Joseph Nicollet and His Map

"Bray's excellent biography is a long overdue rectification of the obscurity in which an important figure in American geography has been shrouded." - John L. Allen (Geographical Review) "[A] delightful, intimate portrayal of Nicollet's career as his interests moved from astronomy and geography to geology and ethnology…[A]n insightful social picture of the development of science in early nineteenth-century America…[A] major contribution to our understanding of the scientific background of western expansion." - Raymond J. Demaille (Western Historical Quarterly) "Charmingly written, methodically developed, and nimbly researched in primary documents—this biography of Joseph Nicollet tells the symbiotic story of a man, an eminent French astronomer, and his even more celebrated map…Bray reproduces both the man and his map on an equally large scale." - Stephen J. Heims (Isis) "This book is an excellent account of Nicollet's struggles with the bureaucratic system of his day, something that we often mistakenly feel is unique to the twentieth century." - Kenneth G. Johnson (Science Books and Films) "[A] distinguished biography which also contains some excellent social history, history of science, and historical geography… [A]n excellent treatment of Nicollet and his scientific survey of the greatest river in the United States and one of the great rivers of the world." - Normal J. W. Thrower (Minnesota Historical Society Quarterly) "This handsome volume is recommended to all those interested in topography and early exploration of the upper Mississippi River Valley." (The Annals of Iowa) "An insightful and thorough biography." - M. Edwin Derrick (South Dakota History)