Product Description
This is the story of a two-year journey in the time of President Thomas Jefferson along the Missouri and Columbia rivers, and over the Rocky Mountains, in search of a navigable waterway to the Pacific Ocean. This selection of journal entries provides insight into the personalities and aspirations of the explorers and their small group of men, as well as their encounters with Native Americans. ... Read more

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From the inimitable Campbell McGrath comes an epic poem of george shannon, the youngest member of the lewis and clark expedition, who wandered the prairie alone for sixteen days.

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent: one of McGrath's best
Campbell McGrath is one of my favorite poets and I have read all of his published works.This is one of his very best.I was intrigued to learn of his subject matter for this book because McGrath is most associated with commentary on contemporary culture.But then it became obvious - he is using both contemporary and historical settings to examine the uniquely American spirit which fascinates him.

The poem is completely engrossing, largely due to the engaging 'voice' of Shannon the narrator.McGrath has given him a personality which reflects his intelligence and his concern for his role in family, religion, the Lewis and Clark expedition, the countryside he traverses, and the society in which he lived.It is very convincing and makes the poem extremely enjoyable to read, leaving a lasting impression of Shannon and the world in which he lived.

Very highly recommended!

AN AFFECTING NARRATIVE POEM
Surely there have been countless words written about the Lewis and Clark Expedition, but for this reader none could beas trenchant and affecting as this narrative poem by Campbell McGrath.Rather than painting a large picture of the ExpeditionMcGrath has chosen to focus on one incident in the life of one soldier, which make the author's words all the more compelling. The soldier is Private George Shannon, the youngest member of the group.

The author introduces his poem with two journal entries by William Clark dated August 26 and 27, 1804.In the firsthe notes that Shannon and another soldier (Drouillard) have been left behind to find horses that were lost during the night and then they were tofollow the other soldiers.The second entry reveals Drouillard reported the next morning that he could not find Shannon or the horses.

Thus begins Shannon's lonely 16 day odyssey through the prairie as he searches for his fellow soldiers and battles starvation.His ammunition and provisions had run out.There was meat aplenty but he had nothing with which to kill it.As it happened, Shannon believed he was following his comrades but he was actually ahead of them, and they were eventually reunited.

What we now have are Shannon's imagined thoughts during his unimaginable journey.Obviously, he is not part of any official record as he was missing for some length of time but McGrath proves a powerful voice for the young American who sees our country's early frontier as it once was and entertains thoughts of God, his personal place in the universe, his family, and the girl he left behind.

Shannon is a remarkably insightful work of great beauty.

Highly recommended.

- Gail Cooke
... Read more

Product Description
This book demonstrates how a series of unrelated events converged to make the Lewis and Clark expedition--and America's dream of westward expansion--a reality. Maps guide the reader to the routes taken by Lewis and Clark, and a detailed timeline gives readers an easy-to-use resource for looking up important dates and events. Biographical sketches of major figures conclude the work, and an extensive bibliography and thorough index make this an ideal first stop for anybody interested in finding out more about this truly remarkable epoch. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Lewis and Clark Expeditionby Harry W. Fritz
A to the point presentation about the Lewis and Clark Expedition.Strong points include the chronology of the expedition and the events surrounding it in the front of the book, showing the important documents, and the glossary in the back.Places the expedition in context of World/European events of the time.It hits all of the principle events of the expedition without getting swamped in detail. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Wow!
We traveled the Lewis and Clark trail in July, so we did a lot of reading about the expedition and its members.This is an awesome book on York.There is not that much historical information on York, but Laurence Pringle did a great job explaining what we knew and what we could infer.

The illustrations of tall, strong, handsome York are absolutely excellent -- as a hunter, as a boatman, as a member of the expedition, York was held in high regard by everyone.

