Personal Narrative of James O. Pattie

by James Ohio Pattie, Reuben Gold Thwaites, Timothy Flint

Book Overview

The Personal Narrative of James O. Pattie is a memoir written by James Ohio Pattie, an American explorer and fur trapper who lived in the early 19th century. The book is a firsthand account of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0878422056
• ISBN13: 9780878422050
• Release Date: March 1988
• Publisher: Mountain Press Publishing Company
• Length: 216 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.8" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

Don't Write Off This Book So Quickly!

Indeed, much of this tale is apparently not true. The editor (Richard Batman) makes this clear from the get-go, and points out the most obvious whoppers with plenty of footnotes and clarifications. He also tells you that the publisher, Timothy Flint, admitted to adding some "topographical illustrations," whatever that means. As you read it, you can inherently sense when the authorship changes, since Pattie's writing style seems to involve an excessive use of commas. So, what is the value of this book? Regardless of historical accuracy, this is still a reprint of a book that came out in 1831. That in itself gives it historical value, whether fact or fiction. The scenery, the sentiments, the lifestyle - they are all authentic to their time, and offer a window to the past from some primary source, whomever that may be. The relationships between the whites and the Indians are typical of any of the "mountain man" books you may choose to read, which may be more true than this. However I found the interactions between the Americans and the Spanish-Mexicans much more revealing and intriguing. The last third of the book, which depicts Pattie's experiences in California (with many events confirmed by other sources), is more personal, and at times heartbreaking. Whether or not he "saved" the population with smallpox vaccine is not half as interesting as his descriptions of the California missions he visited up the coast. As a Californian, I was pleased to read references to the La Brea Tar Pits, and amused to learn that two priests had robbed the St. Buenaventura mission of silver and gold prior to Pattie's arrival. I would recommend this book for readers who enjoy Mountain Man lore, Southwest/California history, or 19th century "historical" literature. (This book also contains several delightful original illustrations of a somewhat primitive style, reminiscent of Revolutionary Era artwork.)