alive。 Daniel Boone is not a god， he is a leader struggling with his decisions he has to make。 We also see Native American people with real emotions， real qualities， real flaws。 This is so much more interesting than the cardboard character driven paint-by-number tall tales played on television reruns。 Thank you to HarperCollins， NetGalley， and Matthew Pearl for providing the Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review。 #TheTakingofJemimaBoone #NetGalley 。。。more
Suellen
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• Thank you to Harper and NetGalley for providing this Advance Reading Copy。 Expected publication date is October 5， 2021。Did you know Daniel Boone‘s daughter was kidnapped？ Well she was， in 1776 just after the signing of The Declaration of Independence。 This is the true story of how that kidnapping occurred while Daniel Boone and his family were building a settlement in Kentucky。 A Cherokee-Shawnee raiding party took Jemima Boone and two of her friends during a blood feud between American India • Thank you to Harper and NetGalley for providing this Advance Reading Copy。 Expected publication date is October 5， 2021。Did you know Daniel Boone‘s daughter was kidnapped？ Well she was， in 1776 just after the signing of The Declaration of Independence。 This is the true story of how that kidnapping occurred while Daniel Boone and his family were building a settlement in Kentucky。 A Cherokee-Shawnee raiding party took Jemima Boone and two of her friends during a blood feud between American Indians and the colonial settlers。 This book is a truly fascinating look at our young American history。Since I’m from the Detroit area， I was particularly interested in the history behind the places and street names found in Michigan and the greater Detroit area。 。。。more
Caren
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