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U.S. Landmark Books #15
The Lewis and Clark Expedition
A Landmark History book. A highly readable account of the quintessentially American adventure of discovery and hardship as Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led their men on an exploration of the interior parts of North America.
183 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1951
7 people are currently reading
389 people want to read
About the author
Richard L. Neuberger
11 books5 followersRichard Lewis Neuberger was an American journalist, author, and politician who wrote for The New York Times and served in both the Oregon House of Representatives and the United States Senate.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
March 18, 2020
Did you know that Clark wanted to name a river after his childhood sweetheart? Romantic, right? Except that he got her name wrong! Uh oops! Haha! Learn other interesting facts and all the history associated with this expedition.
About Landmark Books
"Each is a book that brings to life a great event or personality in our nation's past. Each is designed to be rich, rewarding reading, capable of stirring the heart as well as the mind. Each is intended to arouse in the reader not only an interest in the course of history, but also an understanding of how the democracy that is our heritage was forged."
-From one of the dust jackets
The Landmark Books for children are a great way to learn history! I can't say enough about these , and it's no wonder that they are highly sought after in the homeschool community. From what I’ve researched, I’ve found these books to be very historically accurate. It’s history told in nicely narrated story-form – a win!
Ages: 10+
Pages: approx. 175-200
Illustrations: some
Price Range: $4 – $125 depending on HC or PB, and the title and its rarity.
Cleanliness: Mentions drinking, tobacco and smoking. Uses the word "bl**dy" to mean lots of blood. Mentions how some Indians took a male captives clothes, leaving him naked - no details. Mentions that Lewis possibly committed suicide.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! You’ll see my updates as I’m reading and know which books I’m liking and what I’m not finishing and why. You’ll also be able to utilize my library for looking up titles to see whether the book you’re thinking about reading next has any objectionable content or not. From swear words, to romance, to bad attitudes (in children’s books), I cover it all!
About Landmark Books
"Each is a book that brings to life a great event or personality in our nation's past. Each is designed to be rich, rewarding reading, capable of stirring the heart as well as the mind. Each is intended to arouse in the reader not only an interest in the course of history, but also an understanding of how the democracy that is our heritage was forged."
-From one of the dust jackets
The Landmark Books for children are a great way to learn history! I can't say enough about these , and it's no wonder that they are highly sought after in the homeschool community. From what I’ve researched, I’ve found these books to be very historically accurate. It’s history told in nicely narrated story-form – a win!
Ages: 10+
Pages: approx. 175-200
Illustrations: some
Price Range: $4 – $125 depending on HC or PB, and the title and its rarity.
Cleanliness: Mentions drinking, tobacco and smoking. Uses the word "bl**dy" to mean lots of blood. Mentions how some Indians took a male captives clothes, leaving him naked - no details. Mentions that Lewis possibly committed suicide.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! You’ll see my updates as I’m reading and know which books I’m liking and what I’m not finishing and why. You’ll also be able to utilize my library for looking up titles to see whether the book you’re thinking about reading next has any objectionable content or not. From swear words, to romance, to bad attitudes (in children’s books), I cover it all!
April 14, 2021
Good overview of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Some of the physical descriptions of the landscapes were really nice, as well as the story of the first grizzly bear encounter. I'd never heard about Lewis's mysterious death before -- that was sad. Not surprised this was written in the 50s though -- the descriptions got a bit John-Wayne-esque at times.
April 9, 2021
We finished reading this Landmark book aloud today, The Lewis and Clark Expedition from Avyx, a Sonlight and BookShark Reading with History recommendation for Introduction to American Studies part 1. We personally spent about two months on this read and every time they were asking for more and to keep on going so today we pushed through to the end with three or more chapters on our to-do list. So far, from what I can tell I am really enjoying the quality of Landmark books and I'm grateful for publishers like Avyx (Sonlight) bringing them back occasionally for us. Reading this brought back memories of a field trip to the Discovery Museum when they had an outdoor live exhibit and reenactment of the Lewis and Clark corps. It also brings back to mind the Vieux Quebecois Musee we stumbled upon during our honeymoon that included Lewis and Clark artifacts. The off-roading, Overlanding, 4Runner driving mama in me wants to plan a road trip. Perhaps when the baby is a little less anti-car-seat, and when/if the world is calmer.
We own this book as purchased second-hand from a mama who bought it directly from BookShark for use with BookShark Reading with History Level 3, now known as Level 3 as in Sonlight Curriculum Core D Introduction to American History, part 1.
We own this book as purchased second-hand from a mama who bought it directly from BookShark for use with BookShark Reading with History Level 3, now known as Level 3 as in Sonlight Curriculum Core D Introduction to American History, part 1.
