The Journals of Lewis and Clark Meriwether Lewis and William Clark

by Anthony Brandt (Abridged by)

Genres: History, Nonfiction

445 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

From Random House:

Anthony Brandt is the editor of the Adventure Classics series published by National Geographic Society Press, and the books editor at National Geographic Adventure magazine. Formerly the book critic at Men’s Journal, Brandt has written for The Atlantic, GQ, Esquire, and many other magazines, and is the author of two previous books. He lives in Sag Harbor, New York.

Reviews

[Nathan Luftman · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1804, U.S. President Thomas Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, along with 30 other men, on an expedition to the newly-purchased Louisiana territory. Their goals: to chart the Missouri River from its mouth in St. Louis to its source in the Rocky Mountains, to discover a water or land route to the Pacific, and to befriend the Native American tribes along this path. Over 2 and a half years, from May of 1804 to September of 1806, Lewis and Clark, along with their Corps of Discovery, achieved these goals and so much more. The "Journals" are just that; an abridged but highly faithful day-to-day account of the expedition, written by the captains themselves.

"Journals" is a tale unlike any other I had read. It is a non-fiction account of daily occurrences, an ethnographic encyclopedia of dozens of Native American tribes, a scientific journal of changing climates and new species, and a breathtaking vista into the untamed American northwest. As editor Anthony Brandt notes, the journals of the two captains can read dry at times; on days where little occurs but travel, the men fill pages anyway. And yet, these days hold just as much value as those of great adventures or hardships, as they truly illustrate what the Corps trip consisted of. These were 30 military men, a dog, a black slave, and assorted Native American trackers and huntsmen who were braving the wilds in the name of discovery. "Journals" perfectly captures the juxtaposition of the thrill of dangerous rapids with the mind-numbing boredom of riparian doldrums, the dangerous encounters with Blackfoot Indians with the iron friendships forged with the Mandan tribes, and so much more. The contributions of these Native American tribes are given their worth in full, as the captains clearly note how the expedition would have come to failure dozens of times without the aid of many Indians, including the well-known Sacagawea and the half-Shawnee woodsman George Drouillard.

"The Journals of Lewis and Clark" deserves recognition as an American classic. I claim ignorance myself to much of their tale before reading there journals, and I am better for experiencing this early glimpse into a bit of history I had only known pieces of before. This book comes highly recommended; Brandt's level of abridgment is commendable, and his intervening chapters provide needed context that would not be present in the raw journals. Go read this, and make a discovery yourself.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't compare this abridged version to any others, abridged or unabridged. But what I can say is this: this historical record is amazing. I chose to read Lewis and Clark's journals after reading a historical fiction novel that narrated the expedition. The journals themselves, in addition to demonstrating the accuracy of the novel, were just as riveting as the fictional account! I found myself disappointed that they came to an end. I highly recommend the journals to anyone with any interest in American history.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've easy-chair traveled with Meriwether Lewis and William Clark for two and half years now, having read this Brandt-edited (mediated spelling, punctuation) and the DeVoto-edited (original language) diaries of the Corps of Discovery's westward expedition in real time.

It was interesting to read the versions simultaneously, day by day, both to watch the adventure unfold on the real-life there and back again journey and to compare the abridgments, often wondering why one or the other of the editors chose to include or leave out certain entries.

Both versions include valuable appendices detailing Jefferson's instructions, expedition personnel, supplies brought with, and treasures sent home.

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am utterly amazed at the incredible skill, fortitude, bravery & resourcefulness of all of these men & one single woman with a newborn - who went 4,000+ miles over tough mountainous terrain & icy cold rapids... reading about their day by day diary is a great reminder to us about the sacrifices made & the wonderful help the majority of the tribes did that enabled them to survive...a must read

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have been a four star on the basis of the journal entries. This was certainly and epic tale of doggedness and adventure. It is very repetitious, as one would expect from an almost unabridged dairy of sorts. I doubt whether a modern band of 30 men could make this same journey with the primitive tools these men (and woman) had, regardless of the additional hazard of "hostiles". My three star rating is based on my prior reading of one chapter of "Undaunted Courage", which gave an extensive background of the times and personal history of Lewis.

[Gabriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading from the journals of Lewis and Clark gives a lot of insight of what their expedition was like traveling through the American wilderness. Anthony Brandt's summaries of different stretches of their journey was very helpful in understanding the context of what they encountered. For anyone who wants to learn more about Lewis and Clark, this book is a great read!

[Cavett]

Very interesting and informative. Good version to read.