From the Publisher
Based on the life of Marie Dorion, the first mother to cross the Rocky Mountains and remain in the Northwest, A Name of Her Own is the fictionalized adventure account of a real woman's fight to settle in a new landscape, survive in a nation at war, protect her sons and raise them well and, despite an abusive, alcoholic husband, keep her marriage together. With two rambunctious young sons to raise, Marie Dorion refuses to be left behind in St. Louis when her husband heads West with the Wilson …+ read moreBased on the life of Marie Dorion, the first mother to cross the Rocky Mountains and remain in the Northwest, A Name of Her Own is the fictionalized adventure account of a real woman's fight to settle in a new landscape, survive in a nation at war, protect her sons and raise them well and, despite an abusive, alcoholic husband, keep her marriage together.

With two rambunctious young sons to raise, Marie Dorion refuses to be left behind in St. Louis when her husband heads West with the Wilson Hunt Astoria expedition of 1811. Faced with hostile landscapes, an untried expedition leader, and her volatile husband, Marie finds that the daring act she hoped would bind her family together may in the end tear them apart.

On the journey, Marie meets up with the famous Lewis and Clark interpreter, Sacagawea. Both are Indian women married to mixed-blood men of French Canadian and Indian descent, both are pregnant, both traveled with expeditions led by white men, and both are raising sons in a white world.

Together, the women forge a friendship that will strengthen and uphold Marie long after they part, even as she faces the greatest crisis of her life, and as she fights for her family's very survival with the courage and gritty determination that can only be fueled by a mother's love.

I'm going to send this out as part of a book spiral.

Rules: Not many. Please journal the book's arrival and departure. And please keep it moving by keeping it no longer than 4-6 weeks. The last person is free to release the book as they wish.

1. iwillrejoice - US (NA)
2. imawinn2 - US (NA)
3. Rrrcaron - US (Intl)
4. DubaiReader - UAE (Intl)
5. penelopewanders - Switzerland (Europe)
6. silvia-pco - Portugal (Europe)
7. abigailann UK (UK)
8.

This bookspiral will begin its journey on March 3rd. Happy travels!

Received this in today's mail. Looking forward to reading it! Thanks for letting me be a part of your book spiral. =D

~~~

3/23/11

I just wanted to leave a note here, now that I've read the book. I really enjoyed it, & have since gone looking for more from this author. Thanks for helping me find a new favorite!

Released to imawinn2 as next in line for this book spiral. Enjoy!

Book arrived yesterday. Looks like a very interesting read. I love historical fiction. Should be able to start on it within the week.

What a story! Every time I read about the journeys and hardships our early predecessors endured, I have a renewed sense of admiration and awe for them. This story of Marie Dorion and her family is no exception. To take long travels with children, even in this days and age, is sometimes a trying feat, but to travel across the wild country in early 1800's takes near saintly perseverance. But as Marie finds, Providence provides.

I found that the author, Jane Kilpatrick, did a wonderful job telling this tale of the
Dorion family, the trek of the Astorians and the people they met along the way. It was interesting to experience the story through various characters' point of view and in Marie's as well. Seeing the journey through her eyes gave the adventure more depth and balance. It made us see the additional concerns, worries and things that held importance to a woman/mother on such a long and dangerous trek.

Thanks for sharing lauraloo29. May I also suggest, to those who liked this story, the book Sacajawea by Anna Lee Waldo. Don't be daunted by its thickness. It is a hard one to put down once you start. Alright then, I have already contacted the next person and am just waiting to hear back from them giving me an address.

Sent this out in the mail today. The book is heading to Rrrcaron. Enjoy!

Received this book in the mail yesterday. Will get right on it!

I really enjoyed this book. What a strong woman Marie is. I can't wait to see how she endures her next travels without her husband, and with two growing boys. My heart went out to her in so many ways throughout the read, especially when she lost her infant daughter. Anxiously awaiting the next book... Sending on to next reader.
Ruth

Thanks to Lauraloo for offering this book in a spiral, I had never heard of this author before but she gets great Amazon ratings.

I just got back from holiday to find the book waiting so I apologise if I've held things up.
Looking forward to it :)

My apologies for taking a while to read this book.
Unfortunately I found it pretty hard going.
I'll add my review in a few days but meanwhile this is on its way to Switerland.
I hope you enjoy it Penelopewanders

Review:
A slow read.

Although this novel has been highly acclaimed by other readers, I found it a slow read. The sections where Marie interracted with other characters on a personal level flowed well, but I got bogged down in the minutiae of the general day to day survival.

Marie was based on Marie Dorion who travelled with an investigatory expedition from St. Louis to Astoria in Oregon. She accompanied her interpreter husband with two young sons, across thousands of miles of inhospitable terrain and we are with her for every gruelling mile. Whilst I am sure Jane Kirkpatrick has done thorough research, this felt like a history lesson and failed to capture my imagination.

This has arrived behind a few other rings and rays, so I'll try to get to it fairly soon. Thanks so much for sending and making it available. It is currently safe and warm despite the frigid temperatures outside here in the Alps!

Interesting saga of the search for trade routes in the west. The main character is moving and very credible with her foibles, stubborness, strengths, right and wrong decisions... Likewise her husband, struggling with his sense of pride and masculinity and what he considers a woman's place. I found myself thinking back to certain scenes in Little Big Man, although presumably this is more accurate than most of what was portrayed there.
Thanks so much for making this available - I've PMed for the next address.

Now on its way from the Swiss Alps to Portugal. Enjoy! Thanks for making this available...

Here it is! I'll keep you posted :) Thanks for sharing!

This book has become stalled. No answer to PMs. :( Hopefully it will finish its journey someday.

I'm sorry I'm taking longer than usual to pass on this book; I am currently reading it and will be passing it on in a few days' time. lauraloo29, I answered every PM I got from your regarding this book, if you sent any message that remained unanswered I didn't got it, which sometimes happens with PMs :)

Just got this book. Had forgotten I'd signed up for the ray. It looks good though and I'm looking forward to reading it.

Welcome to BookCrossing!

If you have found this book, welcome to bookcrossing and thank you for taking the time to let us know about its journey.

Please make a journal entry to let me know that this book has been caught so I know that it has found a good home with you. If you are new to BookCrossing, when you join please indicate that you were referred by abigailann. (You can make a journal entry anonymously if you don't want to join.) I hope that you enjoy the book. You can make another journal entry with your comments when you are done reading.

Then, whenever you are ready to send it on its way, make a release note if. Then watch its journey. You’ll be alerted by e-mail each time someone makes another journal entry. And it’s confidential (you are known only by your screen name and no one is ever given your e-mail address), free, and spam-free.

Feel free to enjoy the book and pass it along to a friend, neighbour, family member or co-worker. Or simply leave it somewhere for another lucky reader to enjoy as you did!

This book not your type of read? That's ok, don't feel obliged to read it - just be kind enough to help it on its journey.

I hope that you will enjoy the BookCrossing experience!