Lewis and Clark: Pioneering Naturalists

By Paul Russell Cutright

Book Overview

First published in 1969, Lewis and Clark: Pioneering Naturalists remains the most comprehensive account of the scientific studies carried out by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark during their overland expedition to the Pacific Northwest and back in 1804-6. Summaries of the animals, plants, topographical features, and Indian tribes encountered are included at the end of each chapter devoted to a particular leg of the journey. This is the work for which the distinguished biologist and author Paul Russell Cutright will be remembered longest.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0803263341
• ISBN13: 9780803263345
• Release Date: April 1989
• Publisher: Bison Books
• Length: 522 Pages
• Weight: 1.59 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.9" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Wonderful book - could use more illustrations though

This book is a fascinating natural history of the Lewis and Clark expedition that deals not just with flora and fauna but also with geology, geography, medicine, and the ethnography of the tribes the explorers met on their way to the Pacific and back. The story is told chronologically, with enough detail that if your main interest is natural history this could be the only history of the expedition you will want to read. The author writes in a surprisingly readable style. The book's only drawback is the almost total lack of illustrations. Judging from the nice drawing on the cover, taken from a page of the explorers' journals, there were illustrations available but they didn't make it into the text. There were so many times when even a line drawing would have been helpful. At the very least some maps (one for each chapter, showing rivers, the explorers' path, and major landmarks along with maybe a light outline of present state boundaries) should be added to future editions. The bottom line: this is a good book with a wealth of information. You may want to keep a map and/or a wildlife guide handy as you read, though.