Westward

In the Early Nineteenth Century, the unknown and uncharted American West lured travelers and explorers from around the world. Today the fascination with this dramatic odyssey remains. The records of the expeditions by such legendary trailblazers as Lewis and Clark, Zebulon Pike, John Fremont, John Powell, and Jedediah Strong Smith - exist only in their notebooks, journals, and diaries. Westward re-creates these treacherous and inspiring journeys in an engaging combination of first-hand narratives and specially commissioned color photographs. Traveling through the heat and storms of the plains, the snows and heights of the mountains, the rapids and falls of the rivers, these explorers became pathfinders of the Oregon Trail, the Santa Fe Trail, and the California Trail. They also discovered the wonders of Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, the peaks of the Grand Tetons, and the Great Salt Lake. Following their original written documents and maps, David Larkin and Paul Rocheleau returned to the historic locations at the same times of the day and seasons of the year to photograph the sites (many still untouched by civilization) in grand views and minute details. The travelers' letters, notebooks entries, and autobiographies are woven throughout Gerald Roscoe's text, recapturing and rediscovering the challenging routes to the West. Not only do these writings illuminate history, but they are also exciting tales of adventure, hardship, courage, and human spirit. This photographic and written narrative both tells the story of "manifest destiny" and preserves the timeless beauty and allure of the magnificent land.