Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson and the Opening of the American West

All Available Formats + Editions

——

$9.99

NOOK Book

——

$9.99

Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West (eBook) Pub. Date: 5/3/2012 Publisher: Premier Digital Publishing
$0.01

$10.98

Paperback

$0.01

$10.98

Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson and the Opening of the American West (Reprint) Pub. Date: 6/28/1997 Publisher: Simon & Schuster
$0.01

$24.60

Hardcover

$0.01

$24.60

Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson and the Opening of the American West Pub. Date: 2/28/1996 Publisher: Simon & Schuster
$1.99

$25.65

Audiobook

$13.00

$25.65

Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson and the Opening of the American West (CD - Abridged, 4 CDs, 4 hrs. 30 min.) Pub. Date: 6/1/2001 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

——

$13.23

Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Openin (MP3 - Abridged) Pub. Date: 7/1/2004 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

$26.45

$42.70

Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis Thomas Jefferson and the Opening of the American West (CD - Unabridged) Pub. Date: 4/1/2008 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

——

$24.85

Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis Thomas Jefferson and the Opening of the American West (MP3 - Unabridged) Pub. Date: 6/1/2001 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

$8.74

——

Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson and the Opening of the American West (Cassette - Unabridged, 16 cassettes, 22 hrs.) Pub. Date: 6/28/2001 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

$1.99

——

Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson and the Opening of the American West (Cassette - Abridged, 4 cassettes, 4 hrs. 30 min.) Pub. Date: 6/28/1996 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

$11.50

——

Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson and the Opening of the American West (CD - Unabridged, 20 CDs, 22 hrs.) Pub. Date: 6/28/2001 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

$6.23

——

Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson and the Opening of the American West (Cassette - Unabridged) Pub. Date: 10/28/1996 Publisher: Books on Tape, Inc.

$13.87

——

Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson and the Opening of the American West (Cassette - Unabridged) Pub. Date: 1/1/1996 Publisher: Books on Tape, Inc.

See all Audiobook results

See fewer Audiobook results
$13.13

——

Other Format

$13.13

——

Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson and the Opening of the American West Pub. Date: 6/28/1997 Publisher: San Val

See more formats + editions

Customers Who Bought This Also Bought

Advertising

Overview

From the bestselling author of the definitive book on D-Day comes the definitive book on the most momentous expedition in American history and one of the great adventure stories of all time.

In 1803 President Thomas Jefferson selected his personal secretary, Captain Meriwether Lewis, to lead a voyage up the Missouri River to the Rockies, over the mountains, down the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean, and back. Lewis was the perfect choice. He endured incredible hardships and saw incredible sights, including vast herds of buffalo and Indian tribes that had had no previous contact with white men. He and his partner, Captain William Clark, made the first map of the trans-Mississippi West, provided invaluable scientific data on the flora and fauna of the Louisiana Purchase territory, and established the American claim to Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Ambrose has pieced together previously unknown information about weather, terrain, and medical knowledge at the time to provide a colorful and realistic backdrop for the expedition. Lewis saw the North American continent before any other white man; Ambrose describes in detail native peoples, weather, landscape, science, everything the expedition encountered along the way, through Lewis's eyes.

Lewis is supported by a rich variety of colorful characters, first of all Jefferson himself, whose interest in exploring and acquiring the American West went back thirty years. Next comes Clark, a rugged frontiersman whose love for Lewis matched Jefferson's. There are numerous Indian chiefs, and Sacagawea, the Indian girl who accompanied the expedition, along with the French-Indian hunter Drouillard, the great naturalists of Philadelphia, the French and Spanish fur traders of St. Louis, John Quincy Adams, and many more leading political, scientific, and military figures of the turn of the century.

This is a book about a hero. This is a book about national unity. But it is also a tragedy. When Lewis returned to Washington in the fall of 1806, he was a national hero. But for Lewis, the expedition was a failure. Jefferson had hoped to find an all-water route to the Pacific with a short hop over the Rockies-Lewis discovered there was no such passage. Jefferson hoped the Louisiana Purchase would provide endless land to support farming-but Lewis discovered that the Great Plains were too dry. Jefferson hoped there was a river flowing from Canada into the Missouri-but Lewis reported there was no such river, and thus no U.S. claim to the Canadian prairie. Lewis discovered the Plains Indians were hostile and would block settlement and trade up the Missouri. Lewis took to drink, engaged in land speculation, piled up debts he could not pay, made jealous political enemies, and suffered severe depression.

High adventure, high politics, suspense, drama, and diplomacy combine with high romance and personal tragedy to make this outstanding work of scholarship as readable as a novel.

Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble

The Barnes & Noble Review
Stephen Ambrose's widely acclaimed Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West is the definitive account of the most momentous pioneering effort in our nation's history — the Lewis and Clark Expedition. A distinguished historian, Ambrose has pieced together previously unknown information to provide a colorful and realistic backdrop for this journey as seen through Lewis's eyes.

On an adventure spanning three years and traversing the North American continent, Lewis and his expedition confronted incredible hardships and extraordinary revelations. With the help of his partner, Captain William Clark, Lewis made the first map of the trans-Mississippi West, documented unusual species of fauna and flora, and established America's claim to Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. The paperback edition of Undaunted Courage features two new chapters on Lewis's work as an ethnologist, focusing on his documentation of the Shoshone, Clatsop, and Chinook Indians — tribes never before seen by white settlers.

Drawing from Lewis's private journal, Ambrose follows the explorer's footsteps —from hisyouth and close relationship with Thomas Jefferson through his ventures into vast, wild, and breathtaking lands to his ultimate depression, despair, and suicide. With Ambrose's meticulous research and luminous prose, Undaunted Courage provides a broad social overview of the young American republic and keen psychological insight into an exceptional individual.

Publishers Weekly

Ambrose has written prolifically about men who were larger than life: Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Colonel Custer. Here he takes on half of the two-headed hero of American exploration: Meriwether Lewis. Ambrose, his wife and five children have followed the footsteps of the Lewis and Clark expedition for 20 summers, in the course of which the explorer has become a friend of the Ambrose family; the author's affection shines through this narrative. Meriwether Lewis, as secretary to Thomas Jefferson and living in the White House for two years, got his education by being apprenticed to a great man. Their friendship is at the center of this account. Jefferson hand-picked Lewis for the great cross-country trek, and Lewis in turn picked William Clark to accompany him. The two men shook hands in Clarksville, Ohio, on October 14, 1803, then launched their expedition. The journals of the expedition, most written by Clark, are one of the treasures of American history. Here we learn that the vital boat is behind schedule; the boat builder is always drunk, but he's the only one available. Lewis acts as surveyor, builder and temperance officer in his effort to get his boat into the river. Alcohol continues to cause him problems both with the men of his expedition and later, after his triumphant return, in his own life, which ended in suicide at the age of 35. Without adding a great deal to existing accounts, Ambrose uses his skill with detail and atmosphere to dust off an icon and put him back on the trail west. History Book Club main selection; BOMC split selection; QPB alternate

More Reviews (2) Fewer Reviews

Library Journal

It has been 30 years since the last biography of Meriwether Lewis (Richard Dillon's "Meriwether Lewis: A Biography", 1965). Ambrose (Univ. of New Orleans), best known for his histories and biographies of the 1940-90 period, uses the journals and documents that have turned up since then, as well as the traditional sources, to craft a careful and detailed biography of Lewis that will stand as the standard account for some time to come. Ambrose not only recounts the expedition Lewis led with Clark but also explains how Lewis came to head it, how he prepared for this task, and how his life unfolded after he returned to Washington and reported to Jefferson. Specialists will appreciate this biography, but general readers will also be enthralled by Ambrose's well-written account. This book belongs in all libraries. Stephen H. Peters, Northern Michigan Univ. Lib., Marquette

