Thomas Jefferson just acquired the Louisiana Purchase for the young United States and he needs someone to help map it out. Explorers and leaders have long wondered if the fabled Northern Passage really existed and the president has directed the men to find out, along with exploring as much of the new territory as possible. Lewis and Clark is Ralph K. Andrist’s expert review of the expedition’s journey into the wilderness, including inherent dangers they faced from nature and man. Think you know the Lewis and Clark Expedition? Think again.
I give Lewis and Clark 4 out of 5 stars. I was blown away by the detail Andrist included of both the drama amongst the expedition members and the with other groups they encounter. The sickness and injury that plagued the troops, the unfulfilled promises made both before and along the way, and the types of equipment and tools they utilized throughout were brand new knowledge for me. With that said, I had trouble connecting to some of the expedition members, including the two leaders. Andrist utilized their journals and other contemporary accounts and materials, but you lose a piece of the humanity of these men when you consider these journals were meant to be published like a ship’s captain’s log.
If you are interested in the early exploration of North America and, specifically, early interactions between Native tribes of the west and European explorers, this may be a great read for you. I would also say this could be a great companion read for a history course about the Louisiana Purchase. However, given violence and death, I would caution this book against readers under 13.
I chose Lewis and Clark as my nonfiction read for September. As I read about the American presidents and their contemporaries, it felt natural to include these men in this group. Thomas Jefferson’s friendship with the explorers and other presidential connections brings the men into the inner circle for several presidents. If you love history like me, you will enjoy this book!
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