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Jessie Benton defies her father, Senator Thomas Hart Benton, to elope with the handsome young explorer, John Charles Fre+a7mont, leaving behind Washington's elite society for a life of adventure on the frontier. By the author of Libbie. Original.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
436 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1995
18 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Judy Alter
148 books133 followersAfter an established career writing historical fiction for adults and young adults about women of the nineteenth-century American West, Texas author Judy Alter turned her attention to contemporary cozy mysteries and wrote three series: Kelly O’Connell Mysteries, Blue Plate Café Mysteries, and Oak Grove Mysteries. She has most recently published two titles in her Irene in Chicago Culinary Mysteries--Saving Irene and Irene in Danger.
Her most recent historical books are The Most Land, the Best Cattle: The Waggoners of Texas and The Second Battle of the Alamo, a study in both Texas and women’s history. Judy’s western fiction has been recognized with awards from the Western Writers of America, the Texas Institute of Letters, and the National Cowboy Museum and Hall of Fame. She has been honored with the Owen Wister Award for Lifetime Achievement by WWA and inducted into the Texas Literary Hall of Fame at the Fort Worth Public Library. She was named One of 100 Women, Living and Dead, Who Have Left Their Mark on Texas by the Dallas Morning News, and named an Outstanding Woman of Fort Worth in the Arts, 1988, by the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women
Judy is a member Sisters in Crime and Guppies, Women Writing the West, Story Circle Network, a past president of Western Writers of America, and an active member of the Texas Institute of Letters.
Retired after almost thirty years with TCU Press, twenty of them as director, Judy lives in a small cottage—just right for one and a dog—in Fort Worth, Texas with her Bordoodle Sophie. She is the mother of four and the grandmother of seven. Her hobby is cooking, and she’s learning how to cook in a postage-stamp kitchen without a stove. In fact, she wrote a cookbook about it: Gourmet on a Hot Plate.
Her most recent historical books are The Most Land, the Best Cattle: The Waggoners of Texas and The Second Battle of the Alamo, a study in both Texas and women’s history. Judy’s western fiction has been recognized with awards from the Western Writers of America, the Texas Institute of Letters, and the National Cowboy Museum and Hall of Fame. She has been honored with the Owen Wister Award for Lifetime Achievement by WWA and inducted into the Texas Literary Hall of Fame at the Fort Worth Public Library. She was named One of 100 Women, Living and Dead, Who Have Left Their Mark on Texas by the Dallas Morning News, and named an Outstanding Woman of Fort Worth in the Arts, 1988, by the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women
Judy is a member Sisters in Crime and Guppies, Women Writing the West, Story Circle Network, a past president of Western Writers of America, and an active member of the Texas Institute of Letters.
Retired after almost thirty years with TCU Press, twenty of them as director, Judy lives in a small cottage—just right for one and a dog—in Fort Worth, Texas with her Bordoodle Sophie. She is the mother of four and the grandmother of seven. Her hobby is cooking, and she’s learning how to cook in a postage-stamp kitchen without a stove. In fact, she wrote a cookbook about it: Gourmet on a Hot Plate.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 6, 2019
Jessie was a woman ahead of her time.
As the first born of Senator Benton, Jessie Ann Benton was very close to her father. In many was she was treated more like a son than a daughter. Her understanding of language, history and politics was truly outside the boundaries set by 19th century society. When, while in all-girl academy, she met Lt. John Charles Fremont she was but 16. By the time she was 17 she was married to John Fremont and by 18 she was a mother. Her walk into the pages of history had only just begun.
Jessie by Judy Alter is not just a novel, it's a 19th century saga. Within this riveting tale, which spans the 40 years of Jessie's life from her marriage to John in 1841 until after his death in 1881, I felt like I was living the history of America from it's early westward expansion, through the Civil War and past the aftermath of Lincoln's assassination.
Since I love American and world history, I truly enjoyed this book. That said, not everyone feels as I. Unless a reader enjoys autobiographical style novels that feature historical figures, this engrossing novel might not meet that readers expectations. Lastly, any life well lived is filled with both highs and lows. Also, real life rarely has the happily ever after ending of fictional fairy tales.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a historical read that's well written, candid, respectful and clean.
Disclosure: I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily post this review. This is my honest review.
FYI: I also posted my review on Amazon (as Rural Reader) and on BookBub.
