Customer Reviews

Despite All Obstacles: La Salle and the Conquest of the Mississippi (Great Explorers)

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I just finished reading this book and cannot recommend it highly enough. Goodman has written a concise and accessible history of the great explorer La Salle, and Tom McNeely has done an equally good job in complementing the text with his illustrations.

Beginning with his childhood, Goodman briefly explains La Salle's titles and education before going on to portray his great expeditions and troubles. Written with children in mind, the book lightly touches upon the topic of politics within the court of France, between the great powers of the day -France, Spain, and England-- and amongst the various American Indian tribes and confederations. However, the overall tone is not so academic and the book maintains a quick pacing and a definite sense of adventure and discovery.

Nicely enough, what the author does not do is whitewash peoples or individuals. For example, I particularly like the balance Ms. Goodman maintains between La Salle as 'hero' and La Salle as a 'flawed individual'. Her portrayal of him as a determined man that keeps plugging away, despite adversity, is admirable. So is her point that it was La Salle's natural aloofness and inability to understand the weaknesses of others that inevitably led to his death at the hands of his own men.

One other note -- I would be remiss if I did not point out that there are many facts and issues that Ms. Goodman leaves out and/or glosses over. She does not mention, for example, that some of La Salle's contemporaries thought him mentally ill during the time of his last expedition. Nor does she explain that the men hated La Salle's nephew because he punished them for sleeping with the Indian women. Topics perhaps best left to older children and adults.

Five Stars. Wonderful book. Excellent writing. Good Artwork. Goodman makes history live by touching upon details, such as cannibalism by the Seneca, that tend to engage younger readers. She makes La Salle very accessible by pointing out both his strengths and his weaknesses.

pam t