jjares reviewed on 9/7/2021 + 3266 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

This is a brief, but very informative view of Kit Carson's life. He did more things than one can imagine in one short life. He was an excellent rifleman, trapper, guide overland (he had total recall of previous trips over the same land), government transcontinental courier, tracker, Indian agent, and more. He hobnobbed with the movers and shakers of the era, including John C Freemont and presidents.

The most fascinating fact I learned was that Carson was virtually illiterate, he could not read or write. However, he was articulate in several languages and at least 7 different Native American tongues and some dialects. Carson could never say no because he felt he needed to do what more educated people told him (even when he knew better than they did). Thus, Carson always felt inferior to others because of his inability to read and write. With his great communication skills, he was highly valued by whites and Native Americans alike. Carson was immortalized because he had more attributes than most and fewer vices than most.

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