The Mississippi River has intrigued the footloose for centuries. Here; for the first time in paperback; are briskly told biographies of the chief protagonists in the drama; with Old Man River as the constant and invincible antagonist. From conquistadors to nineteenth-century gentlemen explorers; Severin depicts the disasters and adventures of familiar; but often misunderstood; figures in American history; as well as the chicanery of others; less well known; who used the river for their own purposes. "A first-rate piece of work; rich in period and personality. Severin considers the true elucidators of the river-Joliet; Marquette; La Salle; and Henry de Tonti-plus a smattering of frauds and dilettantes; among whom he includes Lieutenant Zebulon Pike." New Yorker " Traveling side by side with each of his intrepid voyagers; Severin will make every armchair Huck Finn yearn to sign up for the next trip." New York Times Book Review Historian Timothy Severin has made a career of retracing and writing about epic voyages. His myriad adventures include canoeing the Mississippi River from beginning to end; sailing in St. Brendan the Navigator's path across the Atlantic Ocean; and journeying on horseback in Mongolia in search of Gheghis Khan's heritage. He lives in Ireland
#5500634 in Books Facts on File 1992-12-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 .54 x 6.30 x 9.29l; .76 #File Name: 0816026882128 pages
Review