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Ep. 346: Sex and Suicide on the Lewis and Clark Expedition

Published: 2022-07-04 13:26:16
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Steven Rinella talks with Brad Tennant, Janis Putelis, Ryan Callaghan, Brody Henderson, Spencer Neuharth, and Phil Taylor.

Topics discussed: How Steve isn't too into Lewis and Clark; Dustin Huff not learning a thing from us about keeping secrets; 400 stitches for the 9-year-old girl who survived the mountain lion attack in WA; when old men loot an ancient archaeological site in Tightwad, Missouri; Steve, the metal detecting enthusiast; all of Jefferson's trip plans; eating dogs and all the things on the expedition; Russia's thunderbolt mercury laxative; lashes from the cat of nine tails; the universal sign language between mountain men; how to pronounce Sacajawea's name; diaries and sexual relations; the National Park Service and exhuming bodies; encounters; the tigercat story; failing to accomplish the number one mission objective; Hollywood movies made about the expedition stories; critters named after Lewis and Clark; how experts never agree; and more. 

 

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Referenced Books

Black Range Tales
by James A. McKenna
The speaker mentions this as 'Carl Malcolm's favorite book' which he's currently reading. It's described as memoirs and recollections of a prospector and miner active in the 1880s in New Mexico's Black Range. The book discusses looting Pueblo sites and contains descriptions of wildlife like turkeys.
Referenced at Unknown
Son of the Morning Star
by Evan S. Connell
Referenced in a discussion about the vulnerabilities of journal reading and how different accounts can tell different stories. The speaker describes how the book details a doctor's account of finding Custer's command after it was slaughtered, and how the doctor omitted embarrassing details from his own journal.
Referenced at Unknown
Through Indian Eyes
by Editors of Reader's Digest
Brad mentions this book in the context of discussing Native American perspectives on the Lewis and Clark expedition. He notes it was emphasized during the bicentennial and focuses on the Native perspective, though he cannot remember the author's name.
Referenced at Unknown
Lewis and Clark among the Indians
by James Ronda
Brad explicitly recommends this book for those interested in Lewis and Clark's interactions with Native tribes. He notes it deals with each of the different tribal groups the expedition encountered, covering nearly fifty different nations.
Referenced at Unknown
Lewis and Clark pioneering naturalists
by Paul Russell Cutright
Brad recommends this book specifically for outdoorsmen and hunters interested in the Lewis and Clark expedition. He notes it discusses plants and animals identified by Lewis and Clark and puts things in perspective by county. He acknowledges it's 'not very politically correct by today's standards.'
Referenced at Unknown
Lewis and Clark Journals
by Gary Moulton
Brad mentions Gary Moulton's thirteen-volume edition of the Lewis and Clark Journals with annotations and maps. He describes it as essential reading that shows how the Missouri River course has changed and provides geographical perspective on where events took place.
Referenced at Unknown
Undaunted Courage
by Stephen Ambrose
Extensively discussed as the most popular Lewis and Clark book. Brad describes how Ambrose's publisher was initially reluctant but the book sold three million copies by 2001. The discussion includes criticisms that Ambrose makes assumptions, quotes other historians extensively, and had plagiarism issues, but acknowledges its popularity and readability.
Referenced at Unknown