Kindle Price: $7.99

Save $5.96 (43%)

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs

Follow the author

Win Blevins
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Charbonneau: Man of Two Dreams (Native Spirit Adventures Book 6) Kindle Edition

by Win Blevins (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 840 ratings
See all formats and editions
"Beautiful. Blevins brings it all alive.” – The Los Angeles TimesThis is the remarkable story of an authentic adventurer, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau. He lived his dream in clashing cultures—that of Native American vitality and that of high European society. He mastered both worlds, but was ultimately forced to choose between them. The son of Sacajawea, guide for Lewis and Clark, Charbonneau was born on the adventure, and born to explore.As an infant, he infant traveled from North Dakota to the Pacific Ocean and back, carried along in the expedition's boats or upon his mother's back. As a child, Sacajawea sent her son to William Clark. There Charbonneau was raised in Clark’s posh society, had Jesuit schooling in St. Louis, and was later educated in Europe—he became the welcome guest of kings. Throughout his life, Charbonneau and Clark maintained an extraordinary relationship. Charbonneau became a cultured man, at ease in the gentile civilization of European courts. But he was a man of two dreams, and the Western wilderness pulled at his heart. Charbonneau became an American explorer, guide, fur trapper-trader, military scout during the Mexican-American War, alcalde (mayor) of Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, and a gold prospector and hotel operator in Northern California. He spoke French and English, and learned German and Spanish during his six years in Europe. He also spoke Shoshone and other western Native American languages, which he learned first from his family and then during his years of trapping and guiding.CHARBONNEAU is a novel of epic scope and lyric intensity, of vivid human drama and vigorous adventure!REVIEWS “A gripping historical novel . . . Blevins weaves authentic and documented material with the fruits of an impressive empathy. The characters live not only as recognizable people in their times and places, but as figures as an allegory of the West. There is some beautiful writing here. Blevins brings it all alive!” – Los Angeles Times“Blevins captures both Charbonneau’s unique character and the full flavor of the American era in which he lived. From frontier hardships and the raw vigor of Native American life to the sensual and intellectual pleasures of high European society, ‘Charbonneau’ is a must-read novel of American resilience and intellect.” The Denver Post
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Book 6 of 7
    Native Spirit Adventures
  2. Print length
    376 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    September 20, 2012
  6. File size
    894 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
Next page
Hard Rock apparel
Outerwear, tees, and accessories. Discover the rock shop.
Next 2 for you in this series See full series
Total Price: $10.98
By clicking on the above button, you agree to Amazon's Kindle Store Terms of Use

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B009F07N9W
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wordworx Publishing (September 20, 2012)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 20, 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 894 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 376 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 840 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Win Blevins

Win Blevins

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

After starting as a critic for each of the two big LA newspapers, I quit to jump at my first chance to write a book. It was GIVE YOUR HEART TO THE HAWKS, now in print for more than forty years, and recently on the NEW YORK TIMES best-seller list. Three dozen other books have followed, including STONE SONG, the story of the life of Crazy Horse. That led me to become a pipe carrier and to walk the red road, an adventure I'd never dreamed of.

I've also sold a stack of screenplays and have two more books in the pipeline. I've won the lifetime achievement award of Western Writers of America, and am in the Western Writers Hall of Fame.

After years of writing, climbing mountains, and running rivers, I married novelist Meredith Blevins, and we built a home among the Navajos in the wilds of the Utah canyonlands. We love each other, our kids and grandkids, writing, music, hanging out with our Anglo and Navajo neighbors, more writing, and riding the wild roller coaster of life.

