Frontier Living: An Illustrated Guide to Pioneer Life in America

I discovered this book at my local library and just knew I had to have a copy. I am working on my family history and this book contains excellent illustrations and concise descriptions of the frontier from the beginning of settling this country through its movement westward. The service from the provider was fast, efficient; the book arrived in great condition. Very pleased overall.

This book is a golden book of information on items existing during Frontier living, especially during the 1800's. I was amazed at the detailed information written along with illustrations throughout the book. There are sections for housing, work, farming, church, etc. This book is a gem for anyone researching the 1800's, or teaching. For readers of Westerns, it would be a great resourse to be able to view items discussed in books. Well worth the money.

A good nuts and bolts approach tot he material life of Americans from 1620-1850. How they farmed, manufactured, traded and built things. Some of the snarkier judgemental views of the author on the societies (particularly native americans) was unwelcome. The illustrations, mostly by the author, are quite nice and add a lot to understanding the paragraphs.

The subtitle says it all: "An Illustrated Guide to Pioneer Life in America, Including Log Cabins, Furniture, Tools, Clothing, and More." From about 1725 to the closing of the frontier, Tunis examines dozens of aspects of American frontier life in this sequel to his "Colonial Living," and even touches on history (the little-known Black Hawk War, the Santa Fe trade, etc.). His clear, detailed pen-and-ink sketches provide a perfect visual accompaniment to written commentary. (Check out the household articles on pp. 24-5, the tub mill on p. 40, the spinning wheels and loom on pp. 46-8, and--my favorite--the elementary prairie well-drilling rig on p. 157, to take just a few examples.) As is often the case with juvenile social histories, he manages to touch on things you don't learn in books written for an adult audience, so the volume should be useful to researchers of every age. My one complaint is the positioning of the page numbers, which are buried in the crack of the binding! This is a book I was delighted to add to my collection, and I recommend it to everyone who has an interest in pre-1900 America.

It is OK for what it is. This is more of the type of book you see on display at a Historical Society than any kind of instruction or educational manual. There are some really good illustrations that can be used to figure out the mechanics of various apparatus.However, most of the book reads "And the people who lived in this area at this time wore clothes made of (this material) had farm animals and livestock of (insert breeds) and lived in homes constructed of (insert material).I was hoping more of a primer of HOW these people lived in these ways and not just that they did have these things.

This is another wonderful edition to Edwin Tunis' series of books on life in the early European American colonies.Tunis includes interesting facts about the peoples, their beliefs, their lives, and the time period without coloring it with bias. My daughter and I love all of his books, this one included.

Like new paperback arrived within 2 days using Amazon Prime. Suitable for teachers, American history buffs and anyone wishing to learn more about early American immigration and settlements from east to west. Perfect for our local museum Heritage Days display. Not a history text book. More appropriate for young adults and those wishing to discuss pioneer living vs. modern living.

In "Frontier Living", Edwin Tunis follows out country's century long westward expansion from the Eastern Seaboard, over the Appalachian Mountains, into the Midwest and South and finally across the Missisippi River to the West Coast. Tunis' focus is not on dates and famous leaders but on the lives of ordinary pioneers. What makes this book so special are Edward Tunis' msterful pen and ink illustrations. He was one of the master illustrators of the Twentieth Century. Tunis' drawings of such ingenious things as flutter-wheel sawmills, bullboats and tree stump pulling equipment are absolutely fascinating. For those who love books that focus on material culture, be sure to check out eh works of Eric Sloane, another master illustrator. Highly recommended.

Interesting and comprehensive.