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| New cover for Out West |
Dayton Duncan takes the ultimate hippie in a van trip and comes up with one of the finest history celebration books ever.
This 1987 book is about Lewis and Clark but it also speaks to the opening of the West.
Additionally, you get an idea what the present day looks like. He spends a good deal of time comparing Lewis and Clark's observations with what he sees.
Dayton spent months traveling this road. He made the trip in a borrowed VW camper. He spent enough time in the small towns to learn the local history.
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| Dayton Duncan today |
He brings you along with him. He is an excellent "inclusive" writer. You get to know the characters he meets and enjoys. He even takes up residence with the people he writes about.
As a bonus we learn such recommendations as where to find the good cafe's and who has the best pie.
If Duncan's name sounds familiar there is a reason. A few years after he did this book he teamed with Ken Burns to do the Lewis and Clark documentary.
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| Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan |
Since that time the two have worked together to do several documentaries including the National Parks story.
I saw an interview last year. He was researching a project involving the great depression and the massive drought of that period.
The book "Out West" is a relaxing read. Any semi interested history buff will find the it fascinating. I kept thinking he should have named the little bus, "Further". If you know what that connotes, you and I have a lot more in common than you knew.
Enjoy
John Boykin Sept. 2010
john@commimage.com
www.commimage.com
The Boomer Magazine
http://www.boomermag.blogspot.com
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