School Library Journal

Though principally a biography of Meriwether Lewis, this narrative also provides fascinating portraits of Thomas Jefferson and William Clark, Sacagawea, and other members of the group of explorers who journeyed from the Ohio River to the Pacific Ocean in the years 1803-1806. While scholarly and well documented, this account is at the same time a great adventure story, and Ambrose generates a sense of excitement and anticipation that mirrors, at least to some degree, the feelings Lewis and Clark must have had as they began their journey. Lewis's intense curiosity about the world around him, his training as a naturalist, and his ability to record what he saw and experienced provide YAs with a fascinating picture of the American frontier in the 19th century. The subject's strengths and weaknesses as a leader are revealed as he and his loyal followers meet every kind of challenge in their search for a navigable water route from the Mississippi to the Pacific. Ambrose incorporates recent research and new material on the expedition into this history, and includes detailed maps and examples of Lewis's journal entries. An eminently readable resource. Molly Connally, Kings Park Library, Fairfax County, VA

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780684826974
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: 6/28/1997
Edition description: Reprint
Pages: 528
Sales rank: 39,437
Lexile: 1190L (what's this?)
Product dimensions: 6.10 (w) x 9.10 (h) x 1.40 (d)

Meet the Author

Stephen E. Ambrose

Dr. Stephen Ambrose was a renowned historian and acclaimed author of more than 30 books. Among his New York Times best-sellers are: Nothing Like It in the World, Citizen Soldiers, Band of Brothers, D-Day - June 6, 1944, and Undaunted Courage.

He was not only a great author, but also a captivating speaker, with the unique ability to provide insight into the future by employing his profound knowledge of the past. His stories demonstrate how leaders use trust, friendship and shared experiences to work together and thrive during conflict and change. His philosophy about keeping an audience engaged is put best in his own words:

As I sit at my computer, or stand at the podium, I think of myself as sitting around the campfire after a day on the trail, telling stories that I hope will have the members of the audience, or the readers, leaning forward just a bit, wanting to know what happens next.

Dr. Ambrose was a retired Boyd Professor of History at the University of New Orleans. He was the Director Emeritus of the Eisenhower Center in New Orleans, and the founder of the National D-Day Museum. He was also a contributing editor for the Quarterly Journal of Military History, a member of the board of directors for American Rivers, and a member of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Council Board.

His talents have not gone unnoticed by the film industry. Dr. Ambrose was the historical consultant for Steven Spielberg's movie Saving Private Ryan. Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks purchased the film rights to his books Citizen Soldiers and Band of Brothers to make the 13-hour HBO mini-series Band of Brothers.

He has also participated in numerous national television programs, including ones for the History Channel and National Geographic.

Biography

"I was ten years old when [World War II] ended," Stephen Ambrose once said. "I thought the returning veterans were giants who had saved the world from barbarism. I still think so." Years after he first watched combat footage in the newsreels, the popular historian brought fresh attention to America's aging WWII veterans through such bestselling books as Band of Brothers, about a company of U.S. paratroopers, and The Wild Blue, about the B-24 bomber pilots who flew over Germany. Though best known for his books on World War II, Ambrose also produced multi-volume biographies of Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon, a history of the building of the transcontinental railroad, and a fascinating account of the Lewis and Clark expedition across the American West.

As a young professor of history, Ambrose was one of many left-wing academics who spoke out against American involvement in the Vietnam War. Yet he revered the veterans of World War II, and he interviewed and wrote about them at a time when many of his colleagues considered military history old-fashioned. "The men I admire most are soldiers, sailors, professional military," Ambrose would later tell The Washington Post. "Way more than politicians."

He labored without much popular acclaim or academic renown until 1994, when his book D-Day June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II burst onto the bestseller lists. War heroism was suddenly a hot topic, and Ambrose's approach, which focused on the experiences of soldiers rather than the decisions of high command, was perfectly suited to a popular audience. More bestsellers followed, including Citizen Soldiers, The Victors and Undaunted Courage. Ambrose's vivid narrative accounts were devoured by readers and praised by critics. "The descriptions of individual ordeals on the bloody beach of Omaha make this book outstanding," wrote Raleigh Trevelyan in a New York Times review of D-Day.

Ambrose retired as a professor of history at the University of New Orleans in 1995, but he continued to write one or more books per year. He also founded the National D-Day Museum in New Orleans, worked with his family-owned business organizing historical tours, and served as the historical consultant for the 1998 Steven Spielberg film Saving Private Ryan. Spielberg later turned Ambrose's Band of Brothers into an HBO miniseries.

This rise to fame was accompanied by criticism from some of Ambrose's fellow historians, who charged that he could be careless in his research and editing. In early 2002, he faced accusations of plagiarism when reporters noted that a number of phrases and sentences in his books were lifted from other works. Ambrose responded that he had forgotten to place quotation marks around some quotes, but said he had footnoted all his sources. "I always thought plagiarism meant using another person's words and ideas, pretending they were your own and profiting from it. I do not do that, never have done that and never will," he wrote in a statement on his Web site.

When he was diagnosed with lung cancer a few months later, he began work on a memoir, To America. "I want to tell all the things that are right about America," he said in an interview with the Associated Press. Ambrose died in October 2002, at the age of 66.

Good To Know

Ambrose was a star football player at the University of Wisconsin and played in the Rose Bowl, according to his friend and co-author Douglas Brinkley.

As a college sophomore, Ambrose abandoned his pre-med major for history after he attended a class on "Representative Americans" taught by professor William Hesseltine.

For more than 20 years, Ambrose and his family spent their vacations traveling portions of the Lewis and Clark Trail. They canoed the Missouri and Columbia rivers, endured soaking rains and summer snowstorms, and read from the explorers' journals at night by the light of their campfires.

Ambrose named his house in Mississippi "Merry Weather," after Meriwether Lewis. His Labrador was called Pomp, after the nickname of Sacagawea's son.

1. Also Known As:
  
  Stephen Ambrose
1. Date of Birth:
  
  January 10, 1936
2. Place of Birth:
  
  Whitewater, Wisconsin
1. Date of Death:
  
  October 13, 2002
2. Place of Death:
  
  Bay St. Louis, Mississippi

Read an Excerpt

Preparing for the Expedition

January - June 1803

A week after Congress appropriated the funds for the expedition, Jefferson began writing his scientific friends. The message was the same in each case: the expedition has been authorized but is still confidential; I have chosen Captain Lewis to lead it; Lewis needs advice and instruction. The letters made it clear that Jefferson intended the recipients to provide advice and instruction without cost to the government.

Lewis's schooling began during the period from New Year's Day to the Ides of March. Lewis was still living in the President's House, conferring with Jefferson as often and for as long as Jefferson's schedule would allow. Beyond the conferences and the practical lessons in the use of the sextant and other measuring instruments, which took place on the lawn, Lewis studied maps in Jefferson's collection.

He also conferred with Albert Gallatin, a serious map-collector. Gallatin had a special map made up for Lewis showing North America from the Pacific Coast to the Mississippi, with details on what was known of the Missouri River up to the Mandan villages in the Great Bend of the river (today's Bismarck, North Dakota), and a few wild guesses as to what the Rockies might look like and the course of the Columbia. There were but three certain points on the map: the latitude and longitude of the mouth of the Columbia, of St. Louis, and of the Mandan villages (thanks to British fur traders)

By the time he finished studying with Jefferson and Gallatin, Lewis knew all that there was to know about the Missouri and what lay to the west of it.

