Life on the Mississippi: An Epic American Adventure

Autor*innen

• Rinker Buck

Parameter

• Biografien
• Historisches Thema
• Karten & Reisen
• Sachliteratur
• Wahre Geschichten

Mehr zum Buch

Life on the Mississippi is an enchanting blend of history and adventure as Buck builds a wooden flatboat from the 1800s and sails it down the Mississippi River, revealing the forgotten past of America’s western frontier. Rinker Buck, known for his infectious curiosity and previous journey across the West in a mule-drawn covered wagon, returns to share his latest adventure: constructing a flatboat and traveling to New Orleans. Accompanied by an eccentric crew, Buck navigates narrow channels, rescues a crew member overboard, sails through fog, and endures multiple injuries while camping on sandbars and islands. His journey is not just a personal odyssey; it also serves as a rich historical narrative that highlights the significance of flatboats in America’s evolution. Between 1800 and 1840, millions traveled on flatboats from states like Pennsylvania and Virginia to the West, repurposing their boats for cabins and contributing to the growth of boomtowns along the waterways. Buck also addresses the darker aspects of this era, including the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which forcibly displaced thousands of Native Americans, and the brutal journey of nearly a million enslaved African Americans. Through his exploration, Buck resurrects the adventurous spirit of the time while confronting the complex truths of American expansion.

• Sprache: Englisch
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2022
• Einband: Hardcover