Two Brian Hall Novels

While taking a break from reading Russian literature, I decided to purchase two of Brian Hall’s novels.

I Should Be Extremely Happy in Your Company - A Novel of Lewis and Clark

I have read where Brian Hall’s version of the the Lewis and Clark expedition is a little controversial to readers used to the hundreds of books already written. I thought it would be interesting to read this first, then read some of the more popular older versions later, as well as one of the popular books about Sacajawea, the Shoshone Indian guide and interpreter - I would have been interested in knowing her.

I have read bits and pieces of the Lewis and Clark expedition, traced out their routes, and browsed some of the popular web sites for information. It seems the Official name is called Lewis and Clark National Trail these days.

I have been told, that the branches of my family tree point to Meriwether Lewis on my grandmother’s side of the family. Her family moved to South Dakota during the late 1800s when the government opened frontier territory to settlers. They broke wild horses and sent them back to New York City and sold them as carriage horses. When my grandmother was old enough, she broke her share of the horses - in later years seeing her out in our garden, she was a bow-legged as an old trail guide.

I plan to read this Lewis and Clark novel after I read:

The Saskiad - A Novel

I started reading this book first. I have enjoyed what I have read so far.

I hate to spoil a book for someone that hasn’t read it yet - so just mentioning the name of the book may inspire you to look it up on the web!

Brian Hall’s style is great - I’m glad I saw his name on one of Kathleen A. Dahl’s blog:

Saturday, November 18, 2006
The Corps of Discovery in Fiction and Poetry