In 1995, writer William Least Heat-Moon traveled across the U.S. by boat. Peter Lourie, a travel writer, joined him for the Missouri River part of the trip "to see how much the Missouri had changed since the days of Lewis and Clark." This modern-day chronicle of life on the Big Muddy, complete with daily entries and ample full-color photographs, is written in an easy, relaxed manner and augmented by fascinating historical information, including excerpts from the journals of Lewis and Clark. These passages contrast greatly with Lourie's present-day observations and emphasize the many changes that have taken place. Today, there is little river traffic, the Sioux operate gambling casinos, and rivertowns dwindle in size, while environmentalists and farmers/ranchers disagree with one another as to how the Missouri should be managed for the benefit of all people and wildlife. Historical reproductions supplement the photos.
This work skillfully integrates history with personal observations; readers motivated to learn more about the original expedition can read Peter and Connie Roop's Off the Map (Walker, 1993) or Rhoda Blumberg's The Incredible Journey of Lewis & Clark (Lothrop, 1987). Dayton Duncan's Out West (Penguin, 1988) emphasizes the lives of the people living along the historic route. -David A. Lindsey, Lakewood High and Middle School Libraries, WA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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