Wilderness Journey
The Life of William Clark
Published on 21. May 2004
Book
Hardback
344 pages
978-0-8262-1533-8 (ISBN)
Description
Strange as it may seem today, William Clark - most known as the American explorer who joined Meriwether Lewis in leading an overland expedition to the Pacific - mattered for far more than his famed Voyage of Discovery, dramatic and daring though that venture may have been. Although studies have been published on virtually every facet of the Lewis and Clark Journey, Wilderness Journey is the first comprehensive account of Clark's lengthy and multifaceted life. Following Lewis and Clark's great odyssey, Clark's service as a soldier, Indian diplomat, and government official placed him at center stage in the national quest to possess and occupy North America's vast western hinterland and prefigured U.S. policies in the region. In his personal life, Clark had to overcome challenges no less daunting than those he faced in the public arena. Foley pays careful attention to the family and business dimensions of Clark's private world, adding richness to this well-rounded and revealing portrait of the man and his courageous life. Coinciding with the Bicentennial in 2004 of Lewis and Clark's famed Corps of Discovery, Wilderness Journey fills a major gap in scholarship.
Reviews / Votes
No one is better able to treat in a comprehensive way William Clark's public life than William Foley. Foley knows, and has skillfully used, the massive store of archival materials. He has written a balanced, solidly researched biography of a major American figure. The great strength of this biography is Foley's unparalleled command of the sources and his broad understanding of the West in the early Republic. William Clark shaped the early West and was shaped by it.-James P. Ronda; ""Bill Foley has written a compelling biography of William Clark. It is significant because it provides a fresh look at the life of an important public servant who is primarily known as the partner of Meriwether Lewis and co-leader of the Corps of Discovery.... Foley expertly traces Clark's early life, and he separates his leadership and achievements from Lewis's with clarity and insight, thereby enabling the reader to better understand his role in the expedition across the continent. Foley's study of William Clark should serve as the standard biography of the man for at least a generation.""-R. Douglas Hurt; ""Bill Foley's book on William Clark deserves a place alongside Stephen Ambrose's Undaunted Courage on every scholar's bookshelf. It comprises a thorough and lively tour through the life of one of the most complex and vivid personalities ever produced in the United States.""-Bob MooreMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Missouri
United States
Illustrations
illustrations
ISBN-13
978-0-8262-1533-8 (9780826215338)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
William E. Foley is Professor Emeritus of History at Central Missouri State University. He is the General Editor of the Missouri Biography Series and author or editor of numerous books, including Genesis of Missouri: From Wilderness Outpost to Statehood, Dictionary of Missouri Biography, and A History of Missouri, Volume 1: 1673-1820, all available from the University of Missouri Press.