Rating: 
Summary: It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This
Review: The great philosopher Brand Blanshard once recommended reading biography and history rather than fiction because the things that have happened and that individuals have done are as great and fascinating as anything a novelist could imagine. In this great book, Stephen Ambrose writes history that reads like fiction. The book is detailed, structured superbly, has psychological insights into Lewis, Clark and others; in short, everything you'd want from a good novel. I have read so many history books that are such dry, monotonous chronicles of fact but not here. Ambrose makes history come alive and I believe that an argument could be made that this is the way history should always be written: with passion, excitement and life, as well as detailed historical information backed by tremendous research.
Adding to the enjoyment of this book is Ambrose's deep knowledge of the American context at the time. He delves into Jefferson, into Washington politics and has various insights into the America of the time. We have a portrait of St. Louis at the end of the book, when Lewis was governor of the Louisiana territory. Also, the quotes from Lewis about the various indian tribes, mountains and rivers is superb.
A superb effort that could only be written by someone with a truly authentic interest and love for his subject.
Greg Feirman (gfire77@yahoo.com)
Rating: 
Summary: An overwrought narration
Review: Stephen Ambrose travels well-trodden ground in presenting yet another version of the Lewis and Clark expedition. He chooses to focus mainly on Meriweather Lewis and his relationship to Thomas Jefferson. It was officially Lewis' expedition, but the young Lewis strongly felt that it was a journey he shared equally with William Clark. Unfortunately, Mr. Ambrose treated Clark as an ancillary figure, and the reader doesn't get a full impression of Clark's accomplishments on this voyage.It struck me that Ambrose wrote this narrative more for his own personal sense of discovery than he did that of Lewis and Clark. We are told repeatedly that Ambrose has made this journey himself several times, after being drawn into the story by an old volume of Nicholas Biddle that was given to him by an aunt. Biddle was the first to transcribe the voyage of discovery in 1814, after Lewis had died and Clark was left to try to get their copius journals in print. The first full-length treatment of the voyage was presented by Reuben Gold Thwaites in 1904, upon the centennial of their debarkation date. Since then we have also been treated to narratives by Bernard De Voto and David Lavender, both of which are far superior to Ambrose's rendition. Gary Moulton has recently completed the definitive set of journals replete with maps and drawings done by Lewis and Clark and four other members of the voyage of discovery. Ambrose provides no new light to this heavily documented voyage. Instead, he seems to fawn over their every accomplishment, constantly noting all the "firsts" when in actual fact there were very few "firsts" on this "voyage of discovery." The route had been covered many times before at various stages. The only real first was that of linking the Missouri to the Columbia River and providing the first full-length map of this river course. But this does not seem to daunt Ambrose who never seems to run out of praise for Lewis and even Clark at times. However, he does become more critical of Lewis in later chapters, as the stress of the voyage begins to wear on him. I found most of these criticisms to be rather weak, especially Ambrose's insistence that Lewis' melancholia had become acute. Lewis did indeed suffer depression after the voyage but there was little to indicate that he suffered from anything more than anxiety during the voyage. Needless to say, such an undertaking was a huge strain on a man who celebrated his 30th birthday in route to the Pacific and I think Lewis held up marvellously well under the circumstances, thanks in large part to the ever-patient William Clark.
Rating:
Summary: You'll wish you had been there after reading this book
Review: Stephen Ambrose, while a professor, used to take students each summer to recreate the Lewis and Clark Trail, and then use their journals as a guide. Most of us were never lucky enough to have had him as a professor, but this book will easily allow him to be your teacher.
The amazing, grand scope of the Lewis and Clark journey is usually confined to a short paragraph in our American History textbooks. We can try to imagine what it was like, but Ambrose shows us that our imagination barely scratches the reality of what was the most amazing journey I have ever read about. The challenges, conflicts and new experiences faced by the party of men sent by Jefferson simply must be read to be understood. I am very glad I came across this effort, and count it among the most profound U.S. History works I have read. Ambrose's book is easily as good as his World War II works, and far better than Nothing Like It in the World (his book about the transcontinental railroads' construction). This was great.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I've ever read.
Review: Stephen Ambrose does a wonderful job bringing the perils of the Lewis and Clarke expedition to life right before your eyes. I strongly recommend this book to all history lovers.
Rating:
Summary: OUTSTANDING READING
Review: PUTS YOU INSIDE LEWES AND CLARKS BODY AND MIND. LETS THE READER EXPERIENCE A TRUE ADVENTURE OF EXPLORATION. THE READER WILL FEEL THE PAIN OF MOVING ACROSS A WILDRERNESS. AS THE CORPS VIEWED THE ROCKIES FROM DAYS AWAY THE ANTICIPATION OF CROSSING THOSE MOUNTAINS ON FOOT AND HORSEBACK BECOMES SCARY. AMBROSE BRINGS ANY READER ALONG FOR THE DISCOVERIES AND HARDSHIPS. LEWES ENDING IS A TRUE WASTE AND SHOWS HOW MEDICINE HAS ADVANCED IN TWO HUNDRED YEARS. A REMARKABLE JOURNEY.
Rating:
Summary: WELL RESEARCHED, A DELIGHT TO READ, AND REREAD
Review: Ambrose provides a detailed account of Lewis & Clark and their Corps Discover team's trek as they slowly make their way across territory that was previously unexplored by Americans. He gives a full account of the daily life of various discoveries made and important concerns regarding the most direct but naviagatable routes, as well as the treachours aspects of their 2 1/2 years plus journey of the newly purchased Lousina Territory and onward to the Oregon coast.
It is most interesting to read how Lewis and Clark and the team dealt with "savages" and other more friendly Indians as they experienced their cultures. They faced extremes in weather with temperatures -20 or -30, various diseases/illnesses, mosquoitoes, lack of food to the point of near starvation and other dangers of river and horse travel over very rugged terrain, at times to the point of leaving the team in complete and utter exhaustion.
I highly recommed this book and without question give it 5 stars and it no doubt is in the same league with other of Ambrose's other excellent works.
Rating: 
Summary: Abrose at his best
Review: Ambrose has done an outstanding job in capturing the difficulty faced by Captains Lewis and Clark-- taking a group of soldiers into the abyss-- the Great American Desert-- and finding out all he can about this hostile land for their President while keeping hostiles at bay, their soldiers healthy and happy. Using the journals of Lewis and Clark as a starting point, he does an excellent job of keeping us interested in their challenges, their triumphs and their daily lives. It's all too easy to see these men and women of 200 years ago as stereotypical cardboard cutouts, but Mr. Ambrose has done an excellent job of keeping it fresh and interesting. One of my favorite reads of 2001 as well as one of my favorite reads "of all time." A sweeping story well told.
Rating:
Summary: Much Better Than The Movie!!!
Review: I fell asleep twice trying to watch Ken Burns' "Lewis and Clark" on PBS. Conversely, I stayed up way too long at night turning pages of Ambrose's book - simply because I couldn't put it down. This is history the way it should be written - an important subject brought graphically to life in a form that is interesting, understandable, and entertaining. As for Ken Burns' video - I decided to travel the trail and see what it looks like for myself. Not thanks to Burns, but thanks to Ambrose.
Rating: 
Summary: Great print book; disappointing audiobook
Review: Reading the fine print on the bottom of the box, I see this is technically a Books on Tape recording, so Simon & Schuster is off the hook. I can overlook Cotter Smith's somewhat flat reading of the text; after all, you can only add so much drama to a non-fiction book. But if you're going to read a book that focuses at least partly on Thomas Jefferson, is it too much to ask that they pronounce his own home correctly??!!!! Is it too much to have a director or producer say, "Hey Cotter, could you back up for a minute? It's 'mon-tuh-CHELL-oh,' not 'mon-tuh-SELL-oh.' Quite frankly, this is at least an average recording overall. But the fact that one of the most basic components of Jefferson's life, something we're all taught as children, can be mispronounced and then make its way on to a finished recording ruins this production from the very beginning.
Rating:
Summary: Heroic, Passionate, Romantic, couragous, Inspirational
Review: Yes, this is hardcore life. I couldn't put it down. The book is thoroughly researched and beautifully written. There is a third Captain here and his name is Stephen Ambrose. Mr. Ambrose show how keenly intelligent these explorers were from President Jefferson right down the line to the youngster Shannon, who later became an attorney, and John Coulter, who is credited with discovering "Yellowstone". This summer I drove up to Great Falls, Montana and spent ten days driving along the Missouri River and stopping at the historical sites along the way to Wood River at St. Louis. It was fabulous. I took a digital photo of Captain Clark's inscription on Pompeys Pillar and plastered it on my computer as my screen saver. I was amazed how much of the history of this book is still with us. Remember that Captain Clark named a river after his girl friend Judith? Well, in Montana, I crossed Judith River while driving through Judith Basin, near Judith Mountain, in Judith Basin County, and finally stopped in a little town for supplies called Judith Gap! If that isn't romantic - what is? After I read Undaunted Courage, I read the Lewis and Clark Journals listed in the index. Aside from Atlas Shrugged, and a few others, this is the most absorbing book I've ever read. TO THE GLORY OF MAN
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