Sacagawea of the Lewis and Clark Expedition [Paperback]

Ella E. Clark (Author), Margot Edmonds (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 179 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press (September 15, 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520050606
• ISBN-13: 978-0520050600
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #485,368 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars What this book is about, October 19, 2004

By 

SnowqueenVT "SKI VT" (Vermont) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sacagawea of the Lewis and Clark Expedition (Paperback)

Without Sacagawea's help the Lewis & Clark expedition might not have been able to secure horses to carry themselves and their baggage over the mountainous terrain that surprisingly presented itself to the explorers, who thought they would be taking an all water route to the Pacific. Her job as an interpreter to the expedition was no more important than the symbolism she represented to the Indian tribes that were encountered on the expedition. She and her infant son were symbolic of peace, because war parties did not carry women and children with them. This is a biography that clarifies Sacagawea's important contributions to the Lewis & Clark expedition.
"Sacagawea made one of her two contributions to the guiding of the Lewis & Clark expedition two afternoons later. Sacagawea recognized the plain at once"(72). Ella Clark explains the directions given by Sacagawea on the expedition, these directions brought the party of explorers through Gibbons Pass. The expedition group had split up for several weeks, Captain Clark was with Sacagawea and twenty men, the rest of the Corps with Captain Lewis. Sacagawea's directions brought the men to their cache of supplies and the canoes that they had left on the way to the Pacific. This was the highlight of Sacagawea's guiding on the expedition.
Ella Clark quotes William Clark's journal passage regarding the scene described above, "The Indian woman (Sacagawea) has been of great service to me as a pilot through this country. She recommends a gap in the mountains more south which I shall cross" (74). Ella Clark chose this journal passage specifically to support the thesis of her book, aiming to strip away the myth that surrounds Sacagawea in literature. In the prologue Ella Clark says that, "In truth, the legend obscures both the person and the very real contributions Sacagawea made" (1). In this biography of Sacagawea's life Ella Clark peels away these myths to reveal the actual accomplishments made by Sacagawea in a more accurate historical perspective.
Sacagawea's life after the expedition is also recorded through a series of studies completed by the author. Ella Clark researches the sworn statements given by the sons of Sacagawea, Bazil and Baptiste. Also other tribe members who lived with Sacagawea during her remaining years were accounted for and reexamined by the author. The validity of literary sources are also evaluated giving the reader the ability to distinguish history versus legend in encountering literature on Sacagawea. Having done her research thoroughly and objectively Ella Clark presents an honest rendition of what can really be known about the life of Sacagawea while simultaneously critiquing literature written about her. This biography is full of quotations from other authors who have written about Sacagawea and could be considered a great resource for a student looking to further investigate the literary trail of this Shoshone born Indian's life.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Different view on Sacagawea, August 25, 2000

By 

Laura Labadie (Hobart, IN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sacagawea of the Lewis and Clark Expedition (Paperback)

This book gave a different point of view of the Indian Shoshone woman who traveled with Lewis & Clark's expedition. I've read several books regarding Sacagawea and just returned from the Montana to Idaho historical tour on Lewis & Clark's trail. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Sacagawea.

4.0 out of 5 stars Sacagawea's journey, March 29, 2011

By 

Dorothy J. Piper "Oldtimer" (FORT MILL, SC, US) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sacagawea of the Lewis and Clark Expedition (Paperback)

This is an interesting, detailed and as factual an account as the authors appear able to make it. I enjoyed reading it and will probably do so more than once.