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Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis Thomas Jefferson And The Opening Of The American West
Price: $32.97
Description
In 1803 President Thomas Jefferson selected his personal secretary, Captain Meriwether Lewis, to lead a voyage up the Missouri River, across the forbidding Rockies, and -- by way of the Snake and mighty Columbia -- down to the Pacific Ocean. Lewis and his partner, Captain William Clark, endured incredible hardships and witnessed astounding sights. With great perseverance, they worked their way into an unexplored West and when they returned two years later, they had long since been given up for dead.Lewis is supported by a variety of colorful characters: Jefferson and his vision of the West; Clark, the artist and map-maker; and Lewis -- the enigma, who led brilliantly but considered the mission a failure. After suffering several periods of depression -- and despite his status as national hero -- Lewis died mysteriously, apparently by his own hand.
Description
A biography of Meriwether Lewis that relies heavily on the journals of both Lewis and Clark, this book is also backed up by the author's personal travels along Lewis and Clark's route to the Pacific. Ambrose is not content to simply chronicle the events of the "Corps of Discovery" as the explorers called their ventures. He often pauses to assess the military leadership of Lewis and Clark, how they negotiated with various native peoples and what they reported to Jefferson. Though the expedition failed to find Jefferson's hoped for water route to the Pacific, it fired interest among fur traders and other Americans, changing the face of the West forever.
A Story of True Courage
Date: 2008-11-11 Rating: 10 out of 10
Wow! This was the first Stephen Ambrose book I ever read. Now I'm hooked. His attention to detail is incredible. How those guys survived attacks by savages, grizzly bears, and other forces of nature is hard to imagine.
Ambrose takes the reader step-by-step through the journey, from the inception, all the way to the explorers' triumphant journey home, and beyond.
Once you read this book, you will probably become a big Stephen Ambrose fan like me.
I highly recommend this book.
Mitch Paioff, Author, Getting Started as an Independent Computer Consultant
BewertungenA gift to all generations of Americans who followDatum 2008-11-02 Rang: 10 von 10 With so many reviews sometimes I hesitate to add one more. This is a gift, a treasure to all Americans who come after us. All good stories do not necessarily have the benefit of good story tellers and vice versa. I believe this is THE reason this book is so powerful. L&C is a tale of the stars aligning at exactly the right moment with precisely the right cast there to undertake the adventure. Behind it all is the vision of Jefferson who saw with perfect clarity what needed to be done (the La. Purchase) and the immediate need to explore it and open it up to the boundless energies of those who would make it home. With carping, second-guessing New England Federalists at his heels he selected the man to lead the expedition. He equipped Lewis with the necessary resources, intellectual and material to execute his bold plan. Lewis selected an uncanny compliment to co-lead the venture and the rest, as they say, is history. This cannot be over recommended and should be mandatory reading for all citizens before high school graduation. Very Irked Datum 2008-11-01 Rang: 2 von 10I believe this book was listed as Like New, Maybe Read Once.
Yes, it did look New, but it was absolutely saturated in cigarette smoke as if someone had smoked the whole time it had been read- not just the outside as if packed by a smoker. There was NO WAY I could hold it in front of me to read for hours- the stench was sickening as well as a health risk for me as an athsma patient. So, I put it out in the garage to see if it could be aired out, but after all this time, the smell has not dissipated much. I tried to contact the seller immediately upon arrival, but never figured out how to send a message until I received this review. I didn't pay very much, but I feel like I wasted my money, especially so since I have far less disposable income that I did in better economic times. So- for me, trading on Amazon wasn't a very good experience and am apprehensive to buy there again. Must ReadDatum 2008-08-23 Rang: 10 von 10I would recommend this book/audio to anyone.
It is fasinating to any one interested in US History and elploration of American. The book manymaps to relate to during yoour read. I later listened to the audio a year later and I really enjoyed it so much the second time through. I had read book reviews before and this one was claimed to the best about Lewis and Clark. Thumbs up!ExtraordinaryDatum 2008-07-12 Rang: 10 von 10Read this as a first edition hardback---my Amazon reviewing is a little behind, to say the least---outstanding book. The best book on L&C in print. Ambrose collaborated on a book with Nat'l Geo that is spectacular as well. OUTSTANDING from cover to cover.
If you read only one book on the topic, read this one---and prepare to be hooked.
Produkt InformationAutor:
Stephen E. Ambrose
Creators:
Barrett Whitener (Reader)
Recording label: Simon & Schuster Audio Hersteller: Simon & Schuster AudioEAN: 9780743579292Format: Audio CDDewey decimal number: 970ISBN: 0743579291Artikelzahl: 20Erscheinungsdatum: 2008-06-17Format: Audiobook, Unabridged, Sprache: English (Original Language)
Sprache: English (Unknown)
Sprache: English (Published)
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