You’ve probably heard of the “Most Interesting Man in the World.” He’s the popular Dos Equis brand-spokesman who’s lived a life of adventure, has great stories to tell, and feels comfortable rubbing shoulders with the common and rich alike.
Of course he’s a fictional character made up by clever ad executives.
But back in the late 19th century there was a real-life guy who would put “The Most Interesting Man in the World” to shame.
In his own time, he was known the world round, yet hardly anyone has heard of him today. Well, we’re going to help change that with this installment of the podcast.
Today on the show I talk to writer Steve Kemper about his book, A Splendid Savage: The Restless Life of Frederick Russell Burnham. We discuss the adventures and world-wide exploits of the military scout, prospector, and real-life inspiration for the Boy Scouts, as well as what men today can learn from this “splendid savage.”
Show Highlights
- How Frederick Russell Burnham was literally born in fire on the Minnesota frontier [04:00]
- How Burnham’s childhood experience with the Sioux influenced the rest of his life [06:00]
- Why Burnham stayed behind in California by himself when he was just 12 years old while his family moved back to the Midwest [06:30]
- Burnham’s teenage schooling under some of the most famous and skilled mountain men [07:30]
- The extreme measures Burnham took to train himself to be a scout [10:00]
- The books Burnham read as a child that inspired his romantic quest to become a great frontier scout [11:00]
- Burnham’s involvement as a teenager in the Apache Wars and America’s bloodiest family feud [14:00]
- The beginning of Burhman’s career as a gold and minerals prospector [19:00]
- The kind of woman who’d marry Burnham and follow him on all his adventures for the rest of his life [22:00]
- How Burnham fulfilled his childhood dream of scouting in Africa while getting right in the mix of the Boer Wars [26:00]
- How the Boer War made Burnham a household name world-wide [32:00]
- Burnham’s prospecting in Africa [33:00]
- Burnham’s prospecting in the Klondike [35:00]
- Burnham’s famous, rich, and powerful friends, including Teddy Roosevelt and Winston Churchill [36:30]
- Did Burnham make up his adventures and exploits? [40:00]
- How Burnham helped inspire the Boy Scouts [41:00]
- Why hardly anyone knows about Burnham today [44:00]
- Burnham’s prospecting in Mexico and how he helped thwart an assassination attempt on President McKinley [45:30]
- How Burnham finally became wealthy in the oil fields of Los Angeles after a lifetime of prospecting the entire world [46:00]
- What drove Burnham’s quest for adventure his entire life [47:30]
- What men today can learn from the life of Frederick Russell Burnham [49:00]
Resources/Studies/People Mentioned in Podcast
- Dakota Sioux War of 1862
- Sioux wisdom on becoming a man
- Sioux warrior toughness training
- Dime novels
- Apache War
- Tonto Basin Feud
- George Crook
- Jack London (my podcast interview with London biographer Earle Labor)
- Klondike Gold Rush
- British South African Company
- Matable War
- Boer Wars
- The Boers
- Cecil Rhodes
- Winston Churchill’s Guide to Adulthood
- H. Rider Haggard
- Lord Baden-Powell
If you’re a history buff, you’ll definitely enjoy A Splendid Savage by Steve Kemper. If you’re looking for a kick in the pants to start living a life of adventure, this book is for you too.