- Paperback: 528 pages
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster; Reprint edition (Jun 2 1997)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0684826976
- ISBN-13: 978-1847397638
- Product Dimensions: 23.1 x 15.5 x 3 cm
- Shipping Weight: 680 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (285 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#118,957 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #7 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( J ) > Jefferson, Thomas
- #27 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Historical > United States > Civil War > Military Leaders
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
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.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
From 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; author tour.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
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. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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. Read the first page
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Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
What A Shame,
By A.F.Shin (Texas) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis Thomas Jefferson and the Opening of the American West (Paperback)
I took the advice of that author, Norman Thomas Remick, who wrote that sterling review of this book and, generally, complimented Stephen Ambrose as being the best. He is right. This book was great, and Ambrose probably **was** the best. I also went on to read Remick's book, "West Point..Thomas Jefferson" which is factually drawn from Jefferson's own readings and writings. It's important enough that everyone should read it. A real sleeper. What a shame it doesn't get more of a push.
5.0 out of 5 stars
History Comes Alive,
By
This review is from: Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis Thomas Jefferson And The Opening Of The American West (Audio CD)
I listened to this as a Book on Tape as read by Barret Whitener.In terms of the technical quality of the book and narrative I had no complaints. Whitener has a fairly soft and tenor voice and he uses a fairly consistent style of reading with a reasonable amount of inflection and modulation. The tapes themselves were well made and used the method of completing a tape side with an appropriate message to switch sides or tapes and further the next tape repeated the last sentence from the where it left off. That allowed for good continuity and confidence that I felt was well done. It's a shame other renderings of other books on CD or tape do not use this simple courteous method. As regards the book itself, this was the first in depth work on the Lewis and Clark expedition I ever interacted with. I was passingly familiar with the general history and wanted to know more. This book delivered. Ambrose has written an eminently readable and listenable tale that should appeal to both the serious historian and yet he has made it appealing to the average reader who can enjoy the tale without feeling he is being immersed in academia. Lewis' tale is valuable for what it reveals of Thomas Jefferson as well who enters in and out of the tale as would be expected. In particular, at the end I found Ambrose's handling of Lewis death to be particularly well done. He was factual and yet not afraid to jump in with some references to competing theories that claim Lewis' death was a murder. Ambrose's refutation of those theories seem reasonable and well referenced. I can't imagine any work out there that would be better to read on this subject, short of the original Lewis and Clark Journals themselves. Well worth the time and effort to read or listen to!
4.0 out of 5 stars
Deep / Insightful,
By
This review is from: Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West (Hardcover)
Ambrose wrote a very complete book here. Obviously extensive, well researched, and with a good flow - this book is worth reading. My pick with this book would be it moves along a little on the slow side, but so did Lewis & Clark on this voyage. High Points: Descriptions & Interpretations from the original journals - superb. Multiple points of view, Lewis, Clark, the members of the corps of discovery, native americans, etc. Ambrose brings these to life. Intricate step by step accounts of the trip. Improvement Points: At times it just moves along too slowly - Ambrose could have made it a bit more concise. Confusing ending, did Lewis commit suicide? Was he muredered, Ambroses' guesses leave something to be desired. All in all this is a good book which should be read by any aspiring student of history. Joseph Dworak
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