jjares reviewed on 3/12/2021 + 3293 more book reviews

John C Fremont was a unique character to the fullest extent of the word. He rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous. Through his explorations, he garnered the title, "The Pathfinder." Although he really wasn't an original explorer, he followed the trails of others and published narratives and maps that new immigrants bought and used as guidebooks through the wildernesses.

Fremont was a governor of Arizona Territory and later military governor of California. He also served as a senator from California. He was so famous that he was the first Republican Party nominee for president in 1856. The national party was new; Fremont lost to James Buchanan when the Know-Nothing Party split the vote.

Fremont led a life one could only dream of; he earned a fortune and lost it; traveled extensively; married a senator's daughter; opposed slavery; got in trouble with President Abraham Lincoln; served in the military, etc. On the down-side, Fremont was reckless, needlessly endangering men's lives during various explorations. After reading this, it is obvious that Fremont lived life to the fullest. In many ways, he was a remarkable man.

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