This is a great book.Get it if you are interested in the expedition, and especially if you are raising adventuresome little boys like mine. ... Read more

Product Description
The “Corps of Discovery” went places no white men had ever been, encountered countless Indian tribes that Easterners had only heard rumors about, and “discovered” plants and animals never before dreamed of by Americans or Europeans.

It was a military expedition, with much of the usual military protocol and discipline.But it was also very unusual for a military expedition – there were two commanders instead of one. And they were accompanied by many civilians along the way – including one slave, various Frenchmen, occasional Indian scouts, and an Indian woman and her newborn son.

This short book brings you some of the people and stories of this amazing trip. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A must read for youth (or parents!)
This book is very well written, interesting, informative, and easy to read.I read it to my boys, though my oldest enjoyed it the most (8).Each night gave us much to talk about, especially bravery and being explorers into a part of the country they have seen only on vacations.It challenged my kids to consider living for a worthy cause greater than themselves even at the risk of personal cost.Oh for a generation to lay hold of that vision. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Previous Review Is Incorrect
During the period covered by this volume, Lewis and Clark were beyond the portage around Great Falls. During the time described in the subtitle to this volume, July 28 - November 1, 1805, L&C were leaving Three Forks,crossing the continental divide, and meeting the Shoshone Indians, withwhom they traded for horses with which to cross the Bitteroot Mountains.The portage around Great Falls is described in Volume 4 of Moulton'sedition of the journals.

A "MUST" read!
This volume details the thoughts of Lewis and Clark, and others as they determine which major waterway to follow to the Great Falls of the Missouri, their first significant obstacle. The portage around the greatfalls is more than they imagined, and is explained in great detail. Itexplores the many new discoveries in the interior of what is now centraland western Montana. This volume also further expounds the growing problemswith the unpredictable 'white bear', and the harshness of spring and summerweather in Montana. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Another chapter in the fascinating Lewis & Clark story.
This is a seemingly well-researched biography of one member of the famous expedition who didn't have any stories of his own to tell about it, since he was only 18 months old when his parents parted from Lewis and Clark. Certainly many have asked, "Whatever happened to "Pomp"? He seems to have been a loner; his parents allowed Captain Clark to become his mentor in St. Louis, where he was educated with other half-Indian boys. During his entire life he saw little of Sacagawea (who died when he was 8) or Toussaint Charbonneau, his father, who was a guide and trapper. In his travels, Jean Baptiste crossed paths with many of the famous explorers and shapers of the American West. I'm no longer a "young adult," but found the book very interesting.

A very factual and realistic story about overcoming adversit
A wonderful history lesson for young adults. This factual chronicle of the life of Sacajawea's son, Charbonneau, will dispel the myth that Clark (of Lewis & Clark) made good on his promise to his Indian guide, Sacajawea. He did provide an education and board and room, but little else. In spite of the prejudice this boy faced, he was able to succeed in life. The book is well-written, factual, and written without predjudice. I would recommend this for required reading in junior high school. ... Read more

Product Description
Most Americans know that Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led our nation’s first trans-continental exploratory expedition, which was sent west by President Thomas Jefferson in 1803. Their journey is one of the most celebrated events in American history and one of the most written about. But most of us do not know any more than what the explorers told us, or what they wanted readers of their voluminous journals to know, or anything other than what they understood about themselves and their wilderness experiences.

Exploring Lewis and Clark probes beneath the traditional narrative of the journey, looking beyond the perspectives of the explorers themselves to those of the woman and the men who accompanied them, as well as of the Indians who met them along the way.

It reexamines the journals and what they suggest about Lewis’s and Clark’s misinterpretations of the worlds they passed through and the people in them. Thomas Slaughter portrays Lewis and Clark not as heroes but as men—brave, bound by cultural prejudices and blindly hell-bent on achieving their goal.

He searches for the woman Sacajawea rather than the icon that she has become. He seeks the historical rather than the legendary York, Clark’s slave. He discovers what the various tribes made of the expedition, including the notion that this multiracial, multiethnic group was embarked on a search for spiritual meaning.

