The Adventure of George Drouillard on the Lewis and Clark Expedition
July 3, 2000
An illiterate half-breed employed as translator and hunter on the Lewis and Clark Expedition serves as the conduit for Thom's (The Red Heart) learned but over-meticulous fictional account of the celebrated trek. Wryly observing the bumbling efforts of arrogant whites to win the trust and loyalty of bellicose Indians, George Drouillard follows along as captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark and 30-odd white explorers journey up the Missouri River, across the Rockies, to the Pacific shore and back again, all the while plagued by mutiny, desertion, navigational confusion, weather disasters, bitter hardship and fear of Indian attacks. Drouillard hunts meat for the party and keeps himself aloof from its internal politics, constantly commenting to himself on the crass vulgarity of the whites, whom he sees as ignorant, avaricious and materialistic; Indians, in contrast, possess noble spirituality and natural sensitivity. He is a formidable character, and despite his unlikely dedication to the abolitionist struggle, he emerges as genuine and credible. Thom's portraits of Lewis, Clark, the much celebrated Sacagawea and other principal characters are also nicely fleshed out, and often at odds with more popular interpretations. Unfortunately, the book is more an imaginative dramatization of the expedition than anything like historical fiction: it lacks real plot, character development and suspense. Thom's research, mechanics and execution are impeccable in almost every regard, but likely only those seriously interested in an accurate and highly detailed fictionalization of the historical event and period will make it through this dense and slow-moving account. Map.
June 1, 2000
An illiterate half-breed employed as translator and hunter on the Lewis and Clark Expedition serves as the conduit for Thom's (The Red Heart) learned but over-meticulous fictional account of the celebrated trek. Wryly observing the bumbling efforts of arrogant whites to win the trust and loyalty of bellicose Indians, George Drouillard follows along as captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark and 30-odd white explorers journey up the Missouri River, across the Rockies, to the Pacific shore and back again, all the while plagued by mutiny, desertion, navigational confusion, weather disasters, bitter hardship and fear of Indian attacks. Drouillard hunts meat for the party and keeps himself aloof from its internal politics, constantly commenting to himself on the crass vulgarity of the whites, whom he sees as ignorant, avaricious and materialistic; Indians, in contrast, possess noble spirituality and natural sensitivity. He is a formidable character, and despite his unlikely dedication to the abolitionist struggle, he emerges as genuine and credible. Thom's portraits of Lewis, Clark, the much celebrated Sacagawea and other principal characters are also nicely fleshed out, and often at odds with more popular interpretations. Unfortunately, the book is more an imaginative dramatization of the expedition than anything like historical fiction: it lacks real plot, character development and suspense. Thom's research, mechanics and execution are impeccable in almost every regard, but likely only those seriously interested in an accurate and highly detailed fictionalization of the historical event and period will make it through this dense and slow-moving account. Map. (July)
Copyright 2000 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
July 1, 2000
Noted author Thom revisits a familiar literary landscape in his latest historical adventure. Thom first chronicled the Lewis and Clark Expedition in "From Sea to Shining Sea" (1984), a fictional biography of William Rogers Clark. This time he offers an account of this monumentally significant journey narrated by George Drouillard, the French-Shawnee half-breed hired by Lewis and Clark to act as both an interpreter and a guide for the duration of their territorial survey. Blessed with a homespun knack for description and a keen understanding of human failings and individual idiosyncrasies, Drouillard provides a unique view of the physical and personal challenges encountered by the entire party along the way to the Pacific Ocean and back. Authentically detailed and populated with a cast of celebrated real-life characters, this stirring tale of tragedy and triumph will captivate fans of epic historical fiction. ((Reviewed July 2000))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2000, American Library Association.)
July 1, 2000
Thom (Follow the River; From Sea to Shining Sea) has written another historical saga of early America, here recounting the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804 06). Events are seen through the eyes of George Drouillard, the half-Shawnee, half-French hunter hired by Lewis and Clark as the first interpreter for their expedition, at least a year before they met Sacajawea. Thom succeeds in his mission to educate readers about the beliefs and culture of Native Americans, and his knack for absorbing descriptions reveals a breathtaking virgin American landscape so pristine, so full of wildlife, flora, and beauty, that one is appalled by the Americans behavior. They defile rivers, rape the landscape, use and insult Native Americans, and massacre wildlife as they trudge their way to the Pacific and back. Yet, surprisingly, Thom s fans will likely be disappointed by his latest effort: the story of the expedition itself, as ploddingly described here, is simply not a gripping subject. Thom devotees and early American history buffs may create demand for this often-dull read, but otherwise it is lukewarmly recommended. Barbara L., Roberts, Maricopa Cty. Lib. Dist., Phoenix
Copyright 2000 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.