The World, the Flesh, and the Devil: A History of Colonial St. Louis

Reviews of The World, the Flesh, and the Devil: A History of Colonial St. Louis

"Patricia Cleary's book is by far the best and most complete history of early St. Louis. Cleary has an impressive command of all the relevant sources and has used them to produce a work that is at once sophisticated and highly readable. Her creativity and intelligence are evident throughout. This is a considerable contribution to the colonial historiography of mid-America."–Morris S. Arnold, author of Colonial Arkansas, 1686-1804 "Patricia Cleary's new book on early St. Louis is an excellent addition to the growing literature on the history of this fascinating place." – Jay Gitlin, Indiana Magazine of History"A clear exposition of Spanish rule in colonial St. Louis and a fascinating look at the 'intimate frontiers' of a critical contact zone, Cleary's book provides a rich history of a place she characterizes as a 'global village … tied to a vast territory as a center of commercial exchange' (p. 37)." – Jay Gitlin, Indiana Magazine of History"Cleary's nuanced portrait captures the texture of everyday life with gripping tales about spoiled food, drunken soldiers, unhappy slaves, disgruntled priests, and philandering spouses. These previously untold stories enrich the narrative and provide a more complete picture of St. Louis's earliest years and its cultural diversity."–William E. Foley, author of The Genesis of Missouri: From Wilderness Outpost to Statehood and coauthor of The First Chouteaus: River Barons of Early St. Louis