The problem was that west of the Mandans nearly to the coast was terra incognita. And the best scientists in the world could not begin to fill in that map until someone had walked across the land, taking measurements, providing descriptions of the flora, fauna, rivers, mountains, and people, not failing to note the commercial and agricultural possibilities.

To make that journey required a frontiersman's expert knowledge combined with an understanding of technology and what it could do to make the passage easier and more fruitful. That was the positive side of Jefferson's choice of Lewis, who was in fact the perfect choice. Indeed, Lewis's career might almost have been dedicated to preparing him for this adventure. He knew the Old Northwest about as well as any man in the country, he knew lonely forest trails through Indian country, he knew hunting and fishing and canoes, he knew how to keep records, had adequate mathematical skills, and for two years had been privy to Mr. jefferson's hopes and dreams, his curiosity and knowledge.

Jefferson told Patterson that Lewis had the required frontier skills, to which "he joins a great stock of accurate observation on the subjects of the three kingdoms.... He has been for some time qualifying himself for taking observations of longitude & latitude to fix the geographical points of the line he will pass over." But he needed help, and it was Patterson's and the other scientists in Philadelphia's privilege and-not stated but clearly implied-duty to supply that help. Of course they were all delighted to do so anyway.

It was a favorite saying of one of President jefferson's twentieth-century successors, Dwight Eisenhower, that in war, before the battle is joined, plans are everything, but once the shooting begins, plans are worthless. The same aphorism can be said about exploration. In battle, what cannot be predicted is the enemy's reaction; in exploration, what cannot be predicted is what is around the next bend in the river or on the other side of the hill. The planning process, therefore, is as much guesswork as it is intelligent forecasting of the physical needs of the expedition. It tends to be frustrating, because the planner carries with him a nagging sense that he is making some simple mistakes that could be easily corrected in the planning stage, but may cause a dead loss when the mistake is discovered midway through the voyage.

For this expedition, planning was going on at two levels. The president was working on the first draft of his instructions to Lewis. It was becoming a long, complex document, for Jefferson was making a list of the things he wanted to know about the West. Since there was so much he wanted to know, far more than a single expedition could answer, he had to make choices. There was no mention of looking for gold or silver in the draft Jefferson was circulating, for example, whereas soil conditions and climate were included. Trade possibilities were prominent.

Taken all together, the instructions represented a culmination and a triumph of the American Enlightenment. The expedition authorized by the popularly elected Congress would combine scientific, commercial, and agricultural concerns with geographical discovery and nation-building. All the pillars of Enlightenment thought, summed up with the phrase "useful knowledge," were slithering in the instructions.

While Jefferson worked on the instructions, Lewis had his own planning to do. Jefferson would set the objectives, but it was Captain Lewis who would get the expedition there and back. The responsibility was his for deciding the size of the expedition, how it would proceed up the Missouri River, what it would need to cross the Rocky Mountains and descend the Columbia to the Pacific Ocean and return. The team would have to do this as a self-contained unit. Once the expedition left St. Louis, Lewis would be stuck with the decisions he had made during the planning process.

How many men? With what skills? How big a boat? What design? What type of rifle? How much powder and lead? How many cooking pots? What tools? How much dry or salted rations could be carried? What medicines, in what quantity? What scientific instruments? What books? How many fishing hooks? How much salt? Tobacco? Whiskey?

Lewis and Jefferson talked into the late evening about such questions. Jefferson thought it would be a good idea to carry some cast-iron corn mills to give the Indians as presents. Lewis agreed. They discussed the trade beads that were the currency of the western Indian tribes, and agreed that plenty would be needed. They made up lists of other items. Together, they concocted the idea of a collapsible iron-frame boat, one that could be carried past the falls of the Missouri, wherever that might be, and put together at the far end with animal skins to cover it, so that the expedition would be back in business on the water.

They talked about timing. Now that the appropriation was in hand, both men wanted to get started as soon as possible. With the coming of spring and the drying of the roads, Lewis wanted to be ready to go. He told Jefferson he hoped to be across the Appalachians by early summer. He intended to go to the post at South West Post, near present Kingston in eastern Tennessee, and there enlist his core group of soldier-explorers from the garrison. He planned to march them overland to Nashville, where he would pick up a previously ordered keelboat to float down the Cumberland River to its junction with the Ohio, not far above the Ohio's junction with the Mississippi.

He planned to be in St. Louis by August I and thought he might be able to proceed a good bit of the way up the Missouri before being forced into winter camp. In 1804, he expected to cross the mountains, reach the Pacific, make the return journey, and report back before winter set in.

	Introduction	13
	Acknowledgments	17
1	Youth 1774-1792	19
2	Planter 1792-1794	30
3	Soldier 1794-1800	38
4	Thomas Jefferson's America 1801	51
5	The President's Secretary 1801-1802	59
6	The Origins of the Expedition 1750-1802	68
7	Preparing for the Expedition: January-June 1803	80
8	Washington to Pittsburgh: June-August 1803	93
9	Down the Ohio: September-November 1803	108
10	Up the Mississippi to Winter Camp: November 1803-March 1804	121
11	Ready to Depart: April-May 21, 1804	133
12	Up the Missouri: May-July 1804	140
13	Entering Indian Country: August 1804	152
14	Encounter with the Sioux: September 1804	165
15	To the Mandans: Fall 1804	176
16	Winter at Fort Mandan: December 21, 1804-March 21, 1805	191
17	Report from Fort Mandan: March 22-April 6, 1805	202
18	From Fort Mandan to Marias River: April 7-June 2, 1805	211
19	From Marias River to the Great Falls: June 3-June 20, 1805	230
20	The Great Portage: June 16-July 14, 1805	241
21	Looking for the Shoshones: July 15-August 12, 1805	251
22	Over the Continental Divide: August 13-August 31, 1805	268
23	Lewis as Ethnographer: The Shoshones	284
24	Over the Bitterroots: September 1-October 6, 1805	289
25	Down the Columbia: October 8-December 7, 1805	302
26	Fort Clatsop: December 8, 1805-March 23, 1806	318
27	Lewis as Ethnographer: The Clatsops and the Chinooks	337
28	Jefferson and the West: 1804-1806	342
29	Return to the Nez Perce: March 23-June 9, 1806	353
30	The Lolo Trail: June 10-July 2, 1806	369
31	The Marias Exploration: July 3-July 28, 1806	379
32	The Last Leg: July 29-September 22, 1806	395
33	Reporting to the President: September 23-December 31, 1806	406
34	Washington: January-March 1807	422
35	Philadelphia: April-July 1807	431
36	Virginia: August 1806-March 1807	439
37	St. Louis: March-December 1808	445
38	St. Louis: January-August 1809	460
39	Last Voyage: September 3-October 11, 1809	471
40	Aftermath	476
	Notes	485
	Bibliography	503
	Index	507

First Chapter

Chapter 1

Youth 1774-1792

From the west-facing window of the room in which Meriwether Lewis was born on August 18, 1774, one could look out at Rockfish Gap, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, an opening to the West that invited exploration. The Virginia Piedmont of 1774 was not the frontier -- that had extended beyond the Allegheny chain of mountains, and a cultured plantation life was nearly a generation old -- but it wasn't far removed. Traces of the old buffalo trail that led up Rockfish River to the Gap still remained. Deer were exceedingly plentiful, black bear common. An exterminating war was being waged against wolves. Beaver were on every stream. Flocks of turkeys thronged the woods. In the fall and spring, ducks and geese darkened the rivers.

Lewis was born in a place where the West invited exploration but the East could provide education and knowledge, where the hunting was magnificent but plantation society provided refinement and enlightenment, where he could learn wilderness skills while sharpening his wits about such matters as surveying, politics, natural history, and geography.