Thomas Slaughter shines an entirely new light on an event basic to our understanding of ourselves. He has given us an important work of investigative history.Amazon.com Review
The story of the Lewis and Clark expedition is one of America's most enduring myths. Of the hundreds of books that have been written on the subject, many perpetuate the heroism of the Corps of Discovery above all else, often at the expense of accuracy. Thomas Slaughter takes a different approach in this fascinating book, choosing to "look beneath the explorers' narrative for different meanings than those they intended us to find," reminding readers in the process that the journals have generally, and mistakenly, been "read as fonts of fact rather than as honed reflections designed for effect." Undoubtedly, some will label this revisionism, but Slaughter sees it as an opportunity to discover what the explorers' true thoughts and experiences were. He explains: "My observations are intended as correctives to our readings, usages, and understanding of the journals, not as a knock on the journalists or what they wrote. All texts are vulnerable to close readings, but explorers' journals are interestingly, revealingly, and essentially so."

Not surprisingly, the myths scarcely hold up to such scrutiny. For instance, Lewis and Clark were not the first white men to travel overland to the Pacific coast, but they often tried to ignore this unpleasant fact by renaming places or landmarks along the way. The importance of "opening the West" is also called into question: "westward movement would have continued without a moment's hesitation had all the expedition members died on the trail," Slaughter writes. He also looks at the lives and roles of Sacajawea and York, Clark's slave, explaining how their status within the group has been exaggerated as a way to make the expedition seem more democratic than it truly was. Slaughter even surmises that the notorious gaps in Lewis's journal and his reluctance to publish it upon their return may have been because Lewis saw the journey as a failure, and therefore felt there was nothing significant to document for posterity.

This book is no exercise in political correctness; rather, Slaughter digs deeply into the available evidence to offer a different perspective on the journey that helped define America, proving that yet another book on Lewis and Clark is not only welcome, but necessary. --Shawn Carkonen ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Jealous Cry Baby
Author is a jealous cry baby.I guess he upset that L&C went on one of the last great adventures and he didn't get to go along.Don't waste your money.You will soon find this book in the "8 for a dollar" bin at your local book exchange.I think I might send this one back to the author, I sure don't have any extra room on my shelves for garbage like this.

Creative pseudo-history
Slaughter's book is, by far, one of the least enjoyable and befuddling 'history' books that I have ever read.The book is not a historical hack-job, for Slaughter knows his subject and has created a well-documented and researched work.The problem, though, is his flagrant revisionist bias, barely concealed throughout the book both in tone and content.I would strongly recommend more straightforward history tomes rather than this speculative retelling that places Slaughter in the shoes of Lewis & Clark... as though he knew their very thoughts.In fact, only Lews & Clark were themselves, and knew their thoughts.

Deconstructing Lewis And Clark
If you think Lewis and Clark would have been better off on a voyage of discovery via peyote buttons, to their inner selves in the Mandan spirit world, rather than heading for the Pacific Ocean, this is the book for you.

If you think they were just racist, sexist, homophobic, Christian, Euro-centric males out to take credit for the discoveries of the minority groups they were exploiting, you've hit the mother lode here.

If you are searching for an example of the sorry state of American history as it is presented in academia (the author is a professor at Notre Dame), you need look no further.

Some might call it an embarassing attempt to cash it on the popularity of Ambrose's UNDAUNTED COURAGE.Others might call it a pathetic attempt to exploit that book's popularity.I find both viewpoints to be useful -- EXPLORING LEWIS AND CLARK is embarassing AND pathetic.

