New Book on Lewis & Clark Looks Deep at Corps of Discovery Experience; New Oregon Books

Published 09/20/2019 at 7:33 PM PDT
By OREGON TRAVEL DAILY STAFF

(Portland, Oregon) - In 1803, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to explore the unknown land of the Louisiana Purchase. They gathered a crew of adventurous and able men to form the Corps of Discovery, and they were the first to really document Oregon, spending two nasty, wet months on its coast.

“Unknown Horizons” tells their story in a new way.

In a new book called “Unknown Horizons: The Lewis and Clark Expedition,” you’ll get a deeper look into what that rain-soaked time in Oregon felt like, as well as the rest of their journey. Ohio-based authors Ted Brusaw and Ruth Kibler Peck depict what life was like on the trail for the crew of explorers, as they braved the unknown to claim new land that doubled the size of the new nation of the United States of America.

“By giving personalities to the members of the Corps, we are able to give greater depth to this thrilling adventure and allow readers to experience what life would have been like as an adventurer in 1803,” Peck said.

Peck taught English for 21 years. She has written seven books and is the former host of “The Writer’s Nook” television show. Brusaw was a technical writer for National Cash Register, co-authored six college textbooks, and wrote four novels. He co-authored a handbook for writers that went to 14 editions over the years.

Sadly, this book wound up a kind of monument Brusaw. This was his last endeavor, as Brusaw passed away shortly after completing this book.

“Ted was a master of research and expression,” Peck said. “It was challenging and fun to work with him writing this historical novel that celebrates the momentous trip of discovery. This book is dedicated to his memory.”

Brusaw graduated from Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, then became a technical writer for National Cash Register in Dayton. His first success was “Soldat,” a biography of a German soldier in World War II that was chosen by Book-of-the-Month Club. He and his wife of 60 years, Barbara, have two sons, four grandchildren, and one great grandson. Ted passed away in August 2015.

Peck earned college degrees in her 40’s, then taught English for 21 years. During her career, she was honored as one of the Top Ten Teachers in Ohio, and served as president of the Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts. She has written seven books, was a docent at the Dayton Art Institute 24 years, chaired Wright Writers of Dayton 35 years, and hosted a TV show, “The Writer’s Nook.” Peck and her husband Walter have been married 66 years and have five children and eight grandchildren.

For more about the authors or their book, visit: https://www.xlibris.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-001160095

Other Recent Oregon Books

Also released in the last year are the first four books in the Ultimate Oregon Coast Travel series, covering Depoe Bay, Seaside, Cannon Beach and Lincoln City. Each features deep details about those towns, along with unique and not-often-discussed nature aspects. All four books list every beach access in each area, along with historical items that are often rather surprising.

The books are written by Oregon Coast Beach Connection editor Andre' Hagestedt, who has studied the coast closely since 1995.

Weird science of the coast is another large aspect of the books, looking into things like the Green Flash at Sunset, what makes glowing sand, why one part of Seaside has more whole sand dollars than anywhere else on the Oregon coast, and distinctive weather information about each season that is often overlooked.

The books are available at Amazon as hard copies or in ebook form, and are for sale at Beach Books in Seaside, the Seaside Aquarium gift shop, Bob’s Beach Books in Lincoln City, Spyglass Restaurant in Otter Rock, Noodles Restaurant in southwest Portland – and at the history museums in Seaside and Lincoln City.