Description
In this classic work, Richard Taylor artfully assembles a collage of passages from diaries, travel accounts, and biographies to tell part of the notorious villain's story. Taylor uses the voice of Girty himself to unfold the rest of the narrative through a series of interior monologues, which take the form of both prose and poetry. Moments of torture and horrifying bloodshed stand starkly against passages celebrating beautiful landscapes and wildlife. Throughout, Taylor challenges perceptions of the man and the frontier, as well as notions of white settler innocence.
Simon Girty's bloody exploits and legend made him hated and feared in Kentucky and the Ohio River Valley, but many who knew him respected him for his convictions, principles, and bravery. This evocative work brings to life a complex figure who must permanently dwell in the borderland between myth and fact, one foot in each domain.
About the Author
Dr Richard Taylor holds BA and DPhil degrees in Ancient History from Oxford University. His doctoral thesis won the Hellenic Foundation prize for best UK thesis in classics and ancient history (and forms the basis for part of The Macedonian Phalanx ). He Ted Franklin Belue teaches at Murray State University in Kentucky. He is also the author of The Long Hunt and Hunters of Kentucky.
Book Information
ISBN 9780813180557
Author Richard Taylor
Format Hardback
Page Count 198
Imprint The University Press of Kentucky
Publisher The University Press of Kentucky