How many trees were killed for this book?
This book is just bizzare.I hesitate to label it a revisionist history, because this book is far more radical than that.The book is a series of essays where Slaughter's re-interprets events to a point where they have no basis in historical fact or in scholarship and takes cheaps shots at those who disagree with him.For example, in Chapter 5, Slaughter discusses the fate of Sacagawea, specifically whether she died in 1812 or lived until 1884.Slaughter believes that she lived until 1884, while most scholars believe that she died in 1812.God forbid if you are a historian that doesn't agree with Slaughter, because he appears to be incapable of making a reasoned academic argument and frequently resorts to invective and name calling.He refers to historians as "reliable" white men (his quotes, not mine)andimplies that "cultural cleaning" was responsible for the creation of the 1812 death story.He takes several cheap shots at Gary Moulton (a well-respected Lewis and Clasrk historian), accusing him of making "a bold mistatment of fact" and attempting "to shut down the debate" on the subject.What exactly did Moulton do to receive this abuse?He wrote an essay expressing his opinion on the issue.I am not kidding!By the way, since Moulton spent the last 20 years of his life editing the definitive edition of the complete Lewis and Clark journals, I think he deserves to be treated better than this.I could go on and on, but why bother.I spent $24 for this nonsense.I would have been just as well off flushing my money down the drain.

A Fictitious Lewis & Clark
Anyone expecting to learn about Lewis and Clark from Professor Slaughter's book will be sorely disappointed.This tome on the supposed "sins" committed by the leaders of the Corps of Discovery has more in common with a fictional account of the 28-month expedition than that which actually occurred.The following episode will serve to illustrate the level of distortion and disingenuous and unsupported interpretation of the original journals to which the author sinks.

In Chapter 1 titled, Dreams, Professor Slaughter describes a hiking side trip to a location called Spirit Hill, a site that the local Indians believe is the "residence of Deavels".The entries in the Clark's journal on August 24th and 25th, 1804 also describe this hike.According to Professor Slaughter "...there is also a certain whistling-in-the dark quality to the entries, suggesting that the journal writers boyishly tried to hide how spooked they could sometime be in a place feared only by "savages"...as Clark explained, the force of the prairie wind was enough to make the hill; there was no cause to jump to superstitious conclusions based on this thoroughly explicable outcropping.We might suspect Lewis's voice in the explanation.We should also suspect that the confidence came only in retrospect, after they left this eerie place." Then following a direct quotation of a portion of the actual Journal on August 25th, we find the following from Professor Slaughter, "As they climbed, Lewis's dog "gave out" and returned to camp.A small detail, but worth reporting for some reason.Perhaps it was an omen; animals often sense trouble before humans can see it.In the context of Clarks's feelings during the ascent this detail took on meaning that it otherwise would have lacked."

What is described in the journals is a far cry from the description and interpretation of the author.The August 24th Journal entry is a totally factual, no non-sense description of the Indians feelings about the "mound" on the prairie.There is no sense of foreboding, no sense of the superstition on the explorers part, just a straightforward enumeration of the fact that the local tribes, "Maha, Soues, Ottoes and other neighboring nations believe this fable, that no consideration is Sufficient to induce them to approach the hill." (The last quote from the Journal.)More than likely the entry in the journal was made after the return to the river since the journey was over night but on the other hand there is no evidence that it wasn't made in "real time".There is absolutely no reading of the journal, not a solitary word that can support the use of the word "eerie" or that they were "whistling-in-the dark", a concern that the superstitions held by the Indians would turn out to be real demons and devils.

The description of why Lewis's dog "gave out" on the hike to Spirit Hill is totally absent and his ruminations on the reasons would appear to be completely fabricated.Clarks's August 25th entry in its entirety regarding Lewis's dog reads, "...at 4 miles we Crossed the Creek 23 yard wide in an extensive Valley and Continued on at two miles further our dog was so Heeted and fatigued we was obliged (to) Send him back to the Creek, at 12 o'Clock we arrived at the Hill Capt. Lewis much fatigued from heat the day it being verry hot & he being in a debilitated State...Several of the men complaining of Great thirst, determined us to make for the first water...". No special omen, no special animal intuition that trouble was just over the next hill or around the next bend.Clearly it was a very hot day and all, humans and animals, were suffering.The dog, a large Newfoundland named Seman,had the good fortune to be sent back while the humans struggled forward to accomplish their mission.