August 10, 2014
This was an entire family favorite. Having read Stephen Ambrose's version of Lewis and Clark, Undaunted Courage, I secretly wondered how this book would compare to the detailed rich account of the expedition (not to mention there are so many books to choose from on this topic). Neuberger did a fantastic job of preserving the accuracy and details, but in a kid-appropriate version. I didn't feel like he left anything out. After reading this book, we watched the History Channel video. It was fun to compare the differences; the kids thought the video was very watered down compared to the book. The book was excellent! Highly recommend!
April 3, 2017
Read with Savannah. I don't remember ever hearing this much detail about Lewis & Clark's expedition. It was fascinating. Amazing what they were able to do traveling over the mountains not knowing anything about how far they had to go.
August 1, 2007
One of the first "real books" I read as a kid; I was surprised how much I enjoyed it, thought it was great.
October 20, 2020
ugggggggghhh, NO THANK YOU!!!!
June 8, 2025
We read this aloud together while doing our geography studies on America. Very well-written—highly interesting and informative. The men were very brave and tough. Lewis’s end is sad. Highly recommend. The font and style of reading would be possible for a fourth grader. Nice pictures on occasion as well.
January 24, 2024
Zeph and I are on a roll. We so enjoyed this narrative of the Lewis and Clark expedition.
December 16, 2018
This book did a great job of telling the tale of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. It was short, so a fairly quick read, and I enjoyed reading it.
Want to read
September 27, 2024This short volume chronicles the expeditions of Captain Meriwether Lewis and friend William Clark, who, with about 40 other voyagers, only ONE of whom died during the entire expedition, set out from Camp Wood, IL, in May, 1804, to explore the vast territory west of the Mississippi River, after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, under then-president Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson himself was something of an explorer, and probably envied the two men somewhat, in that had he been younger he would have liked to have gone himself. The venture occurred from May, 1804, to September, 1806.
France sold the vast territory to the fledgling United States in 1803, after some negotiating, to raise money for its military efforts. This expanse of land included some 530 MILLION acres, the purchase of which effectively doubling the size of the US overnight. This area was comprised of what is now the ENTIRE states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, and large swaths of Colorado, Minnesota, North Dakota, Wyoming and most of Montana, as well as parts of now-Northern Texas and Louisiana. The land was sold for a paltry $15 million, or about 3 cents per acre, which would be only about $337 million in 2021 dollars, or .64 cents per acre (!). That was arguably the greatest deal in US history - with the purchase of Manhattan Island coming in a close second.
The stated goal of the expedition was to find the most direct and accessible water communication and route to the Pacific Ocean, but Jefferson also wanted to declare sovereignty over the new territory, which was occupied by various indigenous tribes. He stated that wanted to establish friendly relations with them rather than resort to outright conquest, which, at the time, would have been extraordinarily difficult, if not impossible, so the expedition was ordered to attempt to maintain good terms with the native peoples who inhabited the large expense of uncharted territory. To that end, the expedition was also ordered to report the whereabouts, military capabilities, numbers and activities of the various peoples they encountered. Scientific research was secondary but not unimportant.
Many of the tribes had already had encounters with Europeans, specifically French and British fur trappers and traders, in their isolated communities, so the indigenous peoples were for the most part not hostile to the expedition. Lewis and Clark frequently enlisted their assistance in meeting their goal of reaching the Pacific ocean, which they likely would not have accomplished without their aid. The Discovery Corps did reach their objective, relying on native people to lead them overland from the upper Missouri River to the Columbia River, which met with the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, it was discovered that there was not a contiguous waterway to the Pacific. This momentous effort, however, which lasted nearly two and a half years, was instrumental in establishing the foothold of the US in the newly-acquired territory and set the stage for the opening of the West.
Notable travelers also included Clark's black slave, York, about whom little is known but much has been made in recent years (he was the first black man that many of the indigenous peoples they encountered had ever seen), and, more famously, Sacajawea (1788-1812), a Shoshone woman who, at about age 12, was taken captive by the Hidatsa tribe. She was given in marriage at age 13 to Toussaint Charbonneau, a Quebcois trapper (who may have purchased her), who also had another "wife" girl with him, who is not often mentioned. Sacajawea, along with her husband, who had been hired by Lewis and Clark to act as a guide, accompanied the expedition, serving as translators and sometimes guides. She notably gave birth on the journey, and carried her baby on her back for hundreds of miles.
Sacajawea was of significant assistance in helping the expedition barter with the Shoshone for horses and to hire guides to lead them over the formidable Rocky Mountains. She is also credited with leading Lewis and Clark through the Yellowstone River basin, in the area now known as Bozeman Pass, which was later chosen as the route for the Northern Pacific Railway to cross the continental divide, proving the immeasurable value of local knowledge by native peoples. She and her husband later moved to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1809, and sent their son Jean-Baptiste to the St. Louis Academy boarding school. It is unclear when Sacajawea died: most reports state that it was in 1812, of an illness, while Charbonneau lived to age 76. Another oral tradition, which is probably fable, claims that she left her husband (although having just had another baby, which apparently did not survive infancy, that is improbable) and somehow crossed the Great Plains to marry into the Comanche tribe, later returning to the Shoshone in Wyoming and dying in 1884, but there is no independent evidence to verify the claim.
