Book Launch - Hardened to Hickory - The Missing Chapter in Andrew Jackson's Life - Franklin, Tennessee

Tony Turnbow, executive director of the Natchez Trace Parkway Association, is launching his new book, Hardened to Hickory - The Missing Chapter in Andrew Jackson's Life. Discover the turbulent months and expedition down the Mississippi River and Natchez Trace that transformed Tennessee into the “Volunteer State” and Andrew Jackson into “Old Hickory.”

The book launch will be held at the Williamson County Public Library in Franklin, Tennessee on Wednesday, September 26, at 4 pm. Vanderbilt University will be sponsoring the event as part of their lecture series. More information is on their event page.

Starting on September 27th, the book will be available at Landmark Booksellers and on Amazon. For Kindle readers, the book is already available for a September 27 delivery.

Mr. Turnbow's summary of the book:

The book includes new information on Andrew Jackson and the Natchez Trace that I discovered in archives and in private collections. It also gives glimpses of early Franklin and provides some of the story leading up the events that caused the Civil War. I argue that construction of the Natchez Trace wagon highway through Franklin created conflicts that led Jackson to become "Old Hickory."

The story turned out to be much more than I expected when I began researching. The non-fiction narrative is set against the background of the Great Earthquake of 1811, the 1811 Comet, and Tecumseh's attempts to pull Franklin's Indian neighbors into a confederation to drive the settlers back across the Atlantic--- all events that caused both Indians and settlers to believe that the world was coming to an end. Jackson took advantage of the events to push to lead his first military command mission. It seemed to be a disaster, and his mistakes forced him to choose between abandoning many of his Tennessee Volunteers to die or facing a firing squad. It is a fascinating story that has not been told. Franklin is part of the story.

More information about the book, including a video trailer can be at www.hardenedtohickory.com