Near the end of the book, the author disparages their map making and navigation despite the fact that modern geographers denote that after a journey of 4140 miles, Clark's estimates using dead reckoning and the navigation tools of the day had errors that totaled to less than 40 miles.They had in fact filled in the great gap in the pre 1806 maps of North America. And finally in his summary, Slaughter argues that Lewis failed Jefferson, his country, and himself.One only has to read Jefferson's instructions to Lewis and then to render this argument utterly false and nothing the author presents in 231 pages supports his conclusion.

One could go on for 231 pages pointing out the silly errors and 21st Century judgments on 18th Century explorers but it would ruin a good day.Some books on the Lewis & Clark journey have amounted to some level of heroic cheerleading but this book goes off the cliff in the opposite direction.It adds nothing to the history of the era, the men, and several women, involved in the enterprise.If you feel compelled to purchase and read this book, do yourself a favor, first read Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose.Then obtain a copy of the Journals of the Corps of Discovery so you can "deconstruct" the ramblings of Professor Slaughter.If you are a Lewis & Clark scholar, go to the library and pursue this book before you buy.Most likely you will reach the conclusion that investing in some other volume will be a better and more fulfilling course of action. ... Read more

Product Description
In preparation for the celebration of the Bicentennial of the historic Lewis and Clark Expedition, Digital Scanning, Inc. (DSI) announces the release of their digital reprint edition of the 16 volumes of the 1903-04 Original Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition from the first edition of the journals printed eight years after their journey. It has been described as the most accurate, most elaborate work on the expedition. Edited and including an introduction and index by Reuben Gold Thwaites, this set is considered a valuable resource for historian, students and history buffs. This set includes 7 two-part volumes and the Atlas. Illustrated throughout by Karl Bodmer. A great gift for anyone's bookshelf. This is a jacketed set. The set also includes a digitized version of the Atlas delivered on CD-ROM. A great gift for anyone's bookshelf. This is also available in Tradepaper ISBN 1582186510 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Genuine Article
This well-designed set is for scholars and serious enthusiasts of Lewis and Clark.The 8-volume paperback set comes boxed and includes a CD-ROM of Volume VIII, the original atlas created on the expedition.Published in 1904, nearly 100 years after the expedition, the set represents Reuben Gold Thwaites efforts to bring together for the first time all relevant material pertaining to the expedition.Volumes I - V contain the journals of Lewis and Clark taken from original manuscript from 1804 - 1806, and this volume also contains an informative introduction, including a fascinating history of the journals and the origins of the expedition.Volume VI contains the scientific and cultural observations and measurements of the expedition.Volume VII contains the original journals of Charles Floyd and Joseph Whitehouse, as well as hundreds of pages of compelling coorespondence relevant to the expedition, many in the form of letters and directives from Thomas Jefferson.Volume VIII contains reproductions of the original maps drawn and charted by Lewis and Clark, and is backed up by the CD-ROM.For anyone looking for a comprehensive, first-hand, accurate account of the expedition, this set is a must.But the reader must keep in mind that first and foremost, the Lewis and Clark expedition was a military/scientific venture, and the writing style of the journals reflects this.Most entries by Clark are short and to the point and many contain detailed measurements of daily surveys and calculations.Lewis was a fine writer, and his entries are more poetic, personal and descriptive, especially of the landscape, flora and fauna and Native American cultures.Lewis backs up his entries with nice sketches and drawings.Overall, the journals are more scientific record then they are personal reflective diaries of the men.The journals are rich with information on zoology, astronomy, geology, botany, ethnography etc, but offer little into the deeper psyches and characters of the two leaders, knowing perhaps that ultimately the journals were government property and would widely be scrutinized.So for anyone interested in the expedition itself or the history of the American West in general, this set will serve them well and provide months of engaged reading.For those looking for a shorter, more personal survey of the expedition and it's heros, I suggest the highly readable "Undaunted Courage" by Ambrose or "The Way to the Western Sea" by Lavender.

