NEW ORLEANS (press release) – Author and historian Amanda Bellows will be at The Garden District Book Shop on Aug. 2 to celebrate the release of her new book “THE EXPLORERS: A New History of America in Ten Expeditions.“
The archetype of the American explorer, a rugged white man, has dominated our popular culture since the 18th century, when Daniel Boone’s autobiography captivated readers with tales of treacherous journeys. But historian Amanda Bellows thinks it’s time to expand and deepen the stories of American exploration. In “THE EXPLORERS: A New History of America in Ten Expeditions,” Bellows offers a fresh perspective on American history by telling the stories of a diverse cast of ten extraordinary—and often overlooked—adventurers, from Sacagawea to Matthew Henson to Sally Ride, who pushed the boundaries of discovery and determined our national destiny.
THE EXPLORERS rediscovers a group of Americans who went to the western frontier and beyond, traversing the farthest reaches of the globe and even penetrating outer space in their pursuit of the unknown. Many escaped from lives circumscribed by racism, sexism, poverty, and discrimination as they took on great risk in unfamiliar territory. By focusing on these ten explorers, Bellows challenges the traditional narratives we’ve long been presented when studying American history and exploration:
The evening will begin at 5 p.m. Bellows will be joined in conversation by fellow author and New Orleans native Rien Fertel. Bellows will then be available to mingle with guests and personalize copies of her book.
Entry to the event is free and open to the public but the shop encourages interested parties to RSVP to ensure entry and reserve a copy of the book on Eventbrite as space is limited. Additional copies will be available to purchase.
