Frontier Living by Edwin Tunis
"Frontier Living" by Edwin Tunis is a detailed exploration of daily life and the conditions faced by settlers in the United States during the frontier era, serving as a companion piece to his earlier work, "Colonial Living." The book opens with an examination of early settlements along the eastern seaboard before moving westward, addressing various geographical regions such as the Great Salient and Alta California. Each chapter focuses on specific themes, including food, hunting, and transportation, often accompanied by meticulously crafted black-and-white illustrations and maps to enhance understanding.
Tunis aims to provide a comprehensive view of life on the frontier, countering the notion that the term solely pertains to the American West by giving significant attention to experiences east of the Mississippi River. The illustrations serve not only as artistic representations but also as informative depictions of early American technology, akin to the works of later authors known for their detailed nonfiction for children. Notably, the book was recognized with a Newbery Honor in 1962, highlighting its significance in children's literature, despite its current limited presence in major educational texts.
While Tunis' work includes valuable insights into the experiences of Native Americans, it tends to overlook the contributions of other minority groups. Nonetheless, "Frontier Living" remains a vital reference tool, enhanced by its thorough index, making it accessible for those interested in understanding the complexities of frontier life in early America.
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Subject Terms
Frontier Living by Edwin Tunis
First published: 1961; illustrated
Subjects: Arts, education, family, jobs and work, travel, and war
Type of work: History
Time of work: 1710-1889
Recommended Ages: 13-18
Form and Content
Frontier Living, like author-illustrator Edwin Tunis’ earlier work Colonial Living (1957), describes the artifacts and conditions of daily living in the United States during an earlier era. Tunis sets the stage for Frontier Living with a brief introductory chapter on the earliest settlements along the eastern seaboard. From there, he moves generally west, sometimes swinging south or north, sometimes pausing to give more thoughtful consideration to a broader topic such as road and river travel. The chapter headings include “The Deepwater Frontier,” “The Piedmont,” “The Southern Valleys,” “The Great Salient,” “Road and River,” “The Old Northwest,” “The Cotton Frontier,” “Shrinking Distances,” “Beyond the Mississippi,” “Caravans to Santa Fe,” “The Fur Trade and the Mountain Men,” “The Bitter Road to Oregon,” “The Harried Saints,” “Alta California,” “El Dorado,” “Two Thousand Miles,” “The Cow Hunt and the Cowhand,” “The Sodbusters and the Cattle Drives,” and “The Run.” Each chapter is further divided into sections of varying length on topics such as food, hunting, and housekeeping. Some chapters also include an essay that establishes the historical framework for the surrounding material. All include meticulously rendered black-and-white illustrations, one or two to a page, most with captions. Some of the illustrations are maps.
In his foreword, Tunis suggests that he is working against a common assumption that the word “frontier” refers primarily to the settlement of the American West, and he states his intention of restoring a proper sense of proportion by “presenting conditions east of the Mississippi River in rather more detail than those west of it.” Some of the information about the physical details of living, such as houses and housekeeping, apply to the entire pioneer experience, so that the later chapters can focus more narrowly on what was unique about traveling the Oregon Trail or living in a Nebraska sod house. Although Frontier Living contains more straightforward history than Colonial Living, like its predecessor it includes many fine explanations of mechanical devices and craft processes.
Frontier Living provides a complete table of contents and an index. The index covers many of the illustrations as well as the text and distinguishes between the two with an asterisk after the page number for illustrations.
Critical Context
Frontier Living, Tunis’ sixth book, was published as a companion to Colonial Living. It was favorably reviewed at the time of publication by the Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books and The Horn Book Magazine, and it was cited by May Hill Arbuthnot and Zena Sutherland in early editions of their textbook Children and Books (1964, 1972). It was named a Newbery Honor Book in 1962.
Frontier Living is no longer cited in major textbooks on children’s literature, except for the expected listing as a Newbery Honor Book. It is, however, listed in the sixteenth edition of Children’s Catalog (1991). As a Newbery Honor Book, it is likely to be found in many public and school libraries for years to come. Yet, even without that award, Tunis’ illustrations would ensure the book’s place as an early example of excellence in nonfiction for children. His meticulous use of pen and ink to reveal the secrets of early American technology are a precursor of David Macaulay’s books Castle (1977), Cathedral (1973), Mill (1983), and others. Although the publishers of many newer nonfiction books seem to prefer photographs as illustrations, it is hard to imagine any photograph that could improve upon the accuracy and clarity of Tunis’ drawings.
Another critical factor in evaluating nonfiction for young people is the extent to which the contributions of women and minorities are addressed. Tunis’ treatment of American Indians was so notable for his time as to be mentioned in contemporary reviews, although he scarcely mentions other minorities.
Frontier Living has more utility as a reference tool than its companion volume, Colonial Living, because of its index. The inclusion of illustrations in the index add considerably to its reference value.