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The Lewis and Clark Journals: An American Epic of Discovery; The Abridgement of the Definitive Nebraska Edition
Following orders from President Thomas Jefferson, Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set out from their wintering camp in Illinois in 1804 to search for a river passage to the Pacific Ocean. This is the riveting account of their journey. In their own words, recorded in the famous journals of Lewis and Clark, the members of the Corps of Discovery tell their story with an immediacy and power missing from secondhand accounts. All of their triumphs and terrors are the thrill of seeing the vast herds of bison, the fear the captains felt when Sacagawea fell ill, the ordeal of crossing the Continental Divide. The natural wonders of an unspoiled America are here, and the lives and customs of its native peoples also vividly come to life, making for a living drama that is humorous, poignant and, at least once, tragic. Editor Gary E. Moulton blends the narrative highlights of his definitive Nebraska edition of the Lewis and Clark journals to bring forth the voices of the enlisted men and of the Native Americans, heard for the first time alongside the words of the captains.
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First published January 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 31, 2025
A must-read for every American. Having this account is a great American treasure, and inspiring to the imagination. This was my second read and will not be my last.
May 10, 2023
Absolutely loved this book. I listened to it on Audible. It was so good, I'm seriously contemplating listening to it all over again! If you have any interest in American history, I highly recommend this version of the Lewis and Clark Journals. It's abridged, and I really want to read the unabridged version next, but this one moves the reader right along without pausing very often to describe the flora and fauna, which I believe a person will get in the longer version. Actually, that is really the one I want to read next!
July 9, 2015
It only took me a year. This is about the best you can do for a compilation of journal entries. As an abridged version it did a good job of including the entries that were important and interesting while avoiding the mundane. Reading something like this you can't help but be compelled to dig deeper into the story. (For this I recommend Stephen Ambrose's Undaunted Courage)
May 23, 2019
Unsurprisingly these Journals are neither thoughtful analysis nor gripping narrative. The entries are short, factual, and at times repetitive.
October 4, 2017
What an adventure this was! More than 2 years away from home, walking, riding, and canoeing from St. Louis to near the mouth of the Columbia, without formal maps (let alone GPS), Goretex, plastic, modern medicine, etc, etc. And everyone including Sacagawea's baby, born during the expedition, came home alive (except a gentleman who was unlucky enough to get a ruptured appendix and who would have died even if he'd had the best medical care at the time)! This was amazing considering that the treatment rendered for many illnesses was bleeding! Lewis, who was not a trained naturalist, studied up on such things beforehand, and his descriptions of the new plants and animals are marvelous. Clark, although untrained, made marvelous maps that cartographers marvel over. There was one act of violence toward Native Americans--otherwise the Corps of Discovery tried to have (and largely succeeded in having) friendly relations with the many tribes they encountered, unlike Americans who would follow. Highly recommended reading.
November 24, 2018
On reflection many months after finishing, this was the best book I’ve read this year so far. One of my all-time favorites now. It didn’t want the story to end.
April 2, 2014
On May 14, 1804, at the request of President Thomas Jefferson, Captain Meriwether Lewis and Captain William Clark set out on perhaps the greatest overland adventure in United States history. Their charge was to navigate the Missouri River from St. Louis as far as they could, then reach by any means possible the Pacific Ocean. Meanwhile, they would be documenting botanical, ecological, biological, geographical and ethnological and cultural experiences as they met and interacted with the native american tribes and observed the new flora and fauna of the west. The party included thirty-one other individuals, most with military experience, and a few interpreters -- among them the famed Sacagawea. The expedition was tremendously successful, particularly when viewed from the 21st century. They experienced their fair share of travel-related aches and pains, accidental wounds, and diseases such as dysentery, among other things. Lewis himself was unfortunate enough to be shot in the thigh by "friendly fire" (an amusing incident for the reader, but which could just as easily have been tragic). It's astounding that only one man died -- and he from appendicitis.
At over 400 pages (abridged!), this is a fascinating and incredibly documented adventure story transcribed from the actual diary entries of the expedition members. I rarely found it dry or boring, and suspect that perhaps the slow or uneventful parts were already edited out. English spelling was not yet standardized at the time, and this is evident in some paragraphs where the same word is spelled in a number of different ways, depending apparently on what the writer felt like in the moment. Some of the more intriguing passages involve the interactions between the men and the tribes they meet. Their reception is most often congenial and welcoming, if also a bit wary and, considering what we now know about the United States' future relations, somewhat disturbing. Lewis and Clark's inner thoughts are thick with eurocentric superiority punctuated by rare, brief glimpses recognizing a shared humanity.