Jean-Baptiste also lived a notable life of adventure, traveling to Europe at age 18 after meeting a German duke, Wilhelm of Wurttemberg. He lived there for six years, and learned four European languages, but returned to the US in 1829 and lived as a frontiersman. He famously served as a guide for the Mormon Battalion in 1846, and later became a magistrate for Mission San Luis Rey and then a hotel clerk in Auburn, CA during the Gold Rush. He himself ventured out to Montana to seek his fortune in the search for gold, but died of pneumonia shortly after at the age of 61.
The expeditions of Lewis and Clark are still well-known today. The book draws on the journals and documents from the expedition (many of which were tragically lost when a canoe overturned, spilling the contents into the river, of which only a few were recovered), which also offers additional opportunity for readers and students to explore on their own.
France sold the vast territory to the fledgling United States in 1803, after some negotiating, to raise money for its military efforts. This expanse of land included some 530 MILLION acres, the purchase of which effectively doubling the size of the US overnight. This area was comprised of what is now the ENTIRE states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, and large swaths of Colorado, Minnesota, North Dakota, Wyoming and most of Montana, as well as parts of now-Northern Texas and Louisiana. The land was sold for a paltry $15 million, or about 3 cents per acre, which would be only about $337 million in 2021 dollars, or .64 cents per acre (!). That was arguably the greatest deal in US history - with the purchase of Manhattan Island coming in a close second.
The stated goal of the expedition was to find the most direct and accessible water communication and route to the Pacific Ocean, but Jefferson also wanted to declare sovereignty over the new territory, which was occupied by various indigenous tribes. He stated that wanted to establish friendly relations with them rather than resort to outright conquest, which, at the time, would have been extraordinarily difficult, if not impossible, so the expedition was ordered to attempt to maintain good terms with the native peoples who inhabited the large expense of uncharted territory. To that end, the expedition was also ordered to report the whereabouts, military capabilities, numbers and activities of the various peoples they encountered. Scientific research was secondary but not unimportant.
Many of the tribes had already had encounters with Europeans, specifically French and British fur trappers and traders, in their isolated communities, so the indigenous peoples were for the most part not hostile to the expedition. Lewis and Clark frequently enlisted their assistance in meeting their goal of reaching the Pacific ocean, which they likely would not have accomplished without their aid. The Discovery Corps did reach their objective, relying on native people to lead them overland from the upper Missouri River to the Columbia River, which met with the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, it was discovered that there was not a contiguous waterway to the Pacific. This momentous effort, however, which lasted nearly two and a half years, was instrumental in establishing the foothold of the US in the newly-acquired territory and set the stage for the opening of the West.
Notable travelers also included Clark's black slave, York, about whom little is known but much has been made in recent years (he was the first black man that many of the indigenous peoples they encountered had ever seen), and, more famously, Sacajawea (1788-1812), a Shoshone woman who, at about age 12, was taken captive by the Hidatsa tribe. She was given in marriage at age 13 to Toussaint Charbonneau, a Quebcois trapper (who may have purchased her), who also had another "wife" girl with him, who is not often mentioned. Sacajawea, along with her husband, who had been hired by Lewis and Clark to act as a guide, accompanied the expedition, serving as translators and sometimes guides. She notably gave birth on the journey, and carried her baby on her back for hundreds of miles.
Sacajawea was of significant assistance in helping the expedition barter with the Shoshone for horses and to hire guides to lead them over the formidable Rocky Mountains. She is also credited with leading Lewis and Clark through the Yellowstone River basin, in the area now known as Bozeman Pass, which was later chosen as the route for the Northern Pacific Railway to cross the continental divide, proving the immeasurable value of local knowledge by native peoples. She and her husband later moved to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1809, and sent their son Jean-Baptiste to the St. Louis Academy boarding school. It is unclear when Sacajawea died: most reports state that it was in 1812, of an illness, while Charbonneau lived to age 76. Another oral tradition, which is probably fable, claims that she left her husband (although having just had another baby, which apparently did not survive infancy, that is improbable) and somehow crossed the Great Plains to marry into the Comanche tribe, later returning to the Shoshone in Wyoming and dying in 1884, but there is no independent evidence to verify the claim.
Jean-Baptiste also lived a notable life of adventure, traveling to Europe at age 18 after meeting a German duke, Wilhelm of Wurttemberg. He lived there for six years, and learned four European languages, but returned to the US in 1829 and lived as a frontiersman. He famously served as a guide for the Mormon Battalion in 1846, and later became a magistrate for Mission San Luis Rey and then a hotel clerk in Auburn, CA during the Gold Rush. He himself ventured out to Montana to seek his fortune in the search for gold, but died of pneumonia shortly after at the age of 61.
The expeditions of Lewis and Clark are still well-known today. The book draws on the journals and documents from the expedition (many of which were tragically lost when a canoe overturned, spilling the contents into the river, of which only a few were recovered), which also offers additional opportunity for readers and students to explore on their own.
September 4, 2008
This is a fun little book. Being published in 1951 it is completely out of step with anything I read in school. The stories chosen are certainly not politically correct. When is the last time you heard an Indian referred to as a "Red Savage"? (Sorry to all you feminists)Sacajawea was not the title character in this version of the story. Another little untold detail was that, (according to this account) Sacajawea's husband was on the journey as well. I have never heard anything about him before. So, either he was not really there; or the feminists were so eager to have a heroine in the story that they chose to omit him from the text books. The animal rights activists would not like this book either. I'll spare you those gory details. How did my parents ever survive?
In conclusion, I found it refreshing.
In conclusion, I found it refreshing.
May 1, 2008
This is an account of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, written in 1951. I had mixed feelings about it. The storytelling is quite engaging, and Mr. Neuberger did a nice job of making the characters more real. However, he is also quite jingoistic, and I had to roll my eyes when he would praise this event or that discovery. I mean, I love my country and all that, but the first sighting of, say, the Columbia River by an American isn't really that big of a deal in the history of mankind. Anyway, if you can get over that flaw in the book, you should check it out. It does a good job of recounting the journey and it made me hunger to find out more about the expedition. If that doesn't make a good children's history book, what does?
March 31, 2018
I read a bunch of the books from this series as a kid. I remember enjoying them, but I was too young at the time to question the narrative or the quality of writing. I just like reading biographies and histories, and there were precious few of those for younger readers then that weren't boring. Would I read it to kids today? Nah. The whole "Great White Race has God-given right to take, kill, abuse, and exploit whatever and whoever in the name of making America Great" slant doesn't sit well. It never did; we just were too indoctrinated in it to know better 50+ years ago when these came out.
August 1, 2017
5 stars for being very readable and understandable for kids.
However, I probably wouldn't recommend this book. It's written in the 1950s and the philosophy of the "mighty white men" is embarrassingly present. I changed some of the way things were worded as I read it out loud, and we also discussed in a child-friendly way the different perspectives of those involved (that is, the explorer's perspective and the Native American tribe's perspective).
However, I probably wouldn't recommend this book. It's written in the 1950s and the philosophy of the "mighty white men" is embarrassingly present. I changed some of the way things were worded as I read it out loud, and we also discussed in a child-friendly way the different perspectives of those involved (that is, the explorer's perspective and the Native American tribe's perspective).
March 29, 2013
This was a fantastic account of the expedition. Having known virtually nothing myself, I found the book had plenty of details to keep my interest, but not so many that it bogged down the kids. We read a chapter a day, marking important routes/camps on a map. This is such a fun read for the kids and me. It was extremely well written -- not one chapter was boring!
April 15, 2018
I read this book aloud to my 8- and 10-year-old kids, and we all loved it! Including fascinating details about the Lewis and Clark Expedition in a succinct story form appropriate for middle grade readers, this account made me want to read about the Expedition in more depth. Such an interesting chapter in America’s history!
July 26, 2018
Read aloud to the kids. First book from the Landmark series I’ve read, and it is a fantastic history book for children. Hoping the remainder of the series are just as good. Never knew much about Lewis and Clark, and this is a great introduction to their adventure. Can’t recommend it more for kids! (And adults too who want a quick read)
May 3, 2014
A solid primer for young or struggling readers, thought a bit "spongy" stylistically as well with a couple historical details. A 3.5 in my mind, but still a worthy introduction to what is really a rather complex historical crossroads.
October 23, 2008
it was a pretty good book. very easy to read in a couple days
April 15, 2010
Great!
March 26, 2012
Great book!
January 4, 2021
A great retelling of the Lewis and Clark story. It was nice to hear about the other men in the expedition, and get some details I don't remember learning about in school.
July 13, 2012
So far, all of my children have been amazed and in the edge of their seats learning about this part of our history.
April 6, 2014
Fun book to read instead of dry history books. Read in our third grade homeschool.
October 2, 2014
Though slightly difficult for my kids to read independently, they both really enjoyed this book. After the first chapter, I decided to read it to them. Great story of America's early explorers.
November 7, 2014
I learned something new, which I always appreciate...
November 4, 2015
A decent account of Lewis and Clark. My boys enjoyed it. I would like to know how accurate it is.
February 14, 2024
Excellent account for young people of the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804.
February 9, 2017
It reads like a textbook at times, but overall a good summary of the great trail blazers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews