The Weight of the Sun by Geronimo Tagatac

Product Details

Synopsis

Seventeen-year-old Lovisa King leaves Missouri for the Oregon Territory in 1845. A Heart for Any Fate, based on the history of a company of real pioneers, tells the story of the King family, whose careful plans are challenged by the harsh, unforeseen realities of overland travel. The family makes the unfortunate decision to follow guide Stephen Meek, who leads them into blistering weather, drought, and treacherous river crossings along a shortcut that becomes known as the Terrible Trail.

School Library Journal

Adult/High School-Crew based this novel on an actual journey from Missouri to Oregon made by Nahum and Sarepta King and their extended family. No diaries or journals by family members have been found, so the author's information about them was limited. Records show who left Missouri and how those who survived fared once they had arrived in Oregon. The story is narrated by spirited, independent Lovisa. Confident that her family's excellent planning and careful provisioning will keep them safe, she revels in the adventure of getting a fresh start in the glorious West. Good health, campfire dances, and plentiful food soon give way to fever, discord, and privation. The Kings and their fellow travelers see their families reduced by disease and accidents, and tested almost beyond their comprehension. Extraordinary effort and sacrifice are rewarded when they finally reach their destination. An author's note and 25 black-and-white photographs are included.-Kathy Tewell, Fairfax County Public Library, VA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Biography

Son of a Filipino-immigrant father and a Russian-Jewish mother, Tagatac's life has taken an arc from fieldhand to Special Forces demolition sergeant in Vietnam to modern dancer to civil servant and literary writer.