Book review: News of the Plains & Rockies
Oct 6, 2011 10:12:43 GMT -7
Post by Rod on Oct 6, 2011 10:12:43 GMT -7
This is an impressive book. Part of an 8-volume series published through the University of Oklahoma, volume 1 is dedicated to Early Explorers 1803-1812 and Fur Hunters 1813-1847. It consists of period news articles culled from newspapers around the nation, so it's the reports from the west exactly as a reader back east would have received them.
Contents include William H. Thomas, 1809 Voyage to the Mandan village; Stuart & Hunt's account to and from Astoria; an anonymous letter from Ft. Kiowa detailing the Ashley-Arikara battle; a couple of Thomas Hart Benton's reports to Congress on the State of the Fur Trade and his interview with Joshua Pilcher; the letters ---all versions of them-- of Daniel Potts; Jedediah Smith's description of his journey to California; James Craig's account of the Bean expedition; Robert Campbell's letters to his brother; and an article on the life of James Kirker--------plus many more, 450+ pages of articles.
What's really handy is that the editor, David A. White, writes a very comprehensive introduction to each article, neatly detailing the main characters, the time, place, and an itinerary of who went where and when. The thumbnail descriptions are short, pithy, and to the point, and provide a valuble and easy to reference source---all backed up by extensive bibliography. He also notes the national significance of each article, putting it within the framework of the times.
An expensive book---I borrowed this copy from the Ft. Union research library--but well worth looking up a copy. I can see I'll be referring back to this one alot.
Rod
Contents include William H. Thomas, 1809 Voyage to the Mandan village; Stuart & Hunt's account to and from Astoria; an anonymous letter from Ft. Kiowa detailing the Ashley-Arikara battle; a couple of Thomas Hart Benton's reports to Congress on the State of the Fur Trade and his interview with Joshua Pilcher; the letters ---all versions of them-- of Daniel Potts; Jedediah Smith's description of his journey to California; James Craig's account of the Bean expedition; Robert Campbell's letters to his brother; and an article on the life of James Kirker--------plus many more, 450+ pages of articles.
What's really handy is that the editor, David A. White, writes a very comprehensive introduction to each article, neatly detailing the main characters, the time, place, and an itinerary of who went where and when. The thumbnail descriptions are short, pithy, and to the point, and provide a valuble and easy to reference source---all backed up by extensive bibliography. He also notes the national significance of each article, putting it within the framework of the times.
An expensive book---I borrowed this copy from the Ft. Union research library--but well worth looking up a copy. I can see I'll be referring back to this one alot.
Rod