On the Road with David Thompson

This book is classified as both history and travel. That is particularly suitable in this case. This is an exceptionally good book and I barely resisted giving it the full five stars. The book is easy to read. Each chapter begins with a map that is simple, and yet does reasonably well in serving both the history and travel objectives of the chapter. The book limits both the history and travel to the western portion of the David Thompson story; i.e., the Saskatchewan River, Rocky Mountains, and Oregon Territory. The title makes it appear to be a travel book; so, even though the history side seems more robust than the travel aspect, let's look at travel first. David Thompson's activities took him up rivers and through wilderness. Researchers today often disagree as to his routes and campsites. Much of the area he covered is still undeveloped and inaccessible except on foot or horseback. This book clearly identifies the roads that will get a person closest to most of the key locations. From a history viewpoint, I don't know of a better source for someone getting started on David Thompson's history in the geographical area covered by this book. The material is readable, covers the personality of the man, and puts the history in the context of the landscape where it happened. Thompson was a complex man, and the fur trade was a complex business. This book looks at the man from multiple viewpoints and defends him against his more vocal detractors without idolizing him. The material included in discussing the men and women; Europeans, natives, and mixed-bloods; with whom Thompson was connected, fills out the account of the fur trade. The book identifies areas where the available research is sketchy. If you are interested in either the man or the territory, this book is recommended.

Congratulations to Ms. McCart for having written a wonderful account that integrates Thompson's historical trips with what exists today.Highly accurate and fun to read and explore.I highly recommend it!