Wilderness Journey: The Life of William Clark (Missouri Biography Series)

by William E. Foley

Strange as it may seem today, William Clark—best known as the American explorer who joined Meriwether Lewis in leading an overland expedition to the Pacific—has many more claims to fame than his legendary Voyage of Discovery, dramatic and daring though that venture may have been. Although studies have been published on virtually every aspect of the Lewis and Clark journey, Wilderness Journey is the first comprehensive account of Clark’s lengthy and multifaceted life.
Following Lewis and Clark’s great odyssey, Clark’s service as a soldier, Indian diplomat, and government official placed him at center stage in the national quest to possess and occupy North America’s vast western hinterland and prefigured U.S. policies in the region. In his personal life, Clark had to overcome challenges no less daunting than those he faced in the public arena. Foley pays careful attention to the family and business dimensions of Clark’s private world, adding richness to this well-rounded and revealing portrait of the man and his courageous life. Coinciding with the bicentennial in 2004 of the departure of Lewis and Clark’s famed Corps of Discovery, Wilderness Journey fills a major gap in scholarship. Intended for the general reader, as well as for specialists in the field, this fascinating book provides a well-balanced and thorough account of one of America’s most significant frontiersmen.

Genres: Biography, History

344 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[William Howle · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a well researched book by a professor and therefore had many words. I have read several books about the Lewis and Clark expedition across the continent, but nothing that goes into such depth about this individual, William Clark. As I was reading this book, I was asked who is William Clark. I said “ have you heard of Lewis and Clark?” That’s who William Clark is.” The author points out the positive and negative aspects of his life. In today’s society there seems to be a desire to point out negatives based on what is considered a judgement without taking into an account of the period when the person lived. Today we view slavery as abhorrent, but in Clark’s time it was considered the natural order. Many promises were made to the indigenous tribes and broke. Much of this was considered “ Manifest Destiny “

[Brook Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little dry at times, but truly a scholarly, well-researched bio on Clark, which was what I needed. Foley does paint a complete portrait, weaknesses included and shows a man whose heart was tied to America, though he was a man of his time, being a slave-owner.

Foley did an especially good job of describing Clark's family life and also the debacle between M. Lewis and Frederic Bates. Overall, this was an excellent resource and one I'd quickly recommend to anyone wanting more information on William Clark.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Uncle Peter shared this title with me because we are descended from William's brother George Rogers Clark. I learned more about William's life after his expedition with Merriweather Lewis. He was known for his work in Indian Affairs.