Imperfect Union: How Jessie and John Frémont Mapped the West, Invented Celebrity, and Helped Cause the Civil War [B2099]

2020 HCDJ in nice clean condition. Steve Inskeep (of NPR's Morning Edition) tells the riveting story of John and Jessie Frémont, the husband and wife team who in the 1800s were instrumental in the westward expansion of the United States, and thus became America's first great political couple John C. Frémont, one of the United States's leading explorers of the nineteenth century, was relatively unknown in 1842, when he commanded the first of his expeditions to the uncharted West. But in only a few years, he was one of the most acclaimed people of the age - known as a wilderness explorer, bestselling writer, gallant army officer, and latter-day conquistador, who in 1846 began the United States's takeover of California from Mexico. He was not even 40 years old when Americans began naming mountains and towns after him. He had perfect timing, exploring the West just as it captured the nation's attention. But the most important factor in his fame may have been the person who made it all possible: his wife, Jessie Benton Frémont. Jessie, the daughter of a United States senator who was deeply involved in the West, provided her husband with entrée to the highest levels of government and media, and his career reached new heights only a few months after their elopement. During a time when women were allowed to make few choices for themselves, Jessie - who herself aspired to roles in exploration and politics - threw her skill and passion into promoting her husband. She worked to carefully edit and publicize his accounts of his travels, attracted talented young men to his circle, and lashed out at his enemies. She became her husband's political adviser, as well as a power player in her own right. In 1856, the famous couple strategized as John became the first-ever presidential nominee of the newly established Republican Party. With rare detail and in consummate style, Steve Inskeep tells the story of a couple whose joint ambitions and talents intertwined with those of the nascent United States itself. Taking advantage of expanding news media, aided by an increasingly literate public, the two linked their names to the three great national movements of the time-westward settlement, women's rights, and opposition to slavery. Together, John and Jessie Frémont took parts in events that defined the country and gave rise to a new, more global America. Theirs is a surprisingly modern tale of ambition and fame; they lived in a time of social and technological disruption and divisive politics that foreshadowed our own. In Imperfect Union, as Inskeep navigates these deeply transformative years through Jessie and John's own union, he reveals how the Frémonts' adventures amount to nothing less than a tour of the early American soul.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "A fascinating account of a very accomplished couple. Pertinent information that is remarkably relevant today-racism, American imperialism, battles with Mexico, xenophobia."; "One of the best contributions to U.S. history and biography I have read. Told in a way that kept my interest page after page. The research and attention to detail of this important subject, I recommend it to anyone wanting a deeper perspective on 19th Century U.S. history."; "John C. Frémont is one of of most impactful Americans in history who very few people today are actually familiar with. Nearly every U.S. resident has, at least once, driven down a Fremont street or passed through a city named Fremont or spent time in a Fremont park. Fremont's name is represented in mountains, rivers, trees, and species of flowers. Like all historical figures, John was incredibly flawed - stubborn, scatter-brained, selfish - but his impact is undeniable, helping launch California as a state and enshrining the Pacific Coast as a part of the U.S. Inskeep's book taught me so much about Frémont's impact - and the play-by-play of his near-death experiences while crossing the Rockies mid-winter is sensational. Highly recommend this for anyone looking to explore the West as it was 200 years ago."; "It is refreshing to read a biography of imperfect humans, living in politically challenging times. Sometimes they do the right thing, sometimes they don't."