Undaunted Courage

If you've ever had the urge to strike out on your own, this is a wonderful tale of an amazing group of people who did. Undaunted Courage is the story of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Stephen Ambrose tells the story from the perspective of Meriwether Lewis, and his close relationship with Founding Father Thomas Jefferson. It is Jefferson who, after orchestrating the Louisiana Purchase, handpicks Lewis to lead a team up the Missouri River and eventually to the Pacific - and back. Even in our time, this seems like a daunting prospect with weather, strangers, and terrain.

Lewis should have been scarred to death, but Ambrose gives us insight into his character that shows how uniquely suited he was to this mission. Throughout the book are first hand accounts, written by Lewis himself and other members of the expedition, which break up the prose and give the reader a sense of sharing in the wonder and awe that marked the journey. The book follows Lewis until his unfortunate end a few years after the expedition successfully returns. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to quench their thirst for adventure, or looking for inspiration for future travels.