by Brian D. Ratty (Author)
In 1809, ruthless businessman John Jacob Astor schemes to send an overland expedition to the mouth of the Columbia River. Destination Astoria reveals the remarkable odyssey of one young fur trapper, Dutch Blackwell, who joins that enterprise.From Boston, Dutch travels cross-country with his dog and two horses to meet up with Astor's brigade in St. Louis. Along the trail, he encounters Mountain Jack, a seasoned frontiersman. The two men form an alliance, forsaking the Astorians, and cross the continent together. During their tormented passage, the men face death from starvation, dehydration, searing heat and Indians both hateful and helpful. Crossing the uncharted wilderness becomes the ultimate test of their tenacity.Destination Astoria, an enthralling story steeped in history, moves across the unforgiving heartland with the fury of a prairie storm. With vivid descriptions, thoughtful characters and brutal twists, it portrays a lost breed of adventurous frontiersman who helped blaze the Oregon Trail.If you enjoyed the classic novel 'The Last of the Mohicans, ' you will love Destination Astoria
Author Biography
Brian D. Ratty, a retired media executive and graduate of Brooks Institute of Photography, also holds an honorary Master of Science degree. He and his wife, Tess, live on the north Oregon Coast, where he writes and photographs that rugged and majestic region. Over the past thirty years, he has traveled the vast wilderness of the Pacific Coast in search of images and stories that reflect the spirit and splendor of those spectacular lands. Brian is an award-winning historical fiction novelist, and has written numerous magazine articles about the Pacific Northwest.