Vacation introduced me to the famous American Explorers. Twenty years removed from my southern roots and living in Oregon Country...I still didn't know much about these fellas or about the expedition other than seeing silhouettes of the duo plastered on markers along the Columbia River Gorge highway.

Ultimately it took a 4th grader to percolate my interest. It started with a small narative of L & C's passage over the divide heading to the giant waters of the Pacific...ultimately establishing Ft. Clatsop, just a 2 hour drive from my house. I enjoyed the narrative from the Ginger but needed more 411. Much to my surprise he placed his book on the Corps of Discovery under my pillow for reading. It was less than 100 pages and made for thelikes of WiregrassTiger. I needed more...

Undaunted Courage fulfilled my passage to understand the expedition and the men that journeyed from The United States to the Pacific. The book is an adventure in itself. It tells the story of Jefferson's desires [role] to open the American West, the fortitude of a military company who become accomplished wilderness survivalists, the beginnings of US policy on Indian affairs, the bond of 2 Captains and the struggles of Lewis after the expedition. Ambrose balances the book with passages from the expedition journals along with other scholarly documents along with his independent thoughts.

Anyway, I would 4:20 recommend this book to all souls and a must for US History peeps.

A few take always...I'm amazed by the fact there are living trees in Philadelphia grown