The West was very much on Virginians' minds in 1774, even though the big news that year was the Boston Tea Party, the introduction of resolutions in the House of Burgesses in support of Massachusetts, the dissolution of the Burgesses by the Royal Governor Lord Dunmore, and a subsequent meeting at Raleigh Tavern of the dissolved Burgesses, whose Committee of Correspondence sent out letters calling for a general congress of the American colonies. In September, the First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, and revolution was under way.

Lord Dunmorewas a villain in the eyes of the revolutionaries. He was eventually forced to flee Virginia and take up residence on a British warship. But in January 1774, he had done Virginia a big favor by organizing an offensive into the Ohio country by Virginia militia. The Virginians goaded Shawnee, Ottawa, and other tribes into what became Lord Dunmore's War, which ended with the Indians defeated. They ceded hunting rights in Kentucky to the Virginians and agreed to unhindered access to and navigation on the Ohio River. Within six months, the Transylvania Company sent out Daniel Boone to blaze a trail through the Cumberland Gap to the bluegrass country of Kentucky.

Meanwhile, the British government, in the Quebec Act of 1774, moved to stem the flow of Virginians across the mountains, by extending the boundary of Canada south to the Ohio River. This cut off Virginia's western claims, threatened to spoil the hopes and schemes of innumerable land speculators, including George Washington, and established a highly centralized crown-controlled government with special privileges for the Catholic Church, provoking fear that French Canadians, rather than Protestant Virginians, would rule in the Ohio Valley. This was one of the so-called Intolerable Acts that spurred the revolution.

Meriwether Lewis was born on the eve of revolution into a world of conflict between Americans and the British government for control of the trans-Appalachian West in a colony whose western ambitions were limitless, a colony that was leading the surge of Americans over the mountains, and in a county that was a nursery of explorers.

His family had been a part of the western movement from the beginning. Thomas Jefferson described Lewis's forebears as "one of the distinguished families" of Virginia, and among the earliest. The first Lewis to come to America had been Robert, a Welshman and an officer in the British army. The family coat of arms was "Omne Solum Forti Patria Est," or "All Earth Is to a Brave Man His Country." (An alternate translation is "Everything the Brave Man Does Is for His Country.") Robert arrived in 1635 with a grant from the king for 33,333 1/3 acres of Virginia land. He had numerous progeny, including Colonel Robert Lewis, who was wonderfully successful on the Virginia frontier of the eighteenth century, in Albemarle County. On his death, Colonel Lewis was wealthy enough to leave all nine of his children with substantial plantations. His fifth son, William, inherited 1,896 acres, and slaves, and a house, Locust Hill, a rather rustic log home, but very comfortable and filled with things of value, including much table silver. It was just seven miles west of Charlottesville, within sight of Monticello.

One of the Lewis men, an uncle of Meriwether Lewis's father, was a member of the king's council; another, Fielding Lewis, married a sister of George Washington. Still another relative, Thomas Lewis, accompanied Jefferson's father, Peter, on an expedition in 1746 into the Northern Neck, between the Potomac and the Rappahannock. Thomas was the first Lewis to keep a journal of exploration. He had a gift for vivid descriptions, of horses "tumbling over Rocks and precipices," of cold, rain, and near-starvation. He wrote of exultation over killing "one old Bair & three Cubs." He described a mountain area where they were so "often in the outmoust Danger this tirable place was Calld Purgatory." One river was so treacherous they named it Styx, "from the Dismal appearance of the place Being Sufficen to Strick terror in any human Creature."

In 1769, William Lewis, then thirty-one years old, married his cousin, twenty-two-year-old Lucy Meriwether. The Meriwether family was also Welsh and also land-rich -- by 1730, the family held a tract near Charlottesville of 17,952 acres. The coat of arms was "Vi et Consilio," or "Force and Counsel." George R. Gilmer, later a governor of Georgia, wrote of the family, "None ever looked at or talked with a Meriwether but he heard something which made him look or listen again." Jefferson said of Colonel Nicholas Meriwether, Lucy's father, "He was the most sensible man I ever knew." He had served as commander of a Virginia regiment in Braddock's disastrous campaign of 1755.

The Lewis and Meriwether families had long been close-knit and interrelated. Indeed, there were eleven marriages joining Lewises and Meriwethers between 1725 and 1774. Nicholas Meriwether II, 1667-1744, was the great-grandfather of Lucy Meriwether and the grandfather of William Lewis. The marriage of Lucy and William combined two bloodlines of unusual strength -- and some weaknesses. According to Jefferson, the family was "subject to hypocondriac affections. It was a constitutional disposition in all the nearer branches of the family."

Despite William Lewis's tendency toward hypochondria -- or what Jefferson at other times called melancholy and would later be called depression -- Jefferson described his neighbor and friend as a man of "good sense, integrity, bravery, enterprize & remarkable bodily powers."

A year after their marriage, William and Lucy Lewis had their first child, a daughter they named Jane. Meriwether Lewis was born in 1774. Three years later, a second son, Reuben, was born.

In 1775, war broke out. Jefferson noted that, when it came, William Lewis was "happily situated at home with a wife and young family, & a fortune placed him at ease." Nevertheless, "he left all to aid in the liberation of his country from foreign usurpations." Like General Washington, he served without pay; going Washington one better, he bore his own expenses, as his patriotic contribution to his country.

Meriwether Lewis scarcely knew his father, for Lieutenant Lewis was away making war for most of the first five years of his son's life. He served as commander of one of the first regiments raised in Virginia, enlisting in July 1775. By September, he was a first lieutenant in the Albemarle County militia. When the unit integrated with the Continental Line, he became a lieutenant in the regulars.

In November 1779, Lieutenant Lewis spent a short leave with his family at Cloverfields, a Meriwether family plantation where his wife, Lucy, had grown

Introduction

Reading Group Discussion Points

In Undaunted Courage, Ambrose gives us an unbiased account of Meriwether Lewis. He presents Lewis as both a hero and a flawed man. How does Ambrose reconcile these two sides of Lewis's character?
Discuss the ways in which Undaunted Courage shares a reading experience with that of a novel. Yet how is reading history unlike reading fiction?
Compare and contrast the social conventions of Lewis's time with those of our own—in particular the social standing and treatment of women, blacks, and Indians. How much did the harsh physical environment that people endured affect the attitudes of the time in the arena of racial and sexual equality?
What small but significant role did women play in the story of the Lewis and Clark Expedition?
Discuss the way in which Ambrose clearly depicts the difficulty and confusion that faced both the Americans and the Indians when their paths began to cross. They were different peoples with different ways, and their inability to fully comprehend the other was mutual. Does Ambrose give us a sense of the inevitability of American expansion at the expense of the Indians, or does he suggest and/or imply that there might have been another way?
Ambrose brings to life the diversity of Indians in America in the early 1800s. Now, however, there is little trace of the many tribes that Ambrose described. We often consider what the Indians themselves lost, but what does the world lose when a whole culture of people becomesextinct? Do you think the Indians gained anything from their assimilation?
At the end of the book, Lewis commits suicide. What does Lewis's suicide leave the living—both in his own time and ours? Discuss the apparent irony of a man who has endured the hardships, terrors, and rigors of a cross-country expedition, returning a hero, only to commit suicide later?
There were many firsts in Undaunted Courage. Lewis was the first white man to explore territory west of the Rockies. York was the first black man these Indians had ever seen. It was the first scientific discovery of many of the floral and fauna specimens Lewis came across during the expedition. What are some other firsts this book reveals?
Discuss the importance of Lewis's expedition. Speculate as to why the story of Lewis and Clark has previously been treated rather superficially? Has Undaunted Courage altered your perspective on American history? Why was Ambrose so tempted to go back and reexamine Meriwether Lewis?
Beyond its historical significance, Undaunted Courage is a story of a great and exciting adventure. Discuss the various hardships that the expedition endured, as well as the truly wondrous and spectacular sights they encountered. Speculate as to what would be encountered now if one were to follow the same voyage as Lewis and Clark.

