“Beautiful. Blevins brings it all alive.” – The Los Angeles TimesThis is the remarkable story of an authentic adventurer, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau. He lived his dream in clashing cultures—that of Native American vitality and that of high European society. He mastered both worlds, but was ultimately forced to choose between them. The son of Sacajawea, guide for Lewis and Clark, Charbonneau was … Clark, Charbonneau was born on the adventure, and born to explore.
As an infant, he infant traveled from North Dakota to the Pacific Ocean and back, carried along in the expedition’s boats or upon his mother’s back. As a child, Sacajawea sent her son to William Clark. There Charbonneau was raised in Clark’s posh society, had Jesuit schooling in St. Louis, and was later educated in Europe—he became the welcome guest of kings.
Throughout his life, Charbonneau and Clark maintained an extraordinary relationship. Charbonneau became a cultured man, at ease in the gentile civilization of European courts. But he was a man of two dreams, and the Western wilderness pulled at his heart.
Charbonneau became an American explorer, guide, fur trapper-trader, military scout during the Mexican-American War, alcalde (mayor) of Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, and a gold prospector and hotel operator in Northern California. He spoke French and English, and learned German and Spanish during his six years in Europe. He also spoke Shoshone and other western Native American languages, which he learned first from his family and then during his years of trapping and guiding.
CHARBONNEAU is a novel of epic scope and lyric intensity, of vivid human drama and vigorous adventure!
REVIEWS
“A gripping historical novel . . . Blevins weaves authentic and documented material with the fruits of an impressive empathy. The characters live not only as recognizable people in their times and places, but as figures as an allegory of the West. There is some beautiful writing here. Blevins brings it all alive!” – Los Angeles Times
“Blevins captures both Charbonneau’s unique character and the full flavor of the American era in which he lived. From frontier hardships and the raw vigor of Native American life to the sensual and intellectual pleasures of high European society, ‘Charbonneau’ is a must-read novel of American resilience and intellect.” The Denver Post
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History is nearly always interesting. It is sad to think that this man was warped by the education he received at the hands of so-called Christians. Yes, he was blessed in so many ways by knowing so much of the world, but he was also cursed by his good looks and privilege. So his ending was not so different from the way his life began really. Happenstance and the frontiers of nations and cultures! But it is good that the book was realistic and his history factually represented. Lewis and Clark’s expedition had to have had a great effect on this nation. It’s effect on this one person is symbolic of much of what took place in the world during that time.
very unusual, interesting and informative
This was a well written book just not something I enjoyed. The author gave a lot of detail and accounts. I just could not get enthralled in the story.
Considering this is the author’s interpretation of what happened to Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, this book captures the times, the culture of both Native Americans and the men interacting with them through trade, especially the fur trade. The detail and thought process described by the main character help to explain much of what most people have not considered when thinking about how the Indians interpreted these invaders of their land. Totally fascinating.
I didn’t finish it. Was not what I expected. I found it confusing and hard to follow.
Very good historical fiction.
It was a very interesting book with much information I had never heard about!
This could have been really interesting but instead it dragged on. Early on it was very detailed (too detailed in fact) but at the end it was just bits and pieces like the author didn’t know how to end it. All of the grammatical and spelling errors were very tiresome after a while.
An interesting look at history of the west after Lewis & Clark. Some fiction involved and is woven into the story of the main character. Worthwhile and a good read.
Morally obectionable.
If you like historical novels and especially The Lewis and Clark expedition, you will enjoy this.
Fascinating story about a time and place that I have not found much to read about. I enjoyed the main character a lot. The other characters were well developed too.
Very unique perspective of a fascinating subject. A wonderful historical novel with very well defined main characters.
I loved this Historical Fiction account of Charbonneau’s life. I would love to read a series about his life, a lot was packed in this book, but I was left wanting more.
I often wandered what happened to this extremely tough baby who survived extreme conditions.
I cannot rate this book……boring boring boring.
Good read.
Extremely good, if you like early American history, Indians and early western frontier.
Started reading, good not finish. Read other books on this subject that I enjoyed more.
Boring!