The journals are chock full of introspective, amusing and memorable quotes, including these few that I jotted down:
* "men complain verry much of the emence labour they are obliged to undergo & wish much to leave the river." [While hauling canoes over rocky parts of the river]
* "these men then advanced and embraced me very affectionately in their way which is by puting their left arm over you wright shoulder clasping your back, while they apply their left cheek to yours and frequently vociforate the word ah-hi-e, ah-hi-e that is, I am much pleased, I am much rejoiced. Bothe parties now advanced and we wer all carresed and besmeared with their grease and paint till I was heartily tired of the national hug." [meeting the Shoshones]
* "This day I completed my thirty first year, and conceived that I had in all human probability now existed about half the period which I am to remain in this Sublunary world. I reflected that I had as yet done but little, very little indeed, to further the hapiness of the human race, or to advance the information of the succeeding generation." [Lewis' birthday]
* "Drewyer killed two beaver and shot third which bit his knee very badly and escaped."
* "a Wolf bit Sergt. Pryor through his hand when asleep, and Shannon fortunately Shot him. Sergt. Pryers hand has nearly recovered."
At over 400 pages (abridged!), this is a fascinating and incredibly documented adventure story transcribed from the actual diary entries of the expedition members. I rarely found it dry or boring, and suspect that perhaps the slow or uneventful parts were already edited out. English spelling was not yet standardized at the time, and this is evident in some paragraphs where the same word is spelled in a number of different ways, depending apparently on what the writer felt like in the moment. Some of the more intriguing passages involve the interactions between the men and the tribes they meet. Their reception is most often congenial and welcoming, if also a bit wary and, considering what we now know about the United States' future relations, somewhat disturbing. Lewis and Clark's inner thoughts are thick with eurocentric superiority punctuated by rare, brief glimpses recognizing a shared humanity.
The journals are chock full of introspective, amusing and memorable quotes, including these few that I jotted down:
* "men complain verry much of the emence labour they are obliged to undergo & wish much to leave the river." [While hauling canoes over rocky parts of the river]
* "these men then advanced and embraced me very affectionately in their way which is by puting their left arm over you wright shoulder clasping your back, while they apply their left cheek to yours and frequently vociforate the word ah-hi-e, ah-hi-e that is, I am much pleased, I am much rejoiced. Bothe parties now advanced and we wer all carresed and besmeared with their grease and paint till I was heartily tired of the national hug." [meeting the Shoshones]
* "This day I completed my thirty first year, and conceived that I had in all human probability now existed about half the period which I am to remain in this Sublunary world. I reflected that I had as yet done but little, very little indeed, to further the hapiness of the human race, or to advance the information of the succeeding generation." [Lewis' birthday]
* "Drewyer killed two beaver and shot third which bit his knee very badly and escaped."
* "a Wolf bit Sergt. Pryor through his hand when asleep, and Shannon fortunately Shot him. Sergt. Pryers hand has nearly recovered."
March 10, 2010
Holy crap, another epic nonfiction book. There are a few tense moments: canoes overturning; buffalo charging tents in the middle of the night; pregnant Native American woman riding horseback, stopping to give birth for an hour and continuing on.
But for the most part it was just a very formally written travel journal. You have to remember, this was not written with today's knowledge. These people had a totally different view and were on a very focused mission, so anything that falls outside of that mission is not really covered in depth.
But for the most part it was just a very formally written travel journal. You have to remember, this was not written with today's knowledge. These people had a totally different view and were on a very focused mission, so anything that falls outside of that mission is not really covered in depth.
September 22, 2016
These are the journals from the Corps of Discovery that locks away these 28 months of exploration of a territory we now only take for granted. It can be difficult to appreciate the bravery and complexity of such a time when communications, sustenance, let alone survival, was never assured. The skills and discipline of these people contributed greatly to the understanding of the broader land and its inhabitants, foliage and fauna during a time when it was considered foreign land. I would recommend complimenting these journals with the book "Undaunted Courage" by Stephen Ambrose.
