Who was Acorn Whistler; and why did he have to die? A deeply researched analysis of a bloody eighteenth-century conflict and its tangled aftermath; The Four Deaths of Acorn Whistler unearths competing accounts of the events surrounding the death of this Creek Indian. Told from the perspectives of a colonial governor; a Creek Nation military leader; local Native Americans; and British colonists; each story speaks to issues that transcend the condemned man’s fate: the collision of European and Native American cultures; the struggle of Indians to preserve traditional ways of life; and tensions within the British Empire as the American Revolution approached.At the hand of his own nephew; Acorn Whistler was executed in the summer of 1752 for the crime of murdering five Cherokee men. War had just broken out between the Creeks and the Cherokees to the north. To the east; colonists in South Carolina and Georgia watched the growing conflict with alarm; while British imperial officials kept an eye on both the Indians’ war and the volatile politics of the colonists themselves. They all interpreted the single calamitous event of Acorn Whistler’s death through their own uncertainty about the future. Joshua Piker uses their diverging accounts to uncover the larger truth of an early America rife with violence and insecurity but also transformative possibility.
#1637984 in Books 2009-01-15 2008-12-15Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.46 x .84 x 5.84l; .80 #File Name: 0674031946208 pages
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Captain Cook the Questions that Surround his LegacyBy Loves the ViewI first became aware of the controversy surrounding the death of Captain Cook in reading Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before a few years ago. In it; Tony Horwitz descrbes how; on his third voyage; Cook displayed behavior that was not characteristic of his first two expeditions. He gave instances of an increase of tension with his crew; some questionable decisions and uncharacteristic interactions with native peoples. Whether he was tired; stressed or depressed; it came to a head on the Island of Hawai'i on February 14; 1779.Glyn Williams discusses the questions that surround the navigator's death. Why was this man; presumed to be a god; killed by former worshipers? Why do we not know the facts of what happened?Cook meticulously kept a log and when there was time he prepared two journals; one for the admiralty and another to be used for popular publication. Why does writing ceases on January 17? Early publications of Cook's journals purported to be his own words; but Williams gives examples of editing to increase the sensationalism of his findings and give Cook an all-knowing heroic posture. Could there have been a cover up of the events leading up to the stabbing death by Cook; himself; or others with an interest in maintaing Cook's image?Williams reports on and quotes from eye-witnesses; some from written documents of the crew; and some from Hawaiians who had been present that day as reported by later explorers. Williams discusses how Cook has been both tarnished and extolled. We writes of the differing perceptions of Cook in the colonial and post-colonial periods.This book documents a lot about Cook and the documentation can be like reading a list (this is not a page turner). For instance; the chapter "An Enlightenment Hero" gives page after page of citations and tributes; along with some reports of the fatal day. Sometimes the documentation gets in the way of clarity. For instance in the detailed report of the abrupt ending of Cook's log and journals; you learn in great detail how Cook kept records; the use of nautical versus civil time; and the dates that each ended. For the date of death; the fact that actually shows how long this lapse in the log actually is; have to flip pages to find.Sometimes; the author is just sloppy. An example on p.141 when he speaks of a growing 20th century trend in Australia that celebrates Cook and a simultaneous "excitement when every few years when a book appears that challenges Cook's assumed priority from an ever-growing group of Portuguese; Spanish; French and Chinese navigators." In the next paragraph he writes about a "similar" trend in New Zealand but only talks of the adulation and says there are no competing heroes.I would have given it 3 stars for the above noted weaknesses. But this is not an "average" book so it deserves more recognition. The author assembles important information; but if you are not interested in Cook already; this will not inspire you.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Dry and dullBy EddyLike the reviewer above I can say this is no page turner. What it is instead is a presentation of facts in chronological order detailing the controversy/mystery around Cook's death.Unlike the reviewer above however; I see no need to give it four stars for its well researched presentation of facts; because it is a terribly dry and dull book to read. To me; this book doesn't even make it to average. It is an absolute bore whether or not your interested in Cook. If not for the meticulous fact digging; this book would be a one star; no question.Basically; if you like reading history as a presentation of facts; then you'll probably like this book. If however; you like history written well; interesting; and with a narrative that brings out the personalities of those being written about - you will find yourself frustrated to the point of no return if you read this book.