Recommended Readings

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

Dee Brown

History of the United States of America During

the Administrations of Thomas Jefferson

Henry Adams

The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition

Bernard DeVoto, ed.

Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition

`Donald Jackson, ed.

Lewis & Clark: Partners in Discovery

John Bakeless

Lewis and Clark Among the Indians

James P. Ronda

Northwest Passage: The Great Columbia River

William Dietrich

The Rediscovery of North America

Barry Lopez

Sacajawea of the Lewis and Clark Expedition

Ella Clark and Margot Edmonds

Wilderness at Dawn

Ted Morgan

As I sit at my computer, or stand at the podium, I think of myself as sitting around the campfire after a day on the trail, telling stories that I hope will have the members of the audience, or the readers, leaning forward just a bit, wanting to know what happens next.

He has also participated in numerous national television programs, including ones for the History Channel and National Geographic.

Interviews & Essays

On Tuesday, July 1st, barnesandnoble.com welcomed Stephen E. Ambrose to discuss UNDAUNTED COURAGE.

Moderator: Hello, and welcome to the Auditorium. This evening we are proud to welcome Stephen E. Ambrose, the author of the New York Times bestseller UNDAUNTED COURAGE: MERIWETHER LEWIS, THOMAS JEFFERSON AND THE OPENING OF THE AMERICAN WEST. The perfect author to put you in the mood to celebrate the Fourth of July, Ambrose can answer any of your questions regarding the greatest journey in the history of the United States. Thanks for joining us this evening.

James Gara from home: What is the significance of the title?

Stephen E Ambrose: It comes from Thomas Jefferson, who, in a tribute to Lewis, began "of courage undaunted," and I just turned it around.

Jeff from St. Paul: Hi, Dr. Ambrose. Were Lewis's battles with depression and alcoholism pure speculation, or were they documented? Thanks.

Stephen E Ambrose: The alcohol problem is heavily documented. The bouts of depression are conjecture on my part. Although Jefferson spoke to Lewis's tendency toward melancholia.

Gary Knowles from Towson, MD: You write at one point that Lewis and Clark had one of the greatest friendships in American history. What do you think was at the foundation of this friendship?

Stephen E Ambrose: Trust in each other's abilities and character. They had no secrets from each other. They were terribly ambitious but would never have dreamed of cheating the other of credit that he was due. They never lied to one another.

Dan Barnett from Paradise, California: How much did Meriwether Lewis lend toward the establishment or further development of the myth of rugged Western individualism? How much of "courage" -- willingness to go it alone against all odds -- is tied to this myth?

Stephen E Ambrose: I think what Lewis and Clark showed was the opposite of the myth of the lone cowboy or rugged individualist. They demonstrated that it takes a team to challenge the wilderness.

Amanda from Rochester, MN: Was Jefferson or the U.S. government disappointed in Lewis when he returned with the information that there was no easy Northwest Passage?

Stephen E Ambrose: No. They were men of the Enlightenment. Facts were facts. And they greeted Lewis as a hero. Lewis himself apparently felt he had let the boss down.

Mitchell Dale from Louisville: While Lewis and Clark were incommunicado for those years, what was Thomas Jefferson thinking? Did he ever think that Lewis and Clark and his men could have been killed by the Indians?

Stephen E Ambrose: Jefferson is the only man in the country who never gave up on him. He consistently said he expected them to make it when everyone else had given up.

Rollins from Iowa City: Hi, Mr. Ambrose! What happened to Sacajawea? Did she receive any sort of remuneration from Lewis, Clark, or the American government for her vital role in the exploration? Thank you.

Stephen E Ambrose: No. She got nothing. Her husband got $500 for the use of his teepee, which she had built, and for his services as an interpreter, and she was the one who was doing the interpreting.

Marley37 from @AOL: What's your opinion, Dr. Ambrose -- why do you think Lewis never hired an editor and published his journal? He certainly was not a man who didn't follow through with intentions, and I would imagine that his journals were written in a way so that they could easily have been published, which would have certainly taken him out of debt. Thanks.

Stephen E Ambrose: I don't know the answer to that question. I wish I did. This is the all-time case of writer's block. He had the material in front of him and it was priceless, but he never prepared one line for the printer.

LizzieZ from Jones Beach: Why do you think that Lewis and Clark don't get the attention they deserve as explorers, and Lewis especially as a scientist? Only a brief paragraph in a history book certainly isn't enough considering what these men did.

Stephen E Ambrose: I think it's because of Lewis's suicide. It's just very hard to make a national hero out of a man who committed suicide. Then there was a hundred-year delay in the publishing of the journals, so for all that time, nobody knew about Lewis's scientific work.

Shane McCarrol from Berkeley, CA: What do you think were in those "Thunderclapper" pills that Lewis took with him on his journey? They seemed to be quite a cure-all.

Stephen E Ambrose: They were various laxatives of legendary proportions and the combination was just awesome. It certainly cleaned a person out.

David from Boston, MA: I loved UNDAUNTED COURAGE...I was just curious if you had any suggestions for somebody interested in hiking a couple of days on the Lewis and Clark route. I only have a couple of days -- where would you recommend starting at?

Stephen E Ambrose: The best hikes are on the parts of the trail that have been the least disturbed. The best of these are: Lemhi Pass on the Idaho/Montana border; along the Lolo trail in Idaho; and a particular favorite is over what is called Lewis & Clark Pass in Montana, just off Highway 200, up Alice Creek. Drive to the trailhead and you have a two-mile hike to get over the pass, and in the process you are walking in the travois path that the Nez Perce crossed for hundreds of years. Canoeing anywhere on the upper Missouri River is a treat.

Carter from Boston: What struck me as unusual was the chain of command of the expedition. Lewis shared command with Clark even though Clark was at a lower station than he was. What insight do you have on this arrangement?

Stephen E Ambrose: It was Lewis who offered a co-command. It was his idea. He didn't have to do it. It was based on what he knew about Clark, and felt for him. I also think that Lewis may have feared that Clark would not come along as his subordinate since these guys were Virginians and very rank-conscious. But that's a guess on my part. What I know is that it was Lewis's decision to offer co-command and it was Lewis who first used the words "The Lewis and Clark Expedition."

Erin from New York City: I read UNDAUNTED COURAGE in hardcover and thoroughly enjoyed it. What struck me was that it seemed that everyone survived the journey. Although there were horrible bouts of various sicknesses, no one died. Am I right with that impression (I read the book about a year ago)?

Stephen E Ambrose: One man died. Sgt. Floyd died of an appendicitis rupture. He was the first American soldier to die west of the Mississippi River.

Sarah Jane from Saratoga Springs: I thought it was interesting that Lewis and Jefferson shared the same view about Indians versus black slaves -- that Indians were higher beings than slaves and that although they would allow Indians to vote, they couldn't conceive of slaves ever voting. Was this the prevailing attitude during the early 1800s?

Stephen E Ambrose: There was a lot of romanticism about the Indians at the beginning of the 19th century, based on Jean Jacques Rousseau's ideas about the Noble Savage. As to attitudes about African Americans, Jefferson and his contemporaries had to regard them as inferior or else they would have had no justification for holding them as slaves.

