This May, I embarked on a journey along the Lewis and Clark Trail. Driving my 23-foot Airstream, I began my trek at Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia home in Monticello and am now making my way west to Astoria, Oregon, with many stops along the way.
While the immediate focus of the journey is Lewis and Clark, I aim to explore broader themes that might be termed the Europeanization of North America, including exploration, encounters with Indigenous peoples, encounters with new landscapes, encounters with the limits of language, and encounters with the self. In 1492, the entire continent was inhabited by sovereign Native peoples. By 1934, less than 4% of the country was still in Native hands.
The American Dream has unfolded across the vast continental landscape between the Atlantic and Pacific, from the 49th parallel to the Gulf of Mexico. It’s one of the greatest stories in history. Mr. Jefferson envisioned what he called “an empire for liberty such as the world has never previously seen.”
As we approach the 250th anniversary of the United States, I want to explore this astounding dynamic from as many perspectives as possible, avoiding triumphalism on the one hand and mere apology on the other. It’s utterly fascinating.
Accordingly, I have chosen four books for our new Listening to America Book Club:
-Gary Moulton’s one-volume The Lewis and Clark Expedition: Day by Day.
-Timothy Egan’s Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher.
-John F. Ross’ The Promise of the Grand Canyon: John Wesley Powell’s Perilous Journey and His Vision for the American West.
And
-James Welch’s Fools Crow.
We’ll meet on Zoom to discuss these books approximately every six weeks. Our first gathering will take place on July 19th. There will be a few articles along the way, beginning with Frederick Jackson Turner’s famous essay, “The Significance of the Frontier in American History.”
To learn more about our book club, meeting times, and other details, please contact Liz Eagle at leagle@ltamerica.org.