Valuable Edition for Lewis and Clark Fans
I am a Lewis and Clark Expedition scholar and highly recommend the Digital Scanning, Inc (DSI) version of the Reuben Gold Thwaites version of the journals. I purchased most of this set and am well pleased.

I also own the entire set of Gary Moulton's editions (except for the Atlas), and I own many other abridged versions of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Each version has its merits.

I read the Thwaites version of the journals via interlibrary loan many years ago. The books were, of course, very old and the atlas was exceedingly brittle. I wanted to own a copy for scholarly purposes, but could not afford the Real McCoy (those originally published in 1903-1904). As an alternate, I ordered a copy of Thwaites journals by DSI and am glad that I did. If you want an affordable copy of the Thwaites journals, I recommend these by DSI. You can actually get someone from the company in person or via e-mail if you have questions about the product. ... Read more

Product Description
Voyages of Discovery includes seminal primary sourcedocuments and essays that illuminate the origins, voyage, andaftermath of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. Featuring severalpreviously unpublished pieces, including a substantive introduction,photo essay, and afterward by James P. Ronda, Voyages of Discoveryconveniently gathers the best essays on the Corps of Discovery underone cover. Articles by John Allen, Bernard DeVoto, Donald Jackson,Gary Moulton, James Ronda, and others address a wide variety of topicsfrom the reasons for the Expedition, geographic knowledge before Lewis& Clark, and expedition science, to Lewis & Clark's reception upontheir return. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Ultimate for History buffs
While many history books will put you to sleep with myriad facts and dates, Across America will be one book you'll have a hard time putting down. You'll get to experience the triumphs and tragedies that were the day to day events of these unbelievably brave explorers. These were men of such determination and fortitude as we can only hope to imitate. This book gives one a clear understanding of the many native cultures that existed on this continent and why it was impossible for their culture and that of the new immigrants to coexist. You'll find yourself anxiously awaiting the outcome of each new adventure and marveling at its conclusion. This should be in every classroom of every high school in the country. ... Read more

Product Description
A flavorful account to commemorate its bicentennial

In 1803 a young farmer named Reubin Field enlisted for a journey of enormous import. Commissioned by President Jefferson and headed by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, a "Corps of Discovery" was to make its way through dangerous terrain and harsh conditions to blaze a trail to the Pacific Ocean. Focusing on a lesser-known figure from the Corps, Judith Edwards has imagined what Reubin’s voice might have been like, and how he might have told his version of the long journey.

The folksy narrative provides an accessible and entertaining overview of the expedition, and Sally Wern Comport’s majestic pictures honor this grand moment in the story of America.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A first-person, folksy narrative brings history live
In 1803 a young farmer Reubin Field enlisted for a journey headed by Lewis and Clark. Edwards focuses on his experiences, imagining what his voice might have been like and what his experiences would've been on the 2-year plus journey. The result is Judith Edwards' Great Exploration of Lewis & Clark, a first-person, folksy narrative brings history live with facts blended with rich observational insights. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Your credits for editorship and contribution are in error
To cite Meriwether Lewis as Editor of this and other volumes of this University of Nebraska Press edition, edited by Moulton, is an injustice to Moulton. Lewis' efforts never got beyond a pros- pectus.Further, to listClark as merely a con- tributor, is unforgiveable. ... Read more