Jeff Wright from San Antonio, TX: Dear Steve, a big fan of all your work from way back. You did the preface for PANZER GENERAL. Is Von Luck still with us? Another fascinating read by someone who was ringside for momentous events. -Jeff Wright, nualjeff@smart1.net

Stephen E Ambrose: Yes, Hans Von Luck is very much alive, living in Hamburg, Germany.

J. Ruhl from Philadelphia: Would you mind telling me about the additional new chapters that are included in the paperback of UNDAUNTED COURAGE? That information would be much appreciated -- thank you.

Stephen E Ambrose: They are chapters on Lewis as an ethnographer. One of them is his description of the Shoshone Indians -- their economy, dress, weapons, politics, morals. The other is on the Clatsops, covering the same subjects. I took them out of the hardcover edition because my editor said they interrupted the flow of the narrative. When the book made the bestseller list, I told my editor those chapters had to go back into the paperback.

Margaret from Chicago: How about the bond between Jefferson and Lewis -- where did that stem from? There were a few decades separating these men, weren't there?

Stephen E Ambrose: Jefferson was a great friend of Lewis's father and a contemporary and neighbor. Lewis's father was an officer in the Revolutionary War and died in the war when Lewis was 6. Jefferson had no sons. Something close to a father-son relationship developed between Jefferson and Lewis.

Evan from Metaire, LA: I haven't read the book yet, but it's my next beach read. I basically wanted to know your opinion as to the best Lewis and Clark exhibit in the United States. Also, I have a son about to attend UNO. Are you still a professor at UNO? If so, I know who I want teaching history to my son!

Stephen E Ambrose: No, I've retired. There is not a single best Lewis & Clark exhibit. But there are many outstanding museums,including: The Arch in St. Louis, The Charles Russel Museum and the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls, MT; Fort Clatsop, near Astoria, Oregon; and all of the state historical societies along the route.

Honeybee from Sugerloaf Mountain: From what I know, the Indians during that time could have been savage to the expedition. What do you think prevented this -- Lewis's social skills or that the Indians had never seen white men before?

Stephen E Ambrose: Well, some of these Indians had seen white men before. The principle reason why the Indians never tried to overwhelm the expedition was that they were so much better armed then the Indians were. Without doubt, many of the tribes could have overwhelmed the expedition, but without doubt they would have suffered very heavy casualties. So none of them ever tried.

Benedict from Natick, MA: After the journey was completed, why were there charges against Lewis for misusing federal funds? Who brought them up? I look forward to reading UNDAUNTED COURAGE this summer!

Stephen E Ambrose: It wasn't that charges were brought, it was that notes that he had signed were not honored and this is a complex story, but basically what happened was there was a new administration and as far as President Madison was concerned, the Lewis & Clark Expedition: that was yesterday. So Madison refused to honor chits that Lewis had written at Jefferson's authorization.

Lawrence from Valley Forge, PA: What were some of the major contributions Lewis made to science?

Stephen E Ambrose: Over 200 new species of plants and animals, including the coyote, the prairie dog, the western meadowlark, the sitka spruce, and so many other plants and animals that represent the essence of the western United States. He introduced us to these plants and animals.

Jerry from Athens, GA: I learned so much from reading UNDAUNTED COURAGE! Would you mind telling us what CITIZEN SOLDIERS is about and when it will come out?

Stephen E Ambrose: CITIZEN SOLDIERS is a sequel to my book D-DAY. It covers the war in Northwest Europe from dawn on June 7, 1944, to the end of the war on May 7, 1945, primarily from the point of view of the junior officers and enlisted men. It will be published in October and will be in stores in November.

Sherman from Manhattan: Why did you decide to concentrate on Meriwether Lewis in this book, as opposed to Clark?

Stephen E Ambrose: Actually I first wanted to do Clark. But a friend and a noted scholar James Ronda was already writing a Clark biography. So, I yielded and decided to do Lewis. It's a funny thing, in a lot of ways, Clark is still to me the more appealing of the two, but Lewis was the better subject because of the two years he lived with Jefferson in the White House, which just added a depth to Lewis that Clark did not have.

Randy from Bastrop, LA: Hello, Dr. Ambrose, I read D-DAY and loved it!! Just curious about the different research methods used in writing a book about the Lewis and Clark Expedition... Did you primarily research text or did you do any real-life interviews with relatives of those participating in the expedition?

Stephen E Ambrose: No, I did no interviews. It was a very different kind of research. My basic source was the journals of Lewis, Clark, Sgt. Ordway, the other sergeants, three of the enlisted men, and the Jefferson correspondence. But it's funny, I always dream about my subjects, and I feel that I know the men of the Lewis and Clark Expedition as well as I know the men of D-Day, although I never met any of the men of the Corps of Discovery and have met hundreds and hundreds of D-Day veterans. But it is all storytelling and in the journals, Lewis and Clark and their men tell their stories and I'm not there to interview them. I would like to be. There are questions I would surely have for them. But it is a privilege and so helpful to have their journals, which are damn near as good as an interview -- in some ways better. In an interview it's me who decides what's important to talk about, but I can't interject myself into the journals. So what I get as a source is what they thought was important, and it could be that they were right.

Rory from Florida: Stephen, two questions (again): What do you think was Lewis and Clark's greatest accomplishment? Also, I just had a funny thought. Do you think the TV show's name Lois and Clark was created from Lewis and Clark? (You know, the show about Superman.)

Stephen E Ambrose: To do it. To cross the continent. To be the first to do so. To bring back so much information that had immediate practical consequences. But even more, there is this about the Lewis and Clark Expedition: This is our Iliad and our Odyssey. This is our national epic. The journals of Lewis and Clark are our national poem.

Moderator: Thanks again, Dr. Ambrose, for joining us this evening. Any closing comments?

Stephen E Ambrose: Get out on the trail. It is accessible. It starts in Pittsburgh and ends in Astoria. There are sights all along the way. Do a bit of it, do a long stretch, do it all. But bring the journals of Lewis and Clark along with you and make camp at their campsites and sit around the campfire and read aloud from the journals of Lewis and Clark about what they did at that place 197 years ago. I guarantee you, it is just magical.

Reading Group Guide

Reading Group Discussion Points

In Undaunted Courage, Ambrose gives us an unbiased account of Meriwether Lewis. He presents Lewis as both a hero and a flawed man. How does Ambrose reconcile these two sides of Lewis's character
Discuss the ways in which Undaunted Courage shares a reading experience with that of a novel. Yet how is reading history unlike reading fiction?
Compare and contrast the social conventions of Lewis's time with those of our own — in particular the social standing and treatment of women, blacks, and Indians. How much did the harsh physical environment that people endured affect the attitudes of the time in the arena of racial and sexual equality?
What small but significant role did women play in the story of the Lewis and Clark Expedition?
Discuss the way in which Ambrose clearly depicts the difficulty and confusion that faced both the Americans and the Indians when their paths began to cross. They were different peoples with different ways, and their inability to fully comprehend the other was mutual. Does Ambrose give us a sense of the inevitability of American expansion at the expense of the Indians, or does he suggest and/or imply that there might have been another way?
Ambrose brings to life the diversity of Indians in America in the early 1800s. Now, however, there is little trace of the many tribes that Ambrose described. We often consider what the Indians themselves lost, but what does the world lose when a whole culture of people becomes extinct'. Do you think the Indians gained anything from their assimilation?
At the end of the book, Lewis commits suicide. What does Lewis's suicide leave the living — both in his own time and ours? Discuss the apparent irony of a man who has endured the hardships, terrors, and rigors of a cross-country expedition, returning a hero, only to commit suicide later?
There were many firsts in Undaunted Courage. Lewis was the first white man to explore territory west of the Rockies. York was the first black man these Indians had ever seen. It was the first scientific discovery of many of the floral and fauna specimens Lewis came across during the expedition. What are some other firsts this book reveals?
Discuss the importance of Lewis's expedition. Speculate as to why the story of Lewis and Clark has previously been treated rather superficially? Has Undaunted Courage altered your perspective on American history? Why was Ambrose so tempted to go back and reexamine Meriwether Lewis?
Beyond its historical significance, Undaunted Courage is a story of a great and exciting adventure. Discuss the various hardships that the expedition endured, as well as the truly wondrous and spectacular sights they encountered. Speculate as to what would be encountered now if one were to follow the same voyage as Lewis and Clark.

