This Vast Land: A Young Man's Journal of the Lewis and Clark Expedition

by Stephen E. Ambrose

This groundbreaking book collects black women's personal recollections of their public and private lives during the period of legal segregation in the American South. Using first-person narratives, collected through oral history interviews, the book emphasizes women's role in their families and communities, treating women as important actors in the economic, social, cultural, and political life of the segregated South. By focusing on the commonalities...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0689864485
• ISBN13: 9780689864483
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
• Length: 293 Pages
• Weight: 1.07 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.3" x 9.2"
• Age Range: 13 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 8 to 12

Customer Reviews

Some Mature Content

As an adult, I would first like to mention that this book has some brief sexual content that some parents may not find suitable for children. Overall, however, it is an engaging and informative glimpse into the Lewis and Clark expedition that left me wanting to know more, and wanting to travel the path myself. I found the diary style of storytelling an interesting one that led authenticity to the story as well as made it easier to read than some straightforward history texts. Of course, this is a fictionalized account, but I think it gives the reader a good idea of the conditions and feelings likely experienced by the Corps of Discovery. The language and even spelling and grammar are consistent with the time period and the education level of the narrator. I found this to be an exciting book that made you wonder what lay ahead, what the next discovery or encounter would bring. I do think this is a valuable book for younger readers, but it should be read with parental guidance due to the sexual content. I also think adult readers looking for an easier portal into the world of Lewis and Clark would enjoy this book as well.