Pathfinder: John Charles Fremont and the Course of American Empire - Softcover

“More than any other American John C. Fremont the pathfinder for a vast inland empire stretching from the Mississippi Valley to the Pacific Ocean. In a biography that, like its subject, never knows a dull moment, Tom Chaffin captures the spectacular successes as well as failures of this complex and colorful character.”—James McPherson, Princeton University

“Pathfinder is the most eloquent, understanding, and yet very candid biography of Frémont that has appeared to date. A major contribution to American historical writing.”—Howard R. Lamar, Yale University

“Throughout the nineteenth century, the most celebrated explorer in America was not Lewis or Clark or Pike or Powell. It was the extraordinary ‘Pathfinder,’ John Charles Frémont. In his mesmerizing biography, Tom Chaffin brings to life not only Frémont but the amazing personalities who populated his world, including William Clark, Kit Carson, Robert E. Lee, and Abraham Lincoln.”—Landon Jones, former managing editor, People magazine

“In clear and vivid language, Tom Chaffin’s Pathfinder re-creates the life of John C. Frémont, allowing us to see this extraordinary man, warts and all.”—Elliott J. Gorn, Purdue University

“A masterful storyteller, Tom Chaffin vividly narrates the personal as well as private lives of Frémont and the other colorful figures of his generation who pushed America to the Pacific.”—David J. Weber, Southern Methodist University

“John Charles Frémont was a man—some would say the man—who epitomized mid-nineteenth century America’s driven, supremely confident spirit. Tom Chaffin has brought his remarkable character back into our midst, and by doing so he has shown us something of the heroism and blindness of that pivotal time in the nation’s history.”—Elliott West, University of Arkansas