In his lengthy book, Undaunted Courage, Stephen E.

Ambrose uses his vast historical background and in-depth research to provide new insight into one of the most momentous and vitally significant explorations of all time. While he tells his story of adventure from the third person, the reader is still left with vibrant images that one would usually find in a first-person narration. This writing style ironically mirrors that of Meriwether Lewis, the books main character, who is praised by Ambrose for his descriptive capabilities. This similarity makes the book rather interesting and at the same time gives the reader a connection between Ambroses narration of the expedition and the narration provided by Lewis in his journals. It is his commitment to the truth and motives behind the expedition as well as the true natures of its leading members that makes Ambrose an intriguing author and Undaunted Courage a book of legitimate historical significance. It is clear just from the length of the book itself and the depth of the books material that it was Ambroses mission to give the most detailed and accurate account of the Lewis and Clark Expedition as he possibly could. The support given for his arguments is astounding and is frankly some of the best that can be found from any nonfiction writer. He has cited nearly one hundred sources (ninety-five to be exact) ranging from government agencies and records to collegiate libraries and publications. In addition to his immense research specifically on the subject, it can be safely assumed that his extensive work with other historical subjects has afforded him a plethora of knowledge in any aspect of American history. This knowledge comes through brilliantly in his writing and is experienced most fully by the reader in the cause and effect relationships he is able to portray while still staying true to the chronological order of events. Better than any other of his contemporaries, Ambrose is able to illustrate his ideas

thoroughly while not digressing from the plot of the narrative. His depth and detail provide a more comprehensive source of the subject as well as a more enjoyable experience for the reader. Ambroses dedication to detail and accurate depiction of the events of and the circumstances surrounding the expedition is a refreshing reminder that there is more to a fair representation of history than just textbook passages. He brings to the reader many anecdotes that one would be hard-pressed to find in the average high school textbook. For example, before reading the book the average student would not have known that Lewis had committed suicide, or so Ambrose claims, or that his journals werent published for so long because of his addiction to drugs and alcohol as well as the deterioration of his mental health. Where many sources would omit certain events and background information to focus on other, more flattering information, Ambrose stays true to the writing style he has developed throughout the entire book. His thorough coverage of the subject and attention to detail leave the reader with a better, more complete understanding of the topic than he/she would find from a majority of similar sources. No matter the nature of the information he covers it completely without pulling any punches. This philosophy is extremely important in writing about and studying history so that in either case one is able to gain valuable, although sometimes damaging, knowledge. Another of the books successes was Ambroses portrayal of the circumstances and events surrounding the expedition. Mostly political, these events shed light on the motivations for the expedition and some of the lesser known benefits of the Louisiana Purchase. For example, in Chapter Six, Origins of the Expedition, Ambrose writes:

The news that the British were threatening to set up shop in the Northwest galvanized Jefferson into manic activity and changed Meriwether Lewis life overnight. Sometime late that summer or in the fall of 1802 . . . President Jefferson informed Captain Lewis that he would command an expedition to the Pacific (75-76). Here the reader sees that the expedition was not undertaken just for the sake of exploration or curiosity. There were, or so Ambrose claims, political motivations behind Jeffersons enthusiasm to sponsor an expedition. Next, Ambrose depicts Jeffersons circumstance in his decision to promote the purchase of western lands. In Chapter Thirty-three, Reporting to the President, Ambrose remarks, Whenever the Constitution was silent, Jefferson, when in power, was willing to abandon a strict construction of the document in order to promote western expansion (408). Ambrose shows that while Jefferson, for the most part, was a fervent strict constructionist, he was pragmatic enough to suspend his beliefs in order to advance the development of the nation. It is Ambroses ability to succinctly depict the entirety of both the background and the foreground of his setting that makes him such an accomplished and engaging writer. Lastly, it is in only one instance that Ambroses writing is lacking. While his narrative is quite intriguing and full of detailed imagery, it is at the same time too linear. It lacks a clear and true climax. The most climatic chapter is Chapter Thirty-two, The Last Leg, which attempts to depict the joy of completing the expedition against seemingly insurmountable odds. But, Ambrose ends the expedition with rather dry facts instead a representation of the joy that the men must have felt. Furthermore, the book continues for another eight chapters, leaving the completion of the expedition too far the books resolution to be a memorable climax. But,

being a nonfiction writer, Ambrose cannot be held to the same style as his fictional counterparts. At any rate, Ambroses narrative is compelling throughout, leaving the reader with a new understanding of one of the most monumental undertakings of American history. And, just as Ambrose sees it fit for Jefferson to have the last word, here Ambrose will do the same, Ive always tried to be fair to my subjects. Thats easy when they are as likeable and admirable as Lewis and Clark.