A Promising Life: Coming of Age with America
A Novel
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
Award-winning author Emily McCully's most adventurous book to date draws a dramatic portrait of life in nineteenth century America.For as long as he can remember, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau has been told that a promising future lies ahead of him. After all, his mother is the great Sacagawea, who accompanied Lewis and Clark on their expedition of discovery. And thanks to his mother, Baptiste's life changes forever when Captain Clark offers him an education in the bustling new city of St. Louis.There, his mother charges him to "learn everything" -- reading, writing, languages, mathematics. His life becomes a whirl of new experiences: lessons, duels, dances, elections. He makes friends and undertakes unexpected journeys to far-off places.But he also witnesses the injustices Clark, as a US agent for Indian Affairs, forces upon the Osage, the Arikara, the Mandan, and so many others. He sees the effect of what some call "progress" on the land and on the people who have lived there for generations. And he must choose what path he will take and what place he will have in a rapidly changing society.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Masterful actor Andrews succeeds in capturing the multiple voices and accents presented in McCully's ambitious imagining of the life of Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau, son of Sacagawea and French-Canadian Toussaint Charbonneau. Using scant records and journal entries, the author charts Jean-Baptiste's early life under the wing of explorer William Clark, as well as his experiences in school and with traders, merchants, and Duke Paul Wilhelm and, eventually, his adventures in Europe. Listeners will be intrigued by the many references to the philosophical and political influences and the factors that drive this young man to "learn everything" in order to fulfill his destiny. Andrews's skill is evident throughout; he dramatizes anticipation, anxieties, wit, sarcasm, and anger in the dialogue of both male and female characters. Aided by Andrews's talent, this audiobook is both educational and entertaining. Ages 12 up. A Scholastic/Levine hardcover.