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
840 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent tale combining history and practical literary liscence.
Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2017
Verified Purchase
The life and times of an extraordinary person who experienced History as it happened.
Very well researched, it is a good ( and very probably close to the truth) story of a person influenced uniquely by several cultures. These experiences gave him insights into truths about people which transcend race, color, creed, or culture.
Again, a very good book!
Helpful
 Report
V. Williams
4.0 out of 5 stars "Free Play" With History Makes For A Compelling Read
Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2017
Verified Purchase
Charbonneau-Man of Two Dreams by Win Blevins is a beautifully written story woven in and around Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, born of Sacajawea and his French-Canadian father, Toussaint, who was born at the Lewis and Clark winter camp, Ft. Mandan, ND in 1805. A fur trapper, Toussaint was far less support for the westward expedition to the Pacific than was the better-known Sacajawea (a Lemhi Shoshone), who provided excellent trail guidance as well as interpretive services in dealing with the other tribes of the northwest. It was Clark who took a vested interest in the boy he nicknamed "Pomp" (Shoshone for "first born") and became his guardian. Blevins notes at the beginning of the book, "...I have played free with history where it suited my dramatic and thematic purposes." While he admits that he made the character more sophisticated than his actual historical personage did, he definitely changed the whole scene of his ending, including allowing him 10 more years than he actually lived. There is a lot of poetic license in this account of an historic figure of our early northwest development, so much so that he is the only child (along with his mother) to ever be depicted on a US (gold) dollar coin. Still, Blevins catches the major events in the man's life, most particularly Clark's insistence on Baptiste's education, and his introduction to a German prince who took him home to Germany and introduced him to royal society as well as traveled to Africa. When he returned to the frontier, he was fluent in German, Spanish, and French (as well as the language of the tribes he was acquainted with through his mother). Baptiste went on to enjoy a number of vocations, including guiding and trapping and spent his years in the high mountains of the rugged northwest. Blevins includes notes from the journals of Lewis and Clark, as well as letters, and peripheral historical documents. Interesting were the recitals of native songs, though I doubt Charbonneau was as gifted musically as might be Blevins himself. I downloaded this book from an offering on BookBub and recognized the author's name that I've read and reviewed previously. Really, it is a touching and emotional tribute to the native peoples and a personal bow of acknowledgement to Charbonneau for his contribution. Recommended for a compelling fiction read.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Hank Lajoie
3.0 out of 5 stars Good Story, Tedious Dialogue
Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2017
Verified Purchase
The half breed son of Sacajawea, Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau, was reared and educated as a white man, traveled to Europe, mixing with royalty of two countries. Under the guardianship of William Clark of Lewis and Clark fame he grew to be talented, smart and musical. Part of the tedium problem lies in the fact that this reader was never sure who was telling the tale, as it was written in the vernacular of the day (1800s). Not only that, The main character was not called Charbonneau, but Paump (newborn), John, Baptiste and finally, by his Shoshone name, Paump, meaning the first Shoshone. For all the education and the luxury of the white man’s life experience, he returns to his Indian roots, living out his life on the plains.
Helpful
 Report
DGB
5.0 out of 5 stars Great historical fiction - Gives one a feel for a life now unknown
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2017
Verified Purchase
This novel is based on historical people but provides context and insight that allows the reader to see how life in the 19th century would have been for many types of people. The interplay of the Indians and whites allow us to see society in a way that only an outsider can.
Helpful
 Report
Joel Brehm
4.0 out of 5 stars not your run-of-the-mill biography
Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2023
Verified Purchase
Here is a story about the exploration and opening up of the American west as told through the heart-song of Sakawajea’s son.
Born during Lewis &Clark’s adventure to the Pacific and educated in the palaces of Europe he returns to the Rockies as the Mormans and the white settlers push their way west.
We feel mor than read his observations. And reactions as his people deal with a changing world.
Which of the two cult will he chose and why?
Helpful
 Report
Kindle Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting topic
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2017
Verified Purchase
The book had very interesting content but it did not hold my attention well. It jumped around and towards the end I felt overwhelmed by all the characters.
Helpful
 Report
girorv
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2017
Verified Purchase
A very interesting read about the displacement of American natives from their land and culture with incites on what is taking place thoughout the world at the same time. All witnessed through the eyes and experience of Charnonneau, a half native, half French, as his adventures take him first to be educated in America and then overseas, and finally back to the fur traders life and a full circle as the fur trade is winding down and the west is being occupied by ever more settlers.
Helpful
 Report
Jennifer
4.0 out of 5 stars Really good historical story
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2017
Verified Purchase
This was a very good book that really gave you a better insight into the life of the Indians of this time period but particularly one special Indian who was half white man and half Indian. The development of his world view based on all of his experiences really helps to humanize the whole story. It does spend quite a bit of time on his sexual exploits, so readers that are uncomfortable with that topic should be aware.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Chris
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful recollection of a man born into both cultural worlds that collide as America enforces itself onto a new country. It is not hard to see that attitudes have not changed much after 100+ years.
Reviewed in Canada on September 15, 2017
Verified Purchase
Well written history of one man's journey from boyhood to manhood, as he travels through the culture of early North America, Europe and back to his mother's native First nation's lifestyle. Thought provoking narrative that challenges the way we see our recent ancestors caught up in the greed to exploit newly found resources with little care for those who were living here before us.
Report
Gabrielle
5.0 out of 5 stars Such a good book!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 16, 2017
Verified Purchase
I loved the characters - all so distinct and original, and the way imagination is woven around real history bringing it to life in a way that history lessons never did. It was exciting and a joy to read.
Report
F. Milat
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
Reviewed in Canada on November 2, 2018
Verified Purchase
Well written thought out It appears well researched. Holds my interest. Hard to be white and red at same time
Report
eam
4.0 out of 5 stars really enjoyed it.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 27, 2017
Verified Purchase
Cracking story, very descriptive, wished it was longer, did`nt want to reach the end, really enjoyed it.
Report
RwS
3.0 out of 5 stars A pseudo-historical tale blending two views through the eyes and experiences of a culturally blended character.
Reviewed in Canada on July 17, 2017
Verified Purchase
The Louis and Clark expedition has always intrigued me. I don't know of the authenticity of this saga or its historical validity, but it was a worldly privileged tale. The author employed numerous styles and character points of view to weave connections around the exploration of the Mississippi and western North American wilderness and a European royalty dalliance. The plight of the Indigenous Nations and their varying experiences with the spread of settlers towards the Pacific rim is an underlying thread that is certainly a contemporary issue of unrequited reconciliation and a sensitivity toward proper restitution.
The main character, who shares lineage from each of the competing cultures and interests, is given detailed experiences in both that are at times beyond believe-ability. The concluding chapters cleverly bring the story line into full circle from its prologue/opening story line. At times throughout the saga it was necessary to skip over tedious poetry, songs, and inconsequential details- in the end it was a satisfactory ending with
Report
Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report