Blue Jacket - (American Indian Lives) by John Sugden (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Blue Jacket (ca. 1743-ca. 1808), or Waweyapiersenwaw, was the galvanizing force behind an intertribal confederacy of unparalleled scope that fought a long and bloody war against white encroachments into the Shawnees' homeland in the Ohio River Valley. Blue Jacket was an astute strategist and diplomat who, though courted by American and British leaders, remained a staunch defender of the Shawnees' independence and territory. In this arresting and controversial account, John Sugden depicts the most influential Native American leader of his time.

Review Quotes

"A well-paced and compelling narrative written with lucidity, economy, and grace. . . . Sugden presents a clear, sensitive portrayal of Blue Jacket, his followers, and his allies in an era of extraordinary turmoil. He establishes Blue Jacket as a war leader of first importance and as a precursor to his more famous successor [Tecumseh]. . . . It is unfailingly judicious, it flows beautifully, and it keeps a reader turning its pages."-"William and Mary Quarterly,"

"Dr. Sugden's excellent study makes abundantly clear Blue Jacket's reality as an outstanding representative of the native American people and of the Shawnee Nation in particular."

"John Sugden provides his readers with the engaging story of the lengthy, bloody conflict over the land that is now Ohio. His focus, of course, is on one of the principal actors, Blue Jacket -- Military chief, diplomat, and businessman. The tale is gripping, and Sugden's telling of it is both fascinating and insightful. . John Sugden has produced a study that contributes immensely to the scholarship and to our understanding of the people and events on the frontier between natives and whites in the Early Republic period."--Dr. Richard V. Barbuto, "Journal of America's Military Past"

"John Sugden.has brilliantly managed to restore Blue Jacket's deserving place in history. He has skillfully reconstructed the personality of his complex subject from diverse sources and placed his life within the broader context of frontier history in a very engaging and well-written monograph."--Michael Lawson, "Journal of the West,"

"Through impressive research in Canada, England, and the United States, John Sugden's definitive study of Blue Jacket challenges long-held assumptions about the famous Shawnee war chief and his place in the history of the Old Northwest. . . . Sugden uses comprehensive research to tell a new and complicated story about a familiar period in American history."-"Journal of American History,"

"A well-paced and compelling narrative written with lucidity, economy, and grace.... Sugden presents a clear, sensitive portrayal of Blue Jacket, his followers, and his allies in an era of extraordinary turmoil. He establishes Blue Jacket as a war leader of first importance and as a precursor to his more famous successor [Tecumseh]....It is unfailingly judicious, it flows beautifully, and it keeps a reader turning its pages."

"Through impressive research in Canada, England, and the United States, John Sugden's definitive study of Blue Jacket challenges long-held assumptions about the famous Shawnee war chief and his place in the history of the Old Northwest....Sugden uses comprehensive research to tell a new and complicated story about a familiar period in American history."

About the Author

John Sugden is an independent scholar and a former associate editor of Oxford University Press's American National Biography project. His books include Tecumseh: A Life, winner of the Society for Military History Distinguished Book Award.