Customer Reviews
Courage to love a history book!
I've had several inspired teachers of history in my life, but I've very seldom caught the spark of a retelling of history. This book is one of the shining exceptions of my experience. I'm the grandson of immigrants who pushed into parts of the Upper Midwest and Far West in the 1800's, and I'm also the grandson of Lakota Sioux of the upper Midwest. In reading this adventure, I feel and imagine the experience of both of my families as they met, sometimes with courage, sometimes with trepidation. The arc of the story encompasses so much of what I admire about Americans (courage, determination, even blind faith in an endeavour), and it hints at the conflict and tragedy to come to native Americans in the wake of the country's expansion and development. The method of Mr. Abrose's telling of the story is as close to perfect to me as a story can be told. The character development of Clark and especially Lewis (and his relationship to Jefferson) provides an excellent foundation of understanding of the world-view and aspirations of the Captains setting out from the political and developed East into the unchartered West. Appropriate consideration is also given to native Americans and the nations to which they belonged -- they were often the true saviors of the expedition, without whom the expedition would have certainly disappeared, swallowed into the mountains of the West. The story within of Sacagawea represents the courage and good fortune of the expedition. Her experience connects literally and figuratively the westward intrusion of the expedition into the worlds of the people already there.
As soon as I finished the book, I imagined my sons and I taking a summer to follow part of the path of the expedition through Montana and the Dakotas. It's something to plan for for couple of years, as the Captains did.
Undaunted perfection
I cannot in any way imagine that this story will ever be told better than version. Besides Ambrose's usual two pillars of strength (knowledge and storytelling), I think this might be his best work because it also encompases his pure excitement and love of the America dream and the western myth. He so powerfully pulls together the adventures of the Corps with the building of a nation over the next 100 years.
A Fascinating, Very Readable History
Anyone who wishes to read a comprehensive, yet entertaining account of the Lewis and Clark Expedition owes it to themselves to read Undaunted Courage. Starting with the historical background, and early life of M. Lewis, the story of the expedition's journey across a continent is told in such a readable style that one is almost sorry when it's over, and they've returned to St. Louis. Ambrose makes extensive use of their journals, and adds his own views on why certain decisions were made, both wisely and not, over others. While pointing to the obviously gifted leadership of "the captains", he is not oblivious to their faults. Likewise in his descriptions of the various Indian tribes: both noble and unadmirable practices are related. The overall result of the author's approach is to tell a tale of courage and discovery, without any undo sentamentalism. There are, to be sure, many moving descriptions of events, e.g., the suicide of Lewis, who probable suffered from bi-polar (manic-depressive) illness, years after the expedition itself. And his descriptions of the various settings, with which he is eminently familiar, make it easy to understand why buffs today retrace long segments of the Corps of Discovery's routes. All in all, a great work of history. Highly recommended!