August 12, 2016
Interesting book, you would think that they would write more since they are on this super journey. Some things I thought were interesting, you would think that they would make a game of out, like a real game, not Oregon trail. Overall a good read.
June 11, 2008
I didn't expect to get sucked into this, but I did. A riveting first hand account about a truly epic adventure!
December 27, 2008
Our family read this as we generally retraced several of the points along the Lewis and Clark Trail around its bicentennial. What a great vacation and what a magnificent way to learn history!
August 10, 2013
Dry, but historical. Big skeletons of fish up in northern Nebraska where my family was from. Still trying to find them. :) Spoiler Alert! They found the Pacific. Sorry to ruin it.
February 10, 2014
I was surprised how I interested I found myself in Lewis and Clark. Tidbits of history I never knew...esp the list of English words the Indians knew on p 316. I really liked reading this!
March 3, 2017
Kind of life changing.
May 7, 2017
Amazing compilation of the journals that provides a lucid picture of the incredible Corps of Discovery. You really get a sense of the scope of the journey from their own words.
June 7, 2025
Funniest part was when they were returning to Saint Louis, became excited because they saw cows on the riverbank, and knew that civilization was near.
January 3, 2025
Solid abridgment. Hard to imagine another editor doing a better job distilling & presenting the real elk & wapatos - or the meat & potatoes, if you prefer- of the expeditionists' journals, unless & until additional primary or early secondary sources are unearthed.
With that out of the way, the real reason I'm leaving my first Goodreads review is to point out the hilarity of footnote 16 in Chapter 12. It reads as follows:
"James Wilkinson was the governor of Louisiana from 1805-1807, and was involved with Aaron Burr in some complicated conspiracies before the latter was killed in a duel with Alexander Hamilton."
In hundreds of preceding footnotes, the editor painstakingly:
-Provides brief bios for dozens of people the Expedition interacted with or merely heard about during their journey but who were otherwise of marginal historical significance, at best;
-Identifies, or attempts to identify, most of the hundreds of species of flora & fauna the Expedition encountered, the streams & rivers they passed or navigated, & the Native Americans tribes & bands they met or were told about, etc.;
-Corrects mistakes in the expeditionists' ethnological reporting of the Native American tribes west of the Mississippi River; and
-Corrects mistakes in the expeditionists' geographical reporting, including more precise longitudinal & latitudinal figures, & adds details about precisely where Lewis & Clark camped each night.
Then, after all of his meticulous work clarifying or confirming even the most obscure details of the trip, in one of the very last footnotes of the book, he somehow managed to wholly butcher one of, if not the most widely known & readily verifiable pieces of information presented in the book: which of Aaron Burr or Alexander Hamilton was killed when they dueled (not to mention the timing of the Burr Conspiracy). *Chef's kiss*
With that out of the way, the real reason I'm leaving my first Goodreads review is to point out the hilarity of footnote 16 in Chapter 12. It reads as follows:
"James Wilkinson was the governor of Louisiana from 1805-1807, and was involved with Aaron Burr in some complicated conspiracies before the latter was killed in a duel with Alexander Hamilton."
In hundreds of preceding footnotes, the editor painstakingly:
-Provides brief bios for dozens of people the Expedition interacted with or merely heard about during their journey but who were otherwise of marginal historical significance, at best;
-Identifies, or attempts to identify, most of the hundreds of species of flora & fauna the Expedition encountered, the streams & rivers they passed or navigated, & the Native Americans tribes & bands they met or were told about, etc.;
-Corrects mistakes in the expeditionists' ethnological reporting of the Native American tribes west of the Mississippi River; and
-Corrects mistakes in the expeditionists' geographical reporting, including more precise longitudinal & latitudinal figures, & adds details about precisely where Lewis & Clark camped each night.
Then, after all of his meticulous work clarifying or confirming even the most obscure details of the trip, in one of the very last footnotes of the book, he somehow managed to wholly butcher one of, if not the most widely known & readily verifiable pieces of information presented in the book: which of Aaron Burr or Alexander Hamilton was killed when they dueled (not to mention the timing of the Burr Conspiracy). *Chef's kiss*
September 15, 2019
An elementally American epic unfolds in this superb abridgment of the Lewis and Clark Journals. The Captains and their men encounter forces of nature, natives of various dispositions, grizzly bears, hunger, illness, and other hardships in their quest from Saint Louis to the Pacific coast. President Jefferson set a multifaceted mission for the Corps of Discovery, including finding a overland route to the Pacific, mapping this newly acquired territory, establishing diplomatic contact with various Indian tribes, and documenting the flora and fauna observed along the way. Despite being drawn from raw and incomplete journals kept by Lewis, Clark, and a few other members of the Corps, the book is cohesive, easily drawing the reader along on the journey, a testament to Moulton’s efforts as much as those of the men. Chapters divide the narrative into sensible segments, and are accompanied by well-drawn maps showing the route and major campsites or landmarks referenced. Informative but not excessive footnotes provide just the right amount of supplementary information, along with the excellent introduction and afterword.
