The Essential Lewis and Clark (Lewis & Clark Expedition) Paperback – March 19, 2002

I have the full Lewis and Clark Journals on my Kindle Fire but they are a bit tedious to read, as the language is archaic and they tend to get fairly lengthy for many stories. The edited version in The Essential Lewis and Clark book is much more readable. A problem that I had is that it has no maps - which are key to visualizing their expedition. I found that there are ample resources on-line including detailed maps, especially those at Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln. I found that the editor did a great job in picking key part of the expedition to include in Essentials. The End Notes are also very helpful. I very much enjoyed reading this book, even though I had previously read a good bit about the Lewis and Clark Expedition and even toured some of the areas where they traveled. Another thing I found useful was to use the "Search" capability in my Kindle for PC version of the Journals to find the detailed area for a particular page in the Essential book. i.e. The brief account on Page 37 of the Essential book is covered in great detail at location 5011 in my Kindle PC version. If one searches for "campfire" the "Results" show every location where that word occurs in the entire Journals.

Advanced book for high school and anyone interested including parents.

Very nice book for the collection

In this edition, readers get some of the best stories from the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Landon Y. Jones has managed to condense the journal entries of the members of the expedition of 'the Corps of Volunteers for North Western Discovery' [the Lewis & Clark Expedition] into a small volume which belongs on the shelves of anyone interested in the journey from Camp Wood River to the Pacific. Having participated in numerous living history programs from 2001 through the Bicentennial, and up to the present, I can honestly say that I refer to THE ESSENTIAL LEWIS AND CLARK each and everytime I prepare to travel to an event! I recently listened to the unabridged CD version of the book on my way to Oregon to take part in the L&C Saltmakers' Encampment in Seaside [a first person salt making adventure which runs from Friday through Sunday]. I recommend this book to any individual seeking a short, but thorough version of the captains journals during their party's passage across the unexplored reaches of the West! A fine little book in every regard!!

Are you a Lewis and Clark buff, just starting out? You've read "Undaunted Courage" by Stephen Ambrose, and perhaps a couple other Lewis and Clark books. It's time to read the journals, but you are daunted by the thought of all that early 19th century wordiness, spelling and such?Me too.This book is great. It's just what it says it is. All the good stuff from Lewis and Clark's copious journals, all the highlights, well edited. The value of this book is as a starting place, perhaps. It's short enought to be read easily over a few days. Like all good introductions, then, if you want more you know where to look, and you'll now know what to expect. Landon Jones provides all the accessibility; Lewis and Clark still provide the wonder.

I really like Lewis and Clark, if you want a very direct and to the point rendition of their journals this is it. There are no accompying maps, graphs, anything to help you understand and fulfill the data put forth by the explorers. This book has no pictures, and is composed entirely of the cut-down portions of their journals. There was a decent amount of interaction for the journals, and included some harrowing tales of the travelers running into Indians.

Written in their own words! You can envision Capt. Clark and Capt. Lewis writing these entries on soggy paper with a barely useful pencil. It really "takes you there". I've read other books centered on L&C and the expedition and they are great as well. This one however is somehow special...Kind of as though L&C are sending their correspondence directly to YOU and that you are somehow part of the adventure!!