Synopses & Reviews
With richly illustrated gatefolds, annotated topographical maps, and pictorial timelines of the Expedition, The Saga of Lewis & Clark: Into the Uncharted West stands out as the classic account and visual presentation of America's greatest quest. Having recently retraced the same routes charted by the nineteenth-century explorers, authors and brother Thomas and Jeremy Schmidt share a passion for the land that brings the experience of discovery and adventure to life. Their shared enthusiasm for geography, history, natural history , and adventure parallel the driving interests of Expedition co-commanders Lewis and Clark. Never before have the words of Lewis and Clark been woven into such a beautiful and enlivening tale. The Saga of Lewis & Clark re-enacts the journey with excerpts from the Expedition members' journals, intriguing historical artifacts of the Corps' unique equipment, sketches of animal and plant species first recorded during the "voyage of discovery," archival images of native cultural arts and crafts, and lavish full-color photography of the still-pristine lands that Lewis and Clark viewed on their journey to the Pacific. Traveling the explorers' route in every season, photographer Wayne Mumford has recorded the stunning beauty of a land that remains as utterly magnificent as it was when Lewis and Clark forges westwards. The Saga of Lewis & Clark is a must-have for anyone inspired by discovery, natural beauty, and dramatic tales of American adventure.
Review
What Ken Burns achieved with his television series on the Civil War, the Saga of Lewis and Clark accomplishes in print. (Chicago Tribune)
Review
...[this book] blows the dust off the fabled expedition, artfully recreating its audacity and fierce peril. (Doug Wyatt, Savannah Morning News)
Synopsis
Beautifully written and illustrated, this book follows Lewis and Clark from the inception of their expedition to their celebrated homecoming. Illustrations focus on maps, current photographs of still-virgin wilderness, and annotated sketches from plants and animals they archived.
About the Author
Thomas Schmidt has wandered the Rocky Mountains most of his life and has written more than a dozen books covering the region. Most of them have been published by the National Geographic Society and the Smithsonian Institution. He co-authored Grand Teton: Citadels of Stone and is the author of National Geographic's Guide to the Lewis & Clark Trail, which tracks the Expedition's journey from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean. In preparation for the latter, he hollowed the entire length of the Lewis & Clark Trail, from the mouth of the Missouri River to the mouth of the Columbia, and pored over the unabridged versions of the Captains' journals. Thomas makes his home in Bozeman, Montana, not far from Lewis and Clark's route. Jeremy Schmidt is a writer and photographer who specializes in natural history and outdoor subjects. He is the author or co-author of fifteen books including Himalayan Passage: Seven Months in the High Country of Tibet, Nepal, China, India and Pakistan, and Two Lands, One Heart: An American Boy's Journey to His Mother's Vietnam. With Thomas, he has co-authored several natural history guidebooks and Grand Teton: Citadels of Stone. His work for international magazines has taken him around the world to report on panda research in china, the national parks of South Africa, mountaineering in Russia and Tanzania, Tibetan pilgrims, Indian elephants, mountain gorillas in Congo, central Asian shamans, and other subjects. Jeremy lives in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Photographer Wayne Mumford, based in Kalispell, Montana, lives and works surrounded by breathtaking wilderness and myriad photo opportunities. An avid backpacker, Mumford captures nature's every mood and emotion as he follows the trails of the early North American West through backcountry wilderness.