At the heart of the immense and growing interest in Lewis and Clark in recent years stands this book. WWII historian Stephen Ambrose had long harbored a private obsession for the Expedition of the Corps of Discovery, and in
Undaunted Courage he was able to capture this passion, successfully conveying it to countless readers across the country. Though Ambrose lends Lewis and Clark's story a sense of historical immediacy by quoting the original journals freely throughout, what makes this book so successful is Ambrose's readable, jargon-free writing style and his thriller-writer's talent for shaping a compelling story. Whatever the reason for its success,
Undaunted Courage not only topped every national bestseller list, it also inspired a Ken Burns PBS documentary about Lewis and Clark, a second, beautifully produced Lewis and Clark book in conjunction with National Geographic (
Lewis and Clark: Voyage of Discovery), as well as our current national fascination with the most famous and historically significant expedition in our history.