Product Description
Follows the Lewis and Clark Expedition as it explores the sparsely populated territory between the Mississippi River and the Pacific Ocean. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A sound description of a voyage of discovery that should be studied by all American children
While a United States that stretched from the Atlantic to the Mississippi river would have been a powerful nation, it was the Louisiana Purchase that virtually guaranteed that it would be a great power. When President Thomas Jefferson bent his interpretation of the constitution to purchase the land, it doubled the size of the nation and added vast potential resources of minerals, metals and farmland. It also made it highly likely that a Civil war would be fought over slavery, as it was the extension of slavery into the lands west of the Mississippi that led to the irreconcilable differences.
Therefore, it is ironic that a black man was one of the members of the Lewis and Clark expedition, a fact that is mentioned in this book. Stein is to be commended for noting this, as it was not commonly noted in the earlier history books. For example, I studied the Lewis and Clark expedition in school and I never knew that York, a black man, was a member of the expedition.
The consequences of the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark expedition to the infant United States are incalculable and they are events that should be studied in detail by elementary school students. This book is an excellent description of one of the greatest voyages of discovery ever attempted and it is astounding that only one member of the group perished en route. The death of the wildlife and natives was to come later.
... Read more

Product Description
Oddities, Delights, and even Dark Corners of one ofAmerica's most famous frontiersman are explored in this newly releasedbook.The Character of Meriwether Lewis: Completely Metamorphosed inthe American West, the first book in a series is Clay Jenkinson'sscholarly view on an American hero's complex character.He examinesthe nature of Meriwether Lewis starting with his boyhood and continuesthrough the dark despair of alcoholism, depression and finally hissuicide.

Not just a dry historical account of Meriwether Lewis' life but aninsight into a complex man with many quirks.The hilarity of Lewis'obsession with clothes and food together with the sadness of hisdepression are sure to stir your emotions.Clay gives readers newlenses into the character of Meriwether Lewis. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

It fails to convince
"Why did Meriwether Lewis commit suicide?"So begins the final chapter of this humanities essay by historical interpreter Clay Jenkinson.Consider carefully the preceding sentence before embarking on Jenkinson's work.The reader is well advised to not confuse this with the work of an historian.Jenkinson invites the reader to "trust my presentation of the facts, embrace what makes sense of my analysis, and cheerfully discard that which fails to convince."Unfortunately, he confuses fact and opinion.He titles the final chapter, "Suicide," as if the manner of death were an historical fact, notwithstanding the earlier disclaimer that, "I will necessarily speculate a good deal in the course of this essay, particularly when I examine the sudden death of Meriwether Lewis."Jenkinson offers, in the end, a comprehensive reading list on Lewis, including the work of Vardis Fisher, Suicide or Murder? The Strange Death of Governor Meriwether Lewis, but one wonders whether he has actually read it.Certainly he did not take away the key point: suicide or murder is a question that has not and likely will never be answered.Suicide is perfectly valid opinion, but not a fact.

Jenkinson offers the reader a view of Meriwether Lewis through a fresh lens.Reading through the essay, one cannot help wondering whether the lens is not, in fact, simply a mirror.Indeed, the author finally admits as much in the final chapter."I have known melancholia.I have known writer's block.I have felt `that restlessness, that inquietude, that certain indescribable something common to old bachelors.' And I have tried from reading, meditating, re-enactment, and wilderness experience to learn something about the `dark despair that round him blew.'"That may be the essence of humanities essays, but it is not the stuff of historical work.

As for the title, the essay is not well named.In order to advance the thesis that a man "Completely Metamorphosed," an understanding of the preexisting character is necessary.Jenkinson makes no attempt to establish such a position.Ironically, the final chapter does come close to touching on the subject by its attention to the immediate aftermath of the expedition on Lewis' life.Here are a dozen or so pages worth reading and the first glimpse of creative thought on the part of the author.If the reader requires the previous 100 pages for perspective, perhaps the entire essay is worth a couple hours of his or her time.But, for the most part, Jenkinson simply rehashes the work of others, most notably Stephen Ambrose, and simply adds the actor's flair to liven up the prose.Undaunted Courage is a harder read, but it is the kind of work that truly informs as well as entertains.

