One hundred twenty years before the historic trek by Lewis and Clark, another band explored the central waterway of North America on an adventure more harrowing and deadly than later explorers could ever boast. Sponsored by the French, not the British, this journey is often omitted in writing of American history, but its impact on the development of the Mississippi River Valley is critical.
Fueled by Indian legends and dreams of rich rewards, an expedition led by a French nobleman, a priest, and Indian guides set off on an unprecedented adventure from Canada down to the Gulf of Mexico. They battled hostile natives, vicious weather, and the treacherous nature of the great river that would later be called the Mississippi. When Robert Cavelier de La Salle and his crew finally reached the waterway’s mouth in 1682, they had accomplished much more than a historic exploration of North America. They had paved the way for others to settle the new frontier.
This is the story of La Salle and the journey that would make him a hero in France and what would one day be the United States. His crew’s physical and psychological strengths were tested to extremes during the adventure. This exciting and historic novel introduces the players who planned and executed the trek through the heartland and the south. La Salle’s voyage led the way for the economic gold mine of the Mississippi’s waterways and the prosperous cities that would later rely on the great river for trade and transportation.
About the Authors
Glen Pitre, a graduate of Harvard University, is an author and film producer. His first book, Belizaire the Cajun, was based on the film by the same name.
Michelle Benoit holds degrees in French studies and Romance languages and is a published translator whose works have appeared in New Orleans Review, Chelsea, and Colorado Review.
GREAT RIVER
By Glen Pitre and Michelle Benoit
FICTION / Historical
248 pp. 5 1/2 x 8 1/2
Map
ISBN: 9780882897837 pb