James Alexander Thom was formerly a U.S. Marine, a newspaper and magazine editor, and a member of the faculty at the Indiana University Journalism School. He is the acclaimed author of Follow the River; Long Knife; From Sea to Shining Sea; Panther in the Sky, for which he won the prestigious Western Writers of America Spur Award for best historical novel; The Children of First Man; The Red Heart; and Sign-Talker. He lives in the Indiana hill country near Bloomington with his wife, Dark Rain, of the Shawnee Nation, United Remnant Band. Dark Rain is a member of the National Council, which is planning the Lewis and Clark bicentennial celebration.
Praise for James Alexander Thomand Sign-Talker Very readable, fresh, original, and vivid. -LARRY MCMURTRY James Alexander Thom is one of the finest historical novelists writing today. He knows how to tell a cracking good yearn, cares passionately about getting his history right, and has a gift for illuminating those forgotten but fascinating corners of the American past with sheer storytelling power. -JOHN SUGDEN Author of Tecumseh: A Life Excellent . . . It is at once an adventure story [and] a historical document . . . Even though many readers know the story of Lewis and Clark, Thom's novel will give them new insight. - The Indianapolis Star (4-star review) The majesty of the scenery, the wonder of the stately tribes who greet, and menace, the expedition and the expedition's mix of soldiers, ne'er-do-wells, and French traders all combine to produce a strong novel about the days when Missouri was at the edge of the map. - The Kansas City Star This great journey halfway across a wilderness continent and back has never been told so compellingly, with so much dignity and wisdom, as in Sign-Talker . -SCOTT RUSSELL SANDERS Author of Hunting for Hope From the Hardcover edition.