From 1832-24 the German naturalist Maximilian of Wied travelled very slowly along the upper Missouri River, carefully observing, often shooting, and always recording the natural world he saw, both in drawings and watercolors and in descriptions in his journals. He also was a keen observer of the lives, clothing, weapons, and habitation of the Native peoples of the area. His journals are held by the Joslyn Art Museum's Margre H. Durham Center for Western Studies, which has undertaken the noteworthy project of presenting the journals in English translation, complete with their illustrations. This volume is the first of the planned three-volume translation. It's oversized (8.25x12.25"), and beautifully conceived, with unusually high quality paper and print quality. The work is a valuable addition to the literature on American exploration, natural history, and European views of Native American life in the region. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)