Backbone of the World: A Personal Account of the American Rocky Mountain Fur Trade 1822-1824 — Edward Louis Henry

The first book in an exciting adventure series -- the Temple Buck Quartet -- that chronicles the rise and fall of the American Rocky Mountain fur trade, this volume is a coming-of-age story set in the first two years of the fur trade, 1822â€"24. Temple Buck is a young man whose rollicking tale begins with growing up in the Ohio wilderness before he is kidnapped by an evil keelboat captain. After his rescue by a beautiful St. Louis madam, he finally enlists in the first expedition up the Missouri River to the beaver-rich Rockies for a wealth of adventure and new experiences. This painstakingly researched tale blends historical and fictional characters into a colorful tapestry of actual events spiced with bloody battles, Indian customs, homespun humor, and earthy romance.