As the first born of Senator Benton, Jessie Ann Benton was very close to her father. In many was she was treated more like a son than a daughter. Her understanding of language, history and politics was truly outside the boundaries set by 19th century society. When, while in all-girl academy, she met Lt. John Charles Fremont she was but 16. By the time she was 17 she was married to John Fremont and by 18 she was a mother. Her walk into the pages of history had only just begun.
Jessie by Judy Alter is not just a novel, it's a 19th century saga. Within this riveting tale, which spans the 40 years of Jessie's life from her marriage to John in 1841 until after his death in 1881, I felt like I was living the history of America from it's early westward expansion, through the Civil War and past the aftermath of Lincoln's assassination.
Since I love American and world history, I truly enjoyed this book. That said, not everyone feels as I. Unless a reader enjoys autobiographical style novels that feature historical figures, this engrossing novel might not meet that readers expectations. Lastly, any life well lived is filled with both highs and lows. Also, real life rarely has the happily ever after ending of fictional fairy tales.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a historical read that's well written, candid, respectful and clean.
Disclosure: I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily post this review. This is my honest review.
FYI: I also posted my review on Amazon (as Rural Reader) and on BookBub.
April 30, 2019
Jessie Benton is the daughter of Senator Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri. They live in Washington most of the time and then alternate summers between his family house in St. Louis and her mother’s family home. Jessie helps her father basically as his secretary with all of his writings. Her mother is sick so she is not around to do many duties in the house except to help make decisions once in a while. At some point and time the explorer and map maker Charles Fremont enters their lives. Jessie eventually against her father’s wishes elopes with him. Most of the book is his explorations and her going between family houses.
I am learning that this kind of book is just not really my style to read. It was an ok book. It was kind of hard to get through. It was descriptive enough it’s just the Characters were a little boring. Which I know is bad to say since some were real life people.
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review. The opinions in this review are 100% my own
I am learning that this kind of book is just not really my style to read. It was an ok book. It was kind of hard to get through. It was descriptive enough it’s just the Characters were a little boring. Which I know is bad to say since some were real life people.
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review. The opinions in this review are 100% my own
April 22, 2019
A historical novel set in the second half of the 19th century, tells of one women's strength and determination to bolster and promote the careers of both her father and later her husband. Told in autobiographical terms, one felt drawn into the story as Jessie Benton-Fremont determines early in her life to follow her own course. As the story continues through the ups and downs of her marriage, one could only feel for Jessie as she experiences one disappointment after the other. Nevertheless, she is a loyal supporter of her husband until the end. I found this book interesting, but it left me with a feeling of sadness as I realised that so many women throughout the years have started off their marriages with high hopes, only to come to a place where all their sacrifices appear to have come to naught. I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily post this review. This is my honest review.
April 28, 2019
From the first chapter this story captivated my attention. Myself a history buff I recommend this book. Jessie was born determined, head strong, and only wanted to pursue her own course in life. She attends an all girl boarding school against her wishes. There she meets her husband, LT. John Fremont. They marry and soon after start a family. The story covers Jessie's life and following her husbands many adventures, her fathers political life up until the Lincoln Administration. A story with historical figures that takes you through the good and bad times. A wonderful delightful read of history in the making. I received this book for free from Ebook Discovery. I volunteered to review it and this is my honest review.
December 4, 2018
Être aimée quand est forte?
Le livre est très bien sur la vie des femmes à l’époque victorienne, durant la guerre américaine. Une femme forte et active qui aide son père puis son mari, tout en supportant mère et enfants. Un peu déprimant de voir à quel point l’histoire les écarte et les oublie. Finalement elle obtient une victoire personnelle et la paix à travers l’écriture, mais encore aujourd’hui la bataille n’est pas gagnée.
Le livre est très bien sur la vie des femmes à l’époque victorienne, durant la guerre américaine. Une femme forte et active qui aide son père puis son mari, tout en supportant mère et enfants. Un peu déprimant de voir à quel point l’histoire les écarte et les oublie. Finalement elle obtient une victoire personnelle et la paix à travers l’écriture, mais encore aujourd’hui la bataille n’est pas gagnée.
May 1, 2019
This is the story of Jessie, daughter of Senator Thomas Benton and wife of Charles Fremont. It is written as an autobiography. She was truly ahead of her time. No matter how much I tried I could not like her husband. I enjoy these types of books, though they have fiction elements.
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September 19, 202110 pages, one entire chapter, was about John Fremont's Oregon expedition....which Jessie wasn't even on (although she didn't describe it). Just couldn't get into it.
December 27, 2010
about Jessie Benton Freemont, similar to Immortal Wife-good portrayal of fascinating woman
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews