The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

KARI ♪'S TASK - EXPLORING WITH LEWIS AND CLARK
January 18th Marked The Beginning Of The Lewis And Clark Bicentennial (1804-1806). The Expedition Laid Much Of The Groundwork For The Westward Expansion Of The US.

In Honor Of This, Read One Fiction And One Non-Fiction (Or 2 Non-Fiction BUT NOT 2 FICTION) Book Related To This Time Period..
A. One Book Needs To Be About One Of The Following People: Thomas Jefferson, Meriwether Lewis, William Clark Or Sacajawea (Or Can Involve All).The Person In Question Needs To Be Involved In AT LEAST 1/2 Of The Book).
B. And The Other About One Of These Events: The Lousiana Purchase, The Western Expansion, Or Exploration And/Or Pioneers During The Time Period Of 1800 To 1880.
C. When Claiming Points For This Task - Briefly Explain (3-5 Sentences) Why You Would Have Liked/Disliked To Have Lived During That Time Period.

This Is A Good Website With Links Near The Top (It's A Teacher's Web Page) For Some Ideas:Westward Expansion

For Those Of You Living Outside The US - If You Find It Difficult To Find Books On Jefferson, Lewis & Clark And/Or Sacajawea - Choose An Explorer, And A Historically-Based Exploration Event Up Through 1880. Please Be Sure To Include What Country You Are In When You Post.

If you need suggestions for books to read for this task post a request here.

Kari, I wanted to check and see if these two books work:

(Fiction) *The Whiskey Rebels A Novel by David Liss (pp 519) - Thomas Jefferson is a character in the book description.

(NF) - *The Pirate Coast Thomas Jefferson, the First Marines, and the Secret Mission of 1805 by Richard Zack (pp 454) - Book about western expansion along the Barbary Coast. This is defined in Wikipedia as western military expansion.

I hope they work. I own both and would love to clear them off my shelf.

Does anyone have any recommendations for an adult non-fiction book on The Oregon Trail?

Rachel Lee wrote: "Does anyone have any recommendations for an adult non-fiction book on The Oregon Trail?"

There is a series of books, called the Wagons West, where each title begins with a state. It's been a long time since I read them, but I think I recall one of them taking place on the Oregon trail.



Oregon! by Dana Fuller Ross

The Ross book is fiction.
For nonfiction, our library system has:
The Oregon Trail: an American Saga by David Dary
Across the Great Divide: Robert Stuart and the Discovery of the Oregon Trail by Laton McCartney
2,000 Miles to Oregon: America's Westward Journey by James J. Fisher
The Oregon Trail: a Photographic Journey by Bill Moeller
The Oregon Trail Revisited by Gregory M. Franzwa
The 1854 Oregon Trail Diary of Winfield Scott Ebey by Winfield Scott Ebey
Following the Oregon Trail by James Fisher
Wagon Wheel Kitchens:Food on the Oregon Trail by Jacqueline B. Williams
The Traeler's Guide to the Oregon Trail by Julie Fanselow
Oregon Trail: Voyage of Discover by Dan Murphy
The Oregon Trail: The conspiracy of Pontiac by Francis Parkman
Indians Along the Oregon Trail: the tribes of Nebraska, Wyoming Idaho, Oregon, Washington Identified by Bert Webber
Westward Vision: The Story of the Oregon Trail by David Sievert Lavender
Memoirs of an American Gold Seeker by John Evans Brown
Alfred Jacob Miller: Artist on the Oregon Trail by Alfred Jacob Miller
The Oregon Trail by Francis Parkman
The Oregon Trail; the Missouri Rier to the Pacific Ocean by the Federal Writers' Project
The Road to Oregon: a Chronicle of the Great Emigrant Trail by William J. Ghent
Personal Experiences on the Oregon Trail Sixty Years Ago by Ezra Meeker

I haven't read these, so I don't know if they fit page requirements, etc. and there are others out there.

Sorry about that. I wasn't paying attention. ;)

I'd probably have missed it, but I had read a couple books from that series ages ago.

Both books can't be nonfiction?

Lisa wrote: "Kari, I wanted to check and see if these two books work:

(Fiction) *The Whiskey Rebels A Novel by David Liss (pp 519) - Thomas Jefferson is a character in the book description.

(..."

This does look like a really good book and I may just add it to my TBR list. However, I'm looking for a book where Jefferson (or Lewis & Clark, Sacajawea, or all four) play a significant role in the book. After looking at Amazon's description, the setting/time period is pre-1800s, so it wouldn't work for that too--The Whiskey Rebellion of 1794 is about 6 years too early :(

I'm glad you brought this up, because I hadn't thought about the time period being so close to the end of the Revolutionary War. I don't mind if there is a small overlap, but I'm looking for a majority of a work to involve the Lousiana Purchase, The Western Expansion, or exploration and/or pioneers during the time period Of 1800 To 1880. If it ends slightly after 1880, I'm not going to be that nitpicky :)

The Pirate Coast book looks just fine to me.

Amanda wrote: "Would Founding Brothers The Revolutionary Generation work for the nonfiction part? "

I don't care which part is non-fiction/fiction for the task. I wanted to leave it open in case it was hard to find something in one category or the other.

The books chosen for the people would have to involve at least half of the book, especially since Jefferson does overlap the 18th and 19th centuries, and I'm seeing some Revolutionary period books popping up here.

Thanks, Lisa and Donna Jo, for those suggestions. I had the Ross book in mind as a possibility for this task actually. I will try by the end of the weekend to see if I can get a list of possible books for the task together.

Apologies for the delay in responding. I hadn't expected questions so early and had been doing some house cleaning and wasn't checking here as often as before. I'll try to make sure to check at least once a day now to answer questions.

Sara ♥ wrote: "Both books can't be nonfiction?"
Sara, I debated that when I was coming up with this task, partly because I know some who just really don't like reading non-fiction and wanted to make it a little easier having a fiction book. I'm going to be flexible with this, and allow two non-fiction books if one is so inclined. However, I will NOT allow two fiction books. I'll ask Cynthia if she can make the adjustment in the way the task is worded. Thank you, Sara, for asking (and swaying me so easily :) )

Kari ♪ wrote: "Sara ♥ wrote: "Both books can't be nonfiction?"
Sara, I debated that when I was coming up with this task, partly because I know some who just really don't like reading non-fiction and wanted to make it a little easier having a fiction book. I'm going to be flexible with this, and allow two non-fiction books if one is so inclined. However, I will NOT allow two fiction books. I'll ask Cynthia if she can make the adjustment in the way the task is worded. Thank you, Sara, for asking (and swaying me so easily :) ) "

What can I say? My motto in life is "It never hurts to ask!" :) I thought maybe you had been thinking in that direction—wanting at least ONE non-fiction.

I have a nonfiction book in mind for part 2, and I was having a hard time finding a fiction book about one of the four characters in part 1... but then I found one after all, which I think will be fun....

There are a ton of books about the Lewis and Clark Expedition. One I've heard is good is Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose,

I went onto my local library's website and searched for "Lewis and Clark" and like 11 pages of books came up... I looked to see where each book was shelved and found a couple of fiction books.

Undaunted Courage is at my library... in AUDIOBOOK! Woo! Sign me up!

I'd like to recommend two wonderful historical fiction books I read several years ago about Lewis & Clark. I gave them both 4 star ratings.

New Found Land Lewis & Clark's Voyage of Discovery by Allan Wolf

I Should Be Extremely Happy in Your Company A Novel of Lewis and Clark by Brian Hall

Amanda wrote: "Kari- so the "people" book needs to be at least half about the people? So Founding Brothers wouldn't work? Sorry, still confused about it... :)"

No worries at all. I was still half asleep while writing up my responses. What I was meaning is that about half of the book needs to be about the person, in your case, Jefferson (about 150 pages, since Goodreads shows the book is 304 pages--not sure how much might be the index/bibliography, etc. so using 150 as an approximate). It is about seven men, so I am not sure how much of the book is devoted to each and/or combines their lives, as they did know each other (and some did not get along too well).

In these reviews/blurbs from Amazon, it makes me wonder how much is written about Jefferson, in comparison to the other famous Revolutionary persons. "In a series of historical vignettes, the reader learns about (among other things) the famous but mysterious duel between Hamilton and Burr, the awkward problem of slavery in the 1790s, the collaboration between Madison and Jefferson, George Washington's farewell and the famous relationship between John Adams (who is underappreciated according to Ellis) and Jefferson." and "Founding Brothers is an exceptionally easy and quick book to read. Ellis repeatedly informs us what the world was like in the 1790's, when there was little historical precedence for a republican style of government or a biracial society."

It's the last statement that says 'what the world was like in the 1790s' which makes me say probably not, since I'm looking more for 1800 and after and Jefferson's presidency and the Lousiana Purchase and Westward Expansion. If it has some good tidbits on Jefferson following the 1790s and talks about him for about half of the book then I'm fine with that. I hope that makes more sense this time.

Does These Is My Wordsby Nancy Turner work for the fiction portion of tihs task?

Liz wrote: "Does These Is My Wordsby Nancy Turner work for the fiction portion of tihs task? "

Most definitely. Sounds good enough that I put it on my TBR list.

Kari, I have These Is My Words sitting on my shelf now and wanted to read it for this task, but when I looked at the book, I found it started in 1881. It's written in a diary format.

Lisa wrote: "Kari, I have These Is My Words sitting on my shelf now and wanted to read it for this task, but when I looked at the book, I found it started in 1881. It's written in a diary format."

Thanks, Lisa. I was curious about that. 1880 was a cutoff, but I don't mind for this if it's a few years after. I read the description and it fits very well for the task--Arizona Territory and "frontier experience." Just like with the non-fiction part of this task, I had debated some with the 1880 cutoff, since I think that exploration/expansion went closer to the 1900/20th century. As long as the majority of the book takes place in the 19th century, I'll be fine with it.

Thanks, Kari. Ive been wanting to read this book for awhile now :)

Wonderful, but now can my The Pirate Coast Thomas Jefferson, the First Marines, and the Secret Mission of 1805 fit as the Thomas Jefferson portion (NF) portion of the task if These Is My Words fits as the expansion (F) portion. Crossing fingers again to knock two books I own off my shelves. :D

Lisa wrote: "Wonderful, but now can my [book:The Pirate Coast Thomas Jefferson, the First Marines, and th..."

At first I was going to say definitely no, from what I was seeing that this was about Wm Eaton. There was one review on Amazon that caught my attention: "With The Pirate Coast, Richard Zacks has written an exciting historical account of the Jefferson administration's attempts to deal with piracy along the North African coast." It if seems to have a significant part of the book (about half) on Jefferson and what he was doing to either support/not support Eaton, then I'll say yes.

Here's a historical fiction book about the Oregon Trail experience. It's on my bookshelf right now. Wa-hoo, another one read from my own stash!

Outlasting the Trail The Story of a Woman's Journey West

I think I'm going to use this for the non-fiction portion of the task:

The Essential Lewis and Clark

It's a collection of the best entries from the journals of Lewis and Clark.

Jubilee Trail is a good book about westard expansion, although they are headed to California, not Oregon.

Krista wrote: "Here's a historical fiction book about the Oregon Trail experience. It's on my bookshelf right now. Wa-hoo, another one read from my own stash!

[book:Outlasting the Trail The Story of a Woman'..."

Those sound like good books :)

Kari,

Could I read Twilight at Monticello The Final Years of Thomas Jefferson and Best of Covered Wagon Women?

Thanks in advance for your help!

For the second part of the task, do you know if either O Pioneers! or My Antonia would count? I can't tell exactly when they take place (i.e., if they are before 1880).

Sara☺ wrote: "Kari,

Could I read Twilight at Monticello The Final Years of Thomas Jefferson and Best of Covered Wagon Women?

Thanks in advance for your help!"

Yes and yes. Both would be very good choices.

Emily wrote: "For the second part of the task, do you know if either O Pioneers! or My Antonia would count? I can't tell exactly when they take place (i.e., if they are before 1880)."

This took me quite a while to look up. From what I can tell, My Antonia takes place after O Pioneers! There were 4 books in the series and were based on Cather's life when she moved from Virginia to Nebraska, which does take place historically during the correct time period, before she moved back east to go to college near the turn of the century. I'm going to say yes to O Pioneers, but My Antonia I think takes place more in the early 20th century from what I could tell. The Pioneers book also just sounds more what I am looking for too, for the task, dealing with "pioneers."

Also, something I found when I was looking for the book O Pioneers, was a website with some books listed that you can read online for free, so I thought I would share that: http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/

Kari ♪ wrote: Emily wrote: "For the second part of the task, do you know if either O Pioneers! or My Antonia would count? I can't tell exactly when they take place (i.e., if they are before 1880)."

THANKS Kari ♪! Looking forward to this task - I just went to Cape Disappointment this summer and learned a lot about Lewis and Clark; I'm going to read their journals for the non-fiction part of the task!

Emily wrote: "
Kari ♪ wrote: Emily wrote: "For the second part of the task, do you know if either O Pioneers! or My Antonia would count? I can't tell exactly when they take place (i.e., if they are before 1880)...."

Oh how nice for you to have gotten to go there. Maybe one day I'll be able to go too. I love to go to historical places for vacations. That will be one for my list.

Thanks Kari!

So would some of the Little House on the Prairie books work?

Jamie wrote: "So would some of the Little House on the Prairie books work?"

Absolutely :) The Praire books were another set of books I had thought of as being possible to use for this task.

Fabulous! Thanks! I've been dying to re-read them!

Kari - A few years ago, I took AMTRAK from Ohio to Seattle. The trip from Chicago connected with the Lewis and Clark expedition trail. They even had a guest docent who gave lectures in the observation cars as we were traveling through key points along the trail.

Three days before we left, my hubby had heart pains and had to have a stent implanted. His cardiologist discussed the book Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose with him while he was implanting the stent. So providence tells me that I have to read that one for the non-fiction portion of the task.

Would Pictures from an Expedition work for the fiction portion of the task? Or Waterlily - a book about a Dakota Indian girl during the mid-1800s amidst the western expansion.

Helen wrote: "Kari - A few years ago, I took AMTRAK from Ohio to Seattle. The trip from Chicago connected with the Lewis and Clark expedition trail. They even had a guest docent who gave lectures in the observ..."

Wow, something that would be hard to forget about. Definitely feels like something you're meant to read. So this would be a good task for it to fit into. I've added it to my TBR list. Sounds like a great book.

Diane wrote: "Would Pictures from an Expedition work for the fiction portion of the task? Or Waterlily - a book about a Dakota Indian girl during the mid-1800s amidst the western exp..."

I couldn't tell very much about Waterlily from the GR's description, but I can see how it would fit if it describes or has her take on the western expansion into her tribe's territory, etc. So I will be fine with that book. And Pictures from an Expendition went into my TBR list as well. It sounds like a really interesting book too. So either will work.

Wow, my TBR list has grown after reading the above suggestions. I have a question: Would Museum of Human Beings by Colin Sargent work for fiction? The description of the novel says: "...this poignant historical novel explores the life and quest of Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau, the son of Sacagawea..."

For the non-fiction part I wanted to read a biography of Thomas Jefferson, especially since he founded my Alma Mater, but there are so many! Does anyone have any recommendations?

Also, I am excited that the little house on the prarie series works! I have been meaning to read those. Which one is the one I should read first? (I thought "The Little House on the Prarie" was THE 1st one, but it appears not to be the case, so I am confused!)

Deedee wrote: "Wow, my TBR list has grown after reading the above suggestions. I have a question: Would Museum of Human Beings by Colin Sargent work for fiction? The description of the novel says..."

After reading the description, I'm going to go ahead and allow it since he was Sacagawea's son and was a foster son of Clark but since he also appears to be involved in exploration, so because it combines enough of the topic that I was seeking for the upcoming challenge.

Erin wrote: "For the non-fiction part I wanted to read a biography of Thomas Jefferson, especially since he founded my Alma Mater, but there are so many! Does anyone have any recommendations?

Also, I am excite..."

Right now, things are pretty busy for me, but once I get some time after the weekend, I'll see if I can find a list on Jefferson for you.

I can help some on the Little House books though. The link is for a listing of the books on Wikipedia. Hopefully that'll give you a better idea of the order. The Laura Ignalls Wilder books are found a little ways down: Little House Books

Kari ♪ wrote: "Deedee wrote: "Wow, my TBR list has grown after reading the above suggestions. I have a question: Would Museum of Human Beings by Colin Sargent work for fiction? The description of..."

I read Museum of Human Beings for this challenge and enjoyed it.

Lisa wrote: "Wonderful, but now can my The Pirate Coast Thomas Jefferson, the First Ma..."</i>

<i>Kari ♪ wrote: "It if seems to have a significant part of the book (about half) on Jefferson and what he was doing to either support/not support Eaton, then I'll say yes."</i>

So then [book:Jefferson's War America's First War on Terror 1801-1805 by Joseph Wheelan should also work?

BJ Rose wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Wonderful, but now can my [book:The Pirate Coast Thomas Jefferson, the First Ma..."

I was going by what was written in the Goodreads description, since I am not really familar with the book at all. If it seems that a significant part of the book (about half) is about Jefferson and what he was doing to either support/not support Eaton, then I'll say yes. If the book is mostly just about Eaton, then no.

This task is now worth 30 points!!!!

If someone is still looking for a fiction book for this task, I recommend this one From Sea to Shining Sea. It is the fictionalized story of George Rogers Clark's rather amazing family. It is also a story of westward settlement. I read it years ago, and may re-read for this task if I have time - it's 896 pages. I don't remember enough detail to do a proper review, just small anecdotes, but I do remember that it was a very good read, and I read it over 20 years ago, and I've kept my paperback copy all this time.

Cindy wrote: "If someone is still looking for a fiction book for this task, I recommend this one From Sea to Shining Sea. It is the fictionalized story of George Rogers Clark's rather amazing famil..."

That must be a great book if you've kept it all this time. And if it's that long a book, I will make an exception to the reading two books requirement. If you or anyone else decide(s) to read this book and use it for the task, I will allow it to fulfill the required reading.

My son dragged me to the library tonight so we could get the last Percy Jackson book, so I finally had a chance to seriously look for some options for this task.

For non-fiction, I found My sixty years on the plains Trapping, trading, and Indian fighting, which appears to be the memoir of a mountain man primarily covering the years roughly from 1840-1875. It also seems to be from a Time-Life library but I won't hold that against it. Looks pretty good on first glance.

For fiction, I was hoping for a nice juicy historical fiction, maybe I Should Be Extremely Happy in Your Company A Novel of Lewis and Clark or New Found Land Lewis & Clark's Voyage of Discovery. But alas, at my small town library all I could find was The Melancholy Fate of Capt. Lewis, which I am not sure about. I have paged through the first 7 chapters, of which 4 seem to be about Lewis and Clark and 3 about the modern day teacher writing a book about Lewis. So, please let me know if this is appropriate or if I should search a little more? please and thank you!

Cindy wrote: "If someone is still looking for a fiction book for this task, I recommend this one From Sea to Shining Sea. It is the fictionalized story of George Rogers Clark's rather amazing famil..."

Thanks for posting that book, Cindy! It looks really good and I am going to read it for this task. I haven't found anything I wanted to read yet.

And thanks Kari for letting it fulfill the task requirements!