Lewis and Clark: Pioneering Naturalists (Bison Book) [Paperback]

Paul Russell Cutright (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1989 | Series: Bison Book

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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Cutright "has added a wealth of scientific detail in a style that will please historian and naturalist alike. . . . over fifty pages of triple-columned appendixes make the scientific examination even more im-pressive. The medical aspects of the expedition are interestingly dis-cussed."—Journal of American History

(Journal of American History )

"A meaningful contribution to the history of science . . . [aiming to] show the importance of Lewis and Clark as pioneers of natural history and to present in depth the scientific contributions of their expedition in the areas of botany, zoology, and allied sciences. . . . Of particular merit to scholars will be the excellent descriptions of flora and fauna discovered by the two explorers."—Library Journal

(Library Journal )

About the Author

Paul Russell Cutright (1897–1988) was a historian and a zoologist who wrote extensively on American natural history. Paul A. Johnsgard is Foundation Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences at the University of Nebraska. His forty-two books include The Nature of Nebraska: Ecology and Biodiversity and Crane Music: A Natural History of American Cranes, both available from the University of Nebraska Press.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 522 pages
• Publisher: Bison Books; 2nd edition (April 1, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803263341
• ISBN-13: 978-0803263345
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,778,112 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book - could use more illustrations though, September 7, 2003

By 

"sugarkanedc" (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lewis and Clark: Pioneering Naturalists (Second Edition) (Lewis & Clark Expedition) (Paperback)

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.