In the past I have been reluctant to read the Journals as the English is pretty rough at times, but I found that with little effort I became accustomed to the writers’ eccentricities and even appreciated it more than if the whole thing had been heavily edited and evened out.
There is so much to explore in this book, I cannot possibly touch on it all. Best friends Lewis and Clark, their couple dozen sergeants and privates, including Clark’s slave York, Sacagawea, French woodsmen, traders, venerable Indian chiefs... the cast of characters is as varied as the landscapes and adventures they encounter. Highly recommended!
In the past I have been reluctant to read the Journals as the English is pretty rough at times, but I found that with little effort I became accustomed to the writers’ eccentricities and even appreciated it more than if the whole thing had been heavily edited and evened out.
There is so much to explore in this book, I cannot possibly touch on it all. Best friends Lewis and Clark, their couple dozen sergeants and privates, including Clark’s slave York, Sacagawea, French woodsmen, traders, venerable Indian chiefs... the cast of characters is as varied as the landscapes and adventures they encounter. Highly recommended!
September 15, 2024
Think 3 stars for the narrative, 5 stars for the importance of the text to get to an average of 4 stars.
What a journey, what men! Every time I drove in the area of the Louisiana Purchase in the last three years as I slowly worked through this text I thought of the hardships and privations that these men and their company put up with to explore and map what would go on to become part of the United States. Their courage, leadership, curiosity, and scholarship were impressive, especially given the resources they had (and at times, didn't) and the dangerous situations they often faced, either from Native Americans or from nature herself.
I'm told that Stephen Ambrose's Undaunted Courage is a more compelling version of the information in these journals. But if you're interested in the source material, this is what you'll find here.
What a journey, what men! Every time I drove in the area of the Louisiana Purchase in the last three years as I slowly worked through this text I thought of the hardships and privations that these men and their company put up with to explore and map what would go on to become part of the United States. Their courage, leadership, curiosity, and scholarship were impressive, especially given the resources they had (and at times, didn't) and the dangerous situations they often faced, either from Native Americans or from nature herself.
I'm told that Stephen Ambrose's Undaunted Courage is a more compelling version of the information in these journals. But if you're interested in the source material, this is what you'll find here.
December 4, 2023
I’m really grateful to have found an audiobook so solidly built on directly reading the journal entries rather than summarizing everything! I also appreciated the asides that helped add some extra context. The narrator’s voice was perfectly undistracting. Beyond that, it is what it is. If you’re reading the Lewis and Clark journals you probably have your own reasons for doing so, and this book will probably meet them.
October 20, 2018
These historical journals are fascinating. Everyone is familiar with the mission of Lewis and Clark, experiencing the action through their journals makes it clear how little they knew when they jumped into this chore. They were frequently faced with death as they came to know, sometimes trusted and often fled from the native americans they encountered. They also become lost in and learned of the vast geography the United States has to offer. This book is beautiful.
August 16, 2023
It was like reading some sort of cross between the Oregon Trail and The Lord of the Rings. It's usually advertised as an American Epic, and I think that fits the bill. Granted, I read the abridged version, but the account of the expedition's journey from Missouri to the Pacific was far more interesting and exciting than I thought it would be at the outset. I can't recommend it highly enough to anyone interested in this period of American history or in Native Americans.
September 20, 2011
One of the best adventures I have ever read. Even better that it's real!!!!!!!!! Unbelievable how they survived this massive challenge and made history!
April 16, 2018
Fascinating insight.
September 30, 2019
Excellent Historical reading
February 22, 2014
A bit dry and hard to get into but once you do it's worth the ride.
April 24, 2016
Sharing my thoughts on this book from my blog: http://wp.me/p7jXcG-3I
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews