Heart of American darkness; bewilderment and horror on the early frontier

Title of the book: Heart of American Darkness; Bewilderment and horror on the early frontier  

Author: Robert G. Parkinson 

Publisher: W.W. Norton 

Publishing Date: 2024 

ISBN: 978-1-324-09177

Summary:

A fundamentally new account of the American frontier, showing that it was defined not by hardy pioneers or imperial power, but by sheer mayhem. We have long been divided over how exceptional the United States is, and that debate has often revolved around the frontier. In Heart of American Darkness, acclaimed historian Robert G. Parkinson presents a startling narrative of the ever-shifting encounters between white colonists and Native Americans. He reveals that the colonization of the interior was not a rational process or heroic deed―nor the act by which American democracy was forged. Rather, it was as bewildering, violent, and haphazard as European colonization of Africa. Bringing a Conradian lens to the central episodes of the early American frontier from the 1730s through the Revolutionary War, Parkinson follows the intertwined histories of two prominent families, one colonial and the other Native, who helped determine the fate of the empires battling for control of the Ohio River Valley. And in reclaiming the true nature and costs of imperialism, he offers nothing less than a new story of the making of the United States. 42 illustrations

Author Info:
( From goodreads) 

N/A 
Personal Opinion:

This will be nothing like a high school history class where all stories have neatly tied up bows. In fact the narrative will be ugly  and for me very confusing. I definitely believe that the argument of the book is that of the world effect two families- Shickellamys and Cresaps have had on USA. ( it's embarrassing to admit that prior to this book, I have never heard of either of these two families!)  The author also argues that Joseph Conrads HEART OF DARKNESS perfectly embodies the American frontier, despite the centuries and continents that are separating one another. While I do feel that the author argued successfully for Cresap and Shickellamy effect on USA, I am not quite sure on how to feel about the second argument, that of Joseph Conrads HEART OF DARKNESS. I hadn't read that particular novel before, so I can't compare the two. The narrative is extremely chaotic in my opinion, with what seems to be mercurial destiny that gambles everything. Something else I should mention is that while the narrative takes place at the same time as American Revolution, it focuses a lot on colonialism, the origins of pioneering and survival rather than on Tea Tax or Boston Tea Party. ( so yes, not a good read for those who need help with high school/ college history, sorry to say.) 

This was given for review 

4 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)