Synopses & Reviews
For decades after his death in 1789, John Ledyard was celebrated as the greatest explorer America had ever produced. A veteran of Captain Cookand#8217;s final voyage, he walked across nearly all of Russia and suggested to his friend Thomas Jefferson that traversing the American continent was feasibleand#151;inspiring the Lewis and Clark expedition. When he died he was preparing to venture into Africa. Once as famous as the Founding Fathers whom he had befriended and beguiled, the and#147;American traveler,and#8221; as Ledyard was called, fell into obscurity over the years, reduced to becoming a footandshy;noted reference in
Moby Dick.
and#160;Bill Gifford reenacted Ledyardand#8217;s 1773 escape from Dartmouth College in a canoe and followed Ledyardand#8217;s trail down the length of the Lena River in Siberia. In Ledyard he reveals the man in the legend, bringing back an American original and giving us a story that until now has not been fully told.
Review
PRAISE FOR
LEDYARDand#160;"John Ledyard is probably the most fascinating historical figure you've never heard of. As I raced through the pages of Bill Gifford's enormously entertaining portrait of this astounding character,and#160;I found myself wanting to cheer.and#160;
Ledyard is a terrific book."--Jon Krakauer, author of
Under the Banner of HeavenReview
"John Ledyard is probably the most fascinating historical figure you've never heard ofand#8230; Enormously entertainingand#8230; Ledyard is a terrific book."
Review
"John Ledyard is probably the most fascinating historical figure youve never heard of… Enormously entertaining… Ledyard is a terrific book."
Synopsis
Traces the historical contributions and legacy of the late eighteenth-century American explorer, from his walking travels through Russia and friendship with Thomas Jefferson to his inspiration for Lewis's and Clark's expedition and his fall from fame into obscurity. 32,000 first printing.
Synopsis
For decades after his death in 1789, John Ledyard was celebrated as the greatest explorer America had ever produced. A veteran of Captain Cook's final voyage, he walked across nearly all of Russia and suggested to his friend Thomas Jefferson that traversing the American continent was feasible--inspiring the Lewis and Clark expedition. When he died he was preparing to venture into Africa. Once as famous as the Founding Fathers whom he had befriended and beguiled, the American traveler, as Ledyard was called, fell into obscurity over the years, reduced to becoming a foot-noted reference in Moby Dick.
Bill Gifford reenacted Ledyard's 1773 escape from Dartmouth College in a canoe and followed Ledyard's trail down the length of the Lena River in Siberia. In Ledyard he reveals the man in the legend, bringing back an American original and giving us a story that until now has not been fully told.
Synopsis
Journalist Bill Gifford gives us a life--and follows in the footsteps--of an early American explorer, whose exploits (including walking across all of Russia) and inspired Lewis and Clark.
About the Author
BILL GIFFORD attended Dartmouth College; unlike Ledyard, he graduated. His writing has appeared in Outside and the New York Times Magazine. He is the features editor for Men's Journal and lives in Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania.
Table of Contents
CONTENTS