Inside the Mind of Meriwether Lewis
As Jenkinson notes in his Acknowledgements, "This is a humanities essay, an expression of a perspective" learned over the course of his career thanks to the National Endowment for the Humanities. Jenkinson, who portrays Jefferson on NPR radio wonderfully in the first person, writes a detailed analysis onthe character of Lewis in this short but incitefully detailed book. This is not a full biography but a breakdown of the characteristics of Lewis that by the end of the book help the reader understand why Lewis deemed himself a failure to the point of committing suicide. Jenkinson covers Lewis' perception of his role in the expedition, his relationship with Clark, various Indian tribes, views on sex, relationships with women, his final role as governor of Louisianna and Lewis' perception of himself, quite often utilizing Lewis' own words. The posed picturer of Lewis on the cover of the book with an animal skin drapped more for show across his chest than for warmth seems to capture the sentiment of a highly intelligent aristocrat in the wilderness. In contrast to Clark who takes his role seriously yet within the general purpose of exploration, Lewis seems to look at the exploration constantly in reference to himself. In Jenkinson's book, Lewis seems to have a troubled temperment and a superior attitude toward the Indians and men in his company. He prefers the study of birds and animals to the Indian culture that he meets. He also seems concious of his need to be first as an explorer, sharing roles of leadership with Clark but not important points of discovery. Lewis undoubtedly contributed largely to the great success of the journey with his intellect and trained eye for biology but he also is tainted with melancholly. Jenkinson is very fair not to attribute today's typical pyschological diagnosis on Lewis as he states it is unfair to apply today's standards to times 200 years ago but he details a troubled mind that seems to come apart with alcohol, lack of a long term companionship, specifically women, and his non-military role as Governor of Louisianna. Combined with writer's block, his guarding of the Lewis and Clark written journey, his poor relations with civilians within and outside his administration, Jenkinson concludes that it all may have been too much for Lewis who was battling not only for reimbursements but his political life. Jekinson concludes that like Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the moon, Lewis didn't quite receive the recognition he felt due him and that he also reached his "zenith" too soon in life at age 32.

When you've been to the Missouri, what's left?
If all history books were like this, we would all be avid students of history.I found myself wishing that this book was 500 pages long, because it was so interesting and enjoyable to read.If you have any interest in American history I would highly recommend this book.If you have no interest in American history, I would still recommend it!

The suicide of Meriwether Lewis has always been one of the more tragic and interesting mysteries of American history.Clay Jenkinson, in this book on the character of Lewis, is witty, profound, insightful, and highly readable.We learn about Lewis' interest in food, his views on Indians and women, his longing for an important place in history, his drinking and most importantly, his view of himself. We see the Expedition through the unedited writings of Lewis himself and through Clay Jenkinson's perspective on what those writings reveal.

In the end, we must still speculate about what was in Lewis' heart and head on the night he took his life, but we are left with a much better understanding of the workings of that mind.

"The dark despair that round him blew"
This excellent and wonderfully written book celebrates and critically examines the sensitive, lyric, and noble soul of Meriwether Lewis. Clay Jenkinson explores Lewis' psyche from a unique perspective - literally - as a first-person historical interpreter. Profound, humorous, and soulful reflection make this a great read. Jenkinson's knowledge as a Jefferson scholar also enriches the text. Valuable to anyone curiousabout America's epic. There is also a wealth of information on the author's website. ... Read more

Product Description
Volume 3 Parts 1 & 2 of the 15 Volume Dodd Mead set “As Published” in 1904/5. This reprint volume contains Part 1 of the Journals and Orderly Book of Lewis and Clark, from the Shoshoni Camp on Lemhi River to the Encampment on the Columbia River near the Mouth of the Umatilla River August 21, 1805 – October 20, 1805.

This 1904 set is considered the most complete and elaborate work on the expedition and formed the research base for virtually every historical account ever published since then. Complete sets are also available under ISBN 1582186510 for Trade paper and 158218660X for a jacketed hardcover set. ... Read more