Recommended Readings

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, Dee Brown

History of the United States of America During the Administrations of Thomas Jefferson, Henry Adams

The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Bernard DeVoto, ed.

Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Donald Jackson, ed.

Lewis & Clark: Partners in Discovery, John Bakeless

Lewis and Clark Among the Indians, James P. Ronda

Northwest Passage: The Great Columbia River, William Dietrich

The Rediscovery of North America, Barry Lopez

Sacajawea of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Ella Clark and Margot Edmonds

Wilderness at Dawn, Ted Morgan

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4

( 65 )

Rating Distribution

5 Star

(28)

4 Star

(24)

3 Star

(6)

2 Star

(4)

1 Star

(3)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines

Tell the world what you think of this product.

Add Recommendations

Your Name: Create a Pen Name or Leave Anonymously

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

- HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
- Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
- Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
- Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
- Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
- Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
- Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

- By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
- Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
- See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.

Anonymous

Posted August 14, 2008

The way west.

Stephen Ambrose writes more than a recounting of Lewis' and Clark's expedition of the Louisiana purchase. It is a full biography of Meriwether Lewis. It gives details of his youth and growing up and how Jefferson took him under his wing. It provides information on how Lewis was selected to lead this expedition and the intense training he received in preparing for this long trek. I did not know that Lewis completed what could almost be considered a Master's training in the sciences in several months to prepare him. I was unaware of all the discoveries that he made and I was also unaware that the expedition reached the Pacific Ocean. There are times when Ambrose does not have information from Lewis or very little from Clark that he does take license and extrapolate his own thoughts, which while reasonable are not necessarily factually based, but this is done very little and does not take away from the quality of the work presented. It is one that I highly enjoyed and recommend.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Anonymous

Posted December 20, 1999

Lewis and Clark Expedition Revealed

Ambrose, I believe to be one of the greatest literary historians of his decade. He chronicles the Lewis and Clark expedition from conception to treking their way to the Rocky Mountains. Based primarily on the Lewis and Clark journals that were scattered and often incomplete with gaps in days, and some of the journals were lost. Ambrose fills in the missing peices of the historical surveying trip. Two thumbs up to Ambrose on his views concerning Thomas Jefferson and his administration. To me this could be standard reading material for all students of history and govenment. Also, Ambrose is experienced enough in his own writing ability that it is a pleasure for the reader to endure. I found myself not being able to put it down. Thanks again Stephen.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Mosso

Posted December 18, 2011

Great reading!

Learned so much. Never new the whole story. Made me want to be a 19th century explorer. Looking forward to other Ambrose reads.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Anonymous

Posted October 12, 2011

Great history of the time period.

A story of true adventure in the early days of the United States. Didn't think I'd enjoy this as I'm not a camping kind of outdoors person. It is an interesting read with a surprising ending. Glad I read it through to the end.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Jason_A_Greer

Posted April 2, 2011

more from this reviewer

a well told narrative of the great American adventure

Perhaps no other journey, save the landings on the moon, has fired the American imagination like the expedition of Lewis and Clark to the Pacific Ocean and back. It is the story of the opening of the American West, of an incredible tale of leadership and personal hardship, and it offers a first glimpse into an unknown native world that no longer exists. Undaunted Courage is Ambrose's attempt at placing the Lewis and Clark expedition within the context of the early years of the American republic, especially from the perspective of Captain Meriwether Lewis.

Ambrose, who was a historian in New Orleans, had a great ability to focus on larger events, from the perspective of leaders, and especially leaders who had a hands-on experience with great events. His works in the later part of his career, like the famed Band of Brothers, focused on small military units, which faced unique circumstances, and exhibited great bravery through trying times. In a sense, the Lewis and Clark expedition was the first Band of Brothers: two officers and roughly thirty enlisted men, trekking over unknown territory, and out of touch with their command and the rest of civilization for over two years.

This book is written partly as a biography of Captain Lewis, who was also the equivalent of today's White House Chief of Staff in the Jefferson administration. Ambrose presents Lewis as a trusted man, given to wandering, beset by personal demons and depression, driven to success, but often forgetful in critical moments of his task. Most of all, he wants the reader to understand that the expedition would have failed, as many other shorter ones did in this time period, were it not for the excellent junior officer leadership, and the real espirit de corps that the enlisted men developed; as their very survival depended on the type of teamwork they created.

Ambrose loved this subject, probably as much as any other in his career. He spent a significant amount of personal time camping and traveling the route that Lewis & Clark took, for decades before this book came to print. His first hand knowledge of the difficult terrain traveled adds a sense of realism. This is more than a memoir of Lewis. It is a travel and nature description, particularly of the mountain and Pacific Northwest. The writing style reads aloud well, almost as if Ambrose would like the reader to take the book and read portions at a campfire, as he often read portions of the Lewis & Clark journal over campfires to his students.

There are good maps, which make following the journey easier, but there are not many pictures. This is more than just a retelling of the Lewis & Clark journals, as it relies extensively on secondary sources, and his own personal historical judgments of the group's decision making processes. There are times when the writing could be tighter, when it would be better if Ambrose would not linger so long over a particular time period, as the group encountered an Indian tribe, or regarding the preparation for the expedition. Perhaps because Ambrose really loved this subject so much, that he does tend to gush over his subject, but that is a minor quibble. What the reader should find is a great tale of adventure, and a leadership study of two officers who complimented each other as well as any could.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
deadhead81

Posted September 14, 2010

One of the best books I have read in a long time

My grandparents had this book for quite a while and they said it was one of the best books either of them had ever read. I was interested but I never had the opportunity to read it, that was till I had the chance to read it. It was amazing; at least that's what I thought. The book covers everything, from Lewis's time in the army fighting the Indians, to the start of the expedition, going over the divide, drown the Columbia, and then something unexpected, he also told the story of the expedition going back, and this story I had never here. None of this I will reveal, and I think it was the best part because it was all new to me. This book really shows the struggles on more of a human level, but it's still keeps the epic journey feel to it. Another cool thing was that it contained journal entrees by Lewis and Clark, which was very unique and I have never seen that before. At really nice to see what the actual explorers were thinking on this expedition. But my favorite thing was its completeness, out of all the books I have read or movies/shows I have seen, never have I found one as complete as this one. Everything is covered from beginning to end. It describes the forts the man set up, the lands, the peoples, the animals, the explorers, and so on and so forth. One of the most interesting things it discussed was Lewis's writings on Indian tribes. The author devoted whole chapters about the major tribes and discussed the tribes hunting patterns, traditions, and homelands. The author also discussed the history of the tribe and what happened to the tribe in the coming years, which was incredibly interesting for me. All in all this was truly one of the best books I have ever read and I wish to read some of the authors other books, I highly recommend this book to all.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
db-reader

Posted May 8, 2010

If only history was this interesting in grade school...

I bought this book to learn more about the Lewis and Clark Trails as I live in Yankton, SD on the Missouri River. Great information on the various President's and the development of the various territories/states and how the land was purchased. I may have learned all of this in grade school but it didn't stick. Reading this book has made it stick.

I found it informative, insightful, factual and just good reading. This is a book to read again a few years down the road.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
AJ_Wheat

Posted March 12, 2010

Forerunners of Our Future, and the Adventure of Their Century

It's so interesting that Thomas Jefferson, the champion of small government would be able to see the future so clearly in purchasing Louisiana from Napoleon and the French. But he saw it clearly and acted in a very federal government leveraging way to gain the land west of the Mississippi. It was also so interesting that this renaissance-man president would take such a personal interested and assume responsibility for not only selecting Meriwether Lewis, but also in conducting so much of his training. Can you imagine any modern president not delegating such a task? This is a book that paints the picture, not only of western scenes, Indians and amazing animals not seen before by most Americans; it paints lucid portraits of the main players in the Lewis and Clarke expedition. Stephen Ambrose tells the tale in such a way as to build suspense. And yet it's not just an action book - but one that ponders the meaning of people's lives and the events. All the while, we feel the sense of their awareness that they were making history and literally opening up the future of our nation. I prefer the unabridged version so as not to miss any details. I highly recommend this book. History does not always come packaged in such high adventure!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Anonymous

Posted September 23, 2008

Historical but not too dry

Lets face it- nonfiction is frequently not exciting, but this book was pretty good. I enjoyed his syntax and diction, and the way he quoted Lewis and Clark- that was a nice refreshment, to see what they really thought.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Anonymous

Posted February 14, 2008

An excellent history

Undaunted Courage is an excellent history of the travels of the Lewis and Clark party. Beginning with the debates in Washington regarding the merits of such an expedition, followed by the supply chain trials and tribulations that Lewis faced pre-expedition, the book delves into the minutiae that such an expedition faced. As such, it tends to drag at the beginning. However, as the reader fights through the first few chapters, a sense of anticipation begins to develop. At times the reader may feel some of the same anticipation that Lewis and Clark felt in the months leading up to their voyage. From the embarkation point on, the reader is told the history of the voyage literally through the words of Lewis and Clark themselves. A wonderful read and it should be REQUIRED learning for anyone living in the northern United States West of the Mississippi. The book gives a great description of America before the first settlers.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Anonymous

Posted September 16, 2007

A great rendition of the Lewis and Clark saga!

The author tells the complete story, by including background information, beginning early in the lives of the two leaders of the expedition. He also gives readers much insight into how and why Thomas Jefferson had such a passion for the project. Steven Ambrose presents the raw facts of the expetition, while crafting a very compelling story! You will read it again.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Anonymous

Posted January 21, 2007

A REAL page turner.

This non fiction book was great to read. It opened my eyes to the trials and tribulations of Lewis. It was really hard to get into, but once I did, it was great. I would have liked more information on Clark, but that is okay. It was good to hear things about Jefferson, too. You could tell that Ambrose had real passion for this subject. Sometimes he would wander and ramble, but other than that it was good. If you are interested in history, I highly recommend this book.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Anonymous

Posted January 10, 2007

Merry weather, Lewis

This book was a fantastic look on the story of the Lewis and Clark expedition. The author's words in the book were greatly involved, and the book also provided excellent background on the life of Captain Lewis, as well as Clark and Thomas Jefferson, to name a few. Although the book is quite a bit slow in the beginning, even somewhat boring in my opinion, the book is overall worth to read.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Anonymous

Posted December 6, 2006

I'm sorry, but I do NOT like this book at all!

This book did not hold my atttention very well. Mr. Ambrose would start to ramble about things while writing. He would go on for pages about something that did not concern much- such as how the corps loved to eat dog, and the Indians had dogs, so one guy bought a little dog and ate it and this other guy bought a big dog and ate it, and then they both decided to get dog the next day too, and then they wanted to get some the next day, so they did and they ate it, and then these other indians had some dogs too, and so they decided to go get that dog too so that they could each eat ten dogs! Much like that. However, people who seem to like books that are very factual would probably love this book. I also congratulate this author on picking a remarkable story, although I don't much have interest in it anymore because of Undaunted Courage.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Anonymous

Posted June 5, 2006

Great Historical Book

This book tells the story mainly that of Meriwether Lewis, his boyhood, teenage years, all the way up to President Jefferson asking him to seach the Louisana Purchase. The author does a wonderful job translating and understanding the notes from Lewis's journey with William Clark into an intersting story of survival from Native Americans, Rivers, Disease, and natural disasters. It ends with talking about Lewis's demise upon return to St. Louis. Great Read for anyone enjoying history
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Anonymous

Posted April 28, 2006

Entranced by the passion and the mission

I wasn't sure what to expect as I'm only a budding history buff. However, once I picked up the book, I couldn't put it down. What made this book great was that it was mostly fact and not opinion. American history is such a great subject and it's a shame more people aren't interested in it. If someone is looking for an inspiring look into our history, they should start with this book.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Anonymous

Posted May 10, 2005

Good biography, but tears poor Meriwether to shreds in the end

Ambrose wrote a pretty good biography on Lewis. But, in the last chapter, he doesn't mention the BIG possibility that Lewis was murdered. They claim that Lewis shot himself with his pistols, but Lewis's Cheney and Cheney pistols were 65 calibers. If he had shot himself in the gead and chest with guns that powerful, he wouldn't have lived for 3 hours, he would have died instantly. Also, Ambrose makes Lewis look like a fool. And he claims that Lewis was an alcoholic, when there's no evidence of that.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Anonymous

Posted November 22, 2004

We Have Lost a Great American

Stephen E. Ambrose will probably go down as one of the greatest American historical writers. His books are well-reseached and compelling. This is a good book for anyone who wonders about the great west before Manifest Destiny.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Anonymous

Posted July 11, 2004

Indepth,informative and eye opening

As a teacher of High School History. This is a well written book the as excellent fuliity for the average reader This topic is mentioned but rarely entered indepth. It gives the reader an excellent opertunity to understand the effect of the Lousianna Purchase, The scope and breath of the misson of The Corp of Discovery. The role and work of Lewis and Clark and the contribution they and the members of their party made in making America the great naton that it is today. It also gives the reader and student of history an understanding of our early relations with the Native Americans.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Anonymous

Posted June 12, 2004

A Good Rainy Day Read

This is a good, reader friendly account of one of the most interesting times in American history.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble

Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson and the Opening of the American West

Pick Up in Store

Available on NOOK devices and apps

All Available Formats + Editions

Customers Who Bought This Also Bought

More About This Book

Overview

Related Subjects

Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble

Publishers Weekly

Library Journal

School Library Journal

Product Details

Meet the Author

Stephen E. Ambrose

Biography

Good To Know

Read an Excerpt

Table of Contents

First Chapter

Introduction

Interviews & Essays

Reading Group Guide

Customer Reviews

Rating Distribution

5 Star

4 Star

3 Star

2 Star

1 Star

Your Rating:

Your Recommendations:

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

What to exclude from your review:

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

Reminder:

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

The way west.

Lewis and Clark Expedition Revealed

Great reading!

Great history of the time period.

a well told narrative of the great American adventure

One of the best books I have read in a long time

If only history was this interesting in grade school...

Forerunners of Our Future, and the Adventure of Their Century

Historical but not too dry

An excellent history

A great rendition of the Lewis and Clark saga!

A REAL page turner.

Merry weather, Lewis

I'm sorry, but I do NOT like this book at all!

Great Historical Book

Entranced by the passion and the mission

Good biography, but tears poor Meriwether to shreds in the end

We Have Lost a Great American

Indepth,informative and eye opening

A Good Rainy Day Read