In 2001, Rex Ziak finished writing his first book, In Full View: A True and Accurate Account of Lewis and Clark’s Arrival at the Pacific Ocean, and Their Search for a Winter Camp Along the Lower Columbia River. His manuscript was immediately accepted by a respected publisher, but when Rex learned that the book wouldn’t be produced in time for the 2003 opening ceremonies of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial, he made the challenging decision to publish the book himself. In early 2002, Moffitt House Press was established, and Rex immediately went into high gear to get his book produced, joining forces with book designer Kate Hawley and a small circle of other talented, generous friends.
     When In Full View appeared, it caused something of a sensation. Its highly unusual combination of serious historical research, dramatic narrative, and beautiful full-color maps and photographs made it unique among Lewis and Clark books. As Publishers Weekly commented when the book debuted at the Oregon Historical Society's annual book fair in December 2002:

      Having received In Full View from the printer just five weeks prior to the Bicentennial ceremonies at Monticello, Rex was able to put the book into the hands of many Lewis and Clark aficionados as well as his fellow historians. The first edition sold out within two years, and a second edition was released in 2005.
      In 2006, Moffitt House Press produced Rex’s second book, Lewis and Clark: Down and Up the Columbia River, a unique fold-out map of the Corps of Discovery’s journey from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean and back.

In Full View: A True and Accurate Account of Lewis and Clark’s Arrival at the Pacific Ocean and their Search for a Winter Camp along the Lower Columbia River. ISBN: 0972531513
Format: Paperback, 232pp
Publisher: Moffitt House Press
Edition Number: 2

Born and raised near the mouth of the Columbia River, Ziak was immersed at an early age in the story of Lewis and Clark.

At some point he discovered that scholars had never thoroughly detailed the last days of the journey on the Columbia—the 30 days between November 7 to December 7, 1805—in part because Clark's journal entries for this time period are vague and confusing. This lovingly prepared book results from Ziak's efforts to remedy that neglect with careful, personal research and correlation of the river and the diary. Unusually attractive maps and photos enhance the narrative. [Annotation ©2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR]

Lewis and Clark: Down and Up the Columbia River
ISBN: 0972531521
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Moffitt House Press

Lewis and Clark: Down and Up the Columbia River is a unique fold-out guide which maps, day by day, the explorers’ journey from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean and back. The book, which is an easily portable 4 inches by 7.25 inches, unfolds to 8-1/2 feet in length;

the vibrantly colored hand-drawn map covers the entire watershed through which Lewis and Clark traveled and shows every campsite. The reader starts with the map showing the journey westward; when the book is flipped over, the reader can follow the expedition’s journey back to the mountains. There are brief descriptions on every page of what the party experienced at each location, and vivid quotes from the journals make the story come to life.

 

For more information on Book Designer
Kate Hawley:
www.katehawley.net
kate@katehawley.net

Available from:
Moffitt House Press: mhpress@wwest.net
Amazon.com
www.powells